Transcendence Project

Overview

Bangalore, is currently the third most populous megacity and the second fastest-growing major metropolis in India, housing numerous education and research institutes. With the high influx of immigrants mixed with existing locals, this amplifies tension regarding social stratification, contrasting community interest and religious beliefs. These phenomena have shaped individual ideologies to be rigid, exclusive, and inattentive to surrounding communal groups and their respective concerns. Thus, the lack of understanding and indulgence has led to complications within the complex relationship of physical, social and psychological realms in India. Transcendence is a community-centric design movement that builds social capital using landscape as a medium to go beyond physical, social and psychological boundaries from individuals to society level.

Psychological Boundaries

Caste System

Social Boundaries

Social Group in Relation to Water System

Religious Unrest

India is ranked 3rd in the world for Social Hostility Index. In spite of the conference for religious freedom for individuals, there have been enduring tensions and occasional conflicts among religous communities, especially Hindus and Muslims.

Source : Pew Reserch Data, 2015 Library of Congress 2005

Bangalore and District 7 Zoning Ratio

District 7 is a residential zone without agriculatural activities.

Source : NUS MLA Wang Zhe, 2018

Traffic and Road Conditions

Sources: Uttar Pradesh

Pre-Election Tracker Survey, the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS); Development and Governance

Trump Caste Identities in Uttar Pradesh; Reuters By Jin Wu, Simon Scarr, Weiyi Cai. Research and text by Douglas Busvine | REUTERS GRAPHICS

Distance of Food Transportation

Immigration and Local Tension

Though poor water quality is present throughout india, the impact varies among different social classes due to individual capabilities and resources.

Source : Composition of Population

Growth in Bangalore, 1981-2001

Source: Census of india

Evaluation of Hebbal’s Boundaries

Physical Boundaries

Food Types, Availability and Concentration

Social and Psychological Boundaries

Survey Reponse on Selected Zone

Problems raised by Residents

Evaluation of Zone 1’s Boundaries

Physical, Social and Psychological Complication

Productive Landscape Preference

Zone 1 is selected because of its high complexity of issues and citizen’s preference that serves as the microcosm of Hebbal

Inclusiveness/Exclusiveness of Public Space

There is a concentration of food types catering to different preferences and food eateries, there are also gaps in food choices and availability.

Pollution Degree and Road Condition

The main source of pollution in Hebbal is from domestic garbage. Pollution points concentrate near the river and major, congested roads. With poor waste management, 30% green space is polluted.

Community

Master Plan

Program and Zoning

Strategies:

1. Transcending Physical Boundaries

2. Transcending Social Boundaries

3. Transcending Psychological Boundaries

Landscape Strategies

Landscape Typologies and Plant Palette

Transcending Social Boundaries

Proposed Zoning

Design Tactics

1. Communal / Inclusive Activities

2. Exclusive / Productive Activities

3. Transcending Landscape and Gateway

Use of design elements to create spaces for growth of both indiviuality and community without causing disturbance to the current quality of spatial environment.

Proposed Planting Calander

Perishability and Profitable Crops

With the proposed planting palette, farming activities can be carried out throughout the year, utilising space to its fullest capacity.

Transcending Physical Boundaries

Landscape Functionality

Productive Lanscape Solution

Transcending Psychological Boundaries

Main Perspective

Design Tactics

Stormvwater Management Circulation & Space Management

10 Year Vision

Reconfigure and improve existing food production and waste management chain to minimise wastage and maximise productivity. These design strategies serve to breakdown physical, social and psychological barriers that hinder the growth of the urban settlement.

Waste, Composting and Agriculture Flow

Design Process Model

Design strategies and tactics adopted are created to be applicable for other zones of Hebbal, or other residential towns in Banglore

Source: Jospeh, 2002

The project serve to develope a better understanding in agriculture, waste management and composition and build ownership of their living environment while transcending differences between social groups to increase community cohesion.

Sectional Perspective

Canal Revitalizition

Creating new confluence of nature and society

The water problem is a serious issue in Hebbal district. People lack clean water for daily use and drink while the only one canal in Hebbal is polluted and covered by garbage. In addition, people in Hebbal do not have enough public space for them to do activities and children can only play on the street. The aim of this project is to transform the original canal into a vitality and vigorous public space for people to do activities with cleaner water.

Background Analysis

Watershed of Greater Bangalore Stream

Site Analysis

Religion distribution in India

Religion distribution in Hebbal

Channel width: 6-10m

Channel height: 3m

Community survey Analysis

At the macro scale, the polluted water will influence the larger water system in India. Therefore, controlling the pollution source and treating it close to the source is best.

Water pollution sources on site:

(1) 50% of sewage will be discharged into canal through drainage due to pipeline leakage (dry season)

(2) People throw garbage into the canal (all seasons)

(3) Garbage flows into the canal by rain (rainy season)

The water problem is a serious issue in Hebbal district. People lack clean water for daily use and drink while the one canal in Hebbal is seriously polluted and covered by garbage, emitting a terrible odor.

In addition, many residents mentioned lack of public space. Children can only play in the streets. Adults can only hang out on the street or chat with others in front of the houses.

Strategy 1

Open the canal and clear up the garbage. Create transition zones to collect the polluted water and use constructed wetlands to purify it. Adding a water tank and widening the canal can reduce the water level 0.3 m during the rainy season.

Water storage capacity: 1000m3

Can treat polluted water in dry season

Treated water can be used for irragation.

Strategy 2

Modify the canal edge and create a variety of spaces for people to use both in the monsoon and dry season.

Strategy 3

Establish a new pedestrian walking system and create open space by using religious elements to improve connection across communities.

Mosque: house of worship + front porch + cloister

This chart shows that drinking water shortage is the most important community issue. Water pollution and lack of public space ranked 5th and 6th, they are important issues as traffic jam and air pollution, which ranked 4th and 2nd, are mainly caused by poor infrastructures. The water pollution and garbage problem are issues that are mainly put forward by people in the zones which are nearest to the canal.

Hindu temple: niche + cloister + front porch