MULTI-LAYER BIOPHILIA B.Arch Thesis by: Nehal Patel Guided by: Prof. Mansi Shah Co-guided by: Prof. Rajdeep Routh VENUS INSTITUTE OF DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE GANDHINAGAR, GUJARAT, INDIA
ABSTRACT It is believed that human have congenital inclination towards nature and natural processes, this phenomenon is termed as 'biophilia". Human health and well-being are linked to natural world. Man is part of very large ecosystem that sustains itself by interdependency of different living species. Harnessing each other's strength and abilities is way of life, where all exist harmoniously and in chaos. The imbalance in these natural systems came when man, begin building their own ecosystems namely "cities". Urban population (most civilized of all) have generated inharmonious chaos. Bigger cities are built at the cost of extinction of biodiversity, and these are just "concrete jungles." Human ecosystems largely fail to meet the requirement of pure air to breath and water to drink. Human-nature connections have to grow strong in man-made environments not only for health but also to save disappearing biodiversity. This thesis demonstrates the application of biophilia in urban environment by designing and deriving stratergies for mixed-use development in CBD-West Zone of Ahmedabad City.