Understanding Urban Spaces Faculty of Planning | Masters in Urban Design | Sem II Priyadarshini Jain | PUD21264
Acknowledgements I would like to earnestly acknowledge the sincere efforts and valuable time given by Prof. Brijesh Bhatha, Prof. Tapan Shah, and teaching assistant Shraddha Gupta. Their valuable guidance and feedback has helped me in developing basic understanding of design elements in urban domain Also, I would like to mention the support of my parents, friends and classmates who contributed in one way or the other for accomplishing the project.
“The information presented in this portfolio has been studied and collected by author as a part of Elements of urban Design Studio, Faculty of Planning, CEPT University. Any omissions and errors are deeply regretted.”
Contents
08.
12.
20.
What’s Your City Talking about?
Street and Building Types
Urban Open space and Urban Block
- Vikram Marg, Ujjain - Smith Street, Singapore - Building types
- Ramghat, Ujjain - Rosenthaler Vorstadt, Berlin
26.
40.
Analysis and Street Design
Learning Outcomes
- Mapping and Analysis - Existing Situation - Vision and Proposal - Sections - Proposed scenario
Studio Brief
The studio is structured as an introduction to urban design representation and design of public places. The studio is based on the premise that urban design is best understood and expressed through study and representation of the built urban environment. The studio is structured in multiple modules running through the semester, each culminating with a review and exhibition of the outcome. All the studio modules will significantly focus on effectively capturing and communicating the spatial qualities of the urban built environment. The first module focuses on perceiving and representing the key elements of urban design (building types, streets, open spaces and urban blocks) that come together to make any functional urban space. The second module focuses on the analysis and design of streets including the detail design of elements. This studio enabled me to explore the scale, form, character of key urban design elements and their relationship with the larger urban context.
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01.
What’s your city talking about
This exercise is designed to make us aware about the current urban issues that their cities are focused on either excited or concerned about. It was required to identify such urban topics that are debated by citizens or are in the media indicating evidence of interest from the city and citizens.
Chandigarh
Public Bike Sharing
Cycle for Change Project, Chandigarh
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Problem city is facing
Demand and Solution
Impact on People
My Perspective
In spite of being a walkable city with index of 0.91 (MoHUA) Increasing vehicles and decreasing air quality has become a major topic of discussion for the city
240 cyclists killed and presence of existing cycle tracks. Introduction of cycle for change challenge in 2021 pushed officials to strenghten the existing system using tactical interventions
With launch of 25 cycle docks and cycle lanes at few pilot locations showed a increase in cycle rides and there was reduction in carbon emissions
While tactical urbanism have provided a quick and cost effective solution for the immediate issue if its not implemented properly in future strategies the project will lose its efficiency
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2a.
Streets and Building Types
This exercise was designed to develop an understanding of various attributes of building types and streets and their representation. The exercise required us to analyse the parameters that shape the physical form of streets and understand their relationship with the surrounding context.
Singapore Ujjain Freeganj, Vikram Marg
Chinatown, Smith Street
Vikram Marg, Freeganj, Ujjain
Magnet 1 Tower chowk, a major landmark supports variety of activities from vending to festival celebrations
The presence of Colonnades and retail shops along on the ground floor makes the facade more porous and t along the street are mixed used with majority lower floor as retail. The provided footpath is less reatively les and there is constant negotations along the roadside 14
Edge Type
Ground Floor use
Magnet 2
Shaheed Park is second anchor which acts as backdrop for vending activities along its edges and public gathering space
thereby its more interactive with the street. The buildings ss with less than or 1 m or non existent at certain intervals 15
Smith Street, Chinatown, Singapore Shaded Food vending area to support the activities going on street
Pedestrian only Street
The Edge type of the Chinatown street is Porous allowing maximum possibility of participation from stree obstructions. As This street is a food street with historical shophouses along it the ground floor in the ent pedestrianised end of the street public right of way is shared with major occupancy by vehicles creating nego 16
Edge Type
Ground Floor use Shared Street
et and users. Also the pedestranised edge is free from tire stretch is retail (food and clothes shops). On the on otiations during the use 17
Building Type, Ujjain
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Commercial cum office Building
Retail cum Commercial Building
Building Name
Building Name
: Siddhivinayak Tower
: L.M. Complex
Ground Coverage : 420 sqmt
Ground Coverage : 640 sqmt
Total Built-up area : 2100 sqmt
Total Built-up area : 1900 sqmt
Building Type, Singapore
High Rise - Shopping complex
Shop - Houses
Building Name
Building Name
: Chinatown Complex
: Shophouse
Ground Coverage : 1275 sqmt
Ground Coverage : 100 sqmt
Total Built-up area : 16362 sqmt
Total Built-up area : 300 sqmt
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2b.
Urban open space and Urban Block
This exercise was designed to develop strategic understanding of various attributes regarding Urban Blocks and their components – Building Types, Streets and Open Spaces. The exercise required us to identify and analyse the parameters that shape the physical form of urban blocks and open spaces to understand their role in the surrounding context.
Berlin Ujjain Ramghat
Rosenthaler Vorstadt
Urban open space : Ramghat, Ujjain
Ghat is one of the major public spaces for users not only for its religious significance but also because of footfall it caters it brings about more allied activities like vending. The functioning of this area changes from throughout the day and throughout the year as well . The high percentage of opaque facade is due to flooding of ghat every monsoon.
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Scindia Chattri
Ground floor Use
Religious
Institutional
Residential
Open Space
Commercial
C2 Hotel/ Restaurant
Commercial C2 8%
Religious 92%
C1 Retail
Evening Puja
Edge Type
Partially porous 5%
Total Building Edge
= 240m
Total no. of Entrances
= 14
No. of Entrances/100m = 6
Porous 39%
Opaque 56%
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Urban block : Rosenthaler Vorstadt, Berlin
The higher Link-node ratio indicated better connectivity but the higher block perimeter range also indicates more walking distance. The presence of continuos footpath comes as an aide to this. Blocks with large courtyard in between provides needed ventilation and Light. Continuous Façade becomes a backdrop of Public Street
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Built-open Private open space 28%
Built space 29%
Public open space 43%
Buiding use Institution 5%
MixedUse 51%
Residential 44%
Street Network Blocks Primary Street Nodes
Secondary Street Tertiary Street
Block Perimeter Range 270 m- 670 m Link- node Ratio 1.40
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03
Analysis and Street Design
The focus of the design exercise is to reimagine existing scenarios in the city with a fresh perspective on the opportunities in the public domain. The selected street should spark the idea of how the place will look like after design intervention. The street analysis includes the value of the chosen street within the immediate network.
Sola
Ahmedabad
Activating Streets as public space Sola - Evolution Sola, is one of the many near-rural fringe suburbs in Ahmedabad. It has seen massive urbanisation in the past 20 years i.e 2000 to 2020 due to several factors like migration of population into urban agglomerates; the emergence of urban facilities in addition to functioning public transport systems, government policies among others things.
Science City Road
The street selected is Science city road which is the major arterial road which connects Science City (SEZ) to Ahmedabad, S.G Highway and S.P ring Road. The length of stretch is 3.5 kms and ROW is 51.2m according to TP scheme. For proposal is for a 600m stretch is selected SP Ring Road
Science City
Residential Neighbourhod
Sola Gam
24% Footpath in 1 sqkm Area Key Map
0% Footpath on Science city Road 1Km Block Perimeter 20% To City Center
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Available public Space
Mapping the site
On street Parking Vendor zone Multi Modal exchange
Activity Points
Permeability Points : 22
Pedestrian Movement pattern
Ground Floor use - 73% Commercial
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Existing Conditions and issues Existing Auto Stand
Unsafe Wide intersections
Raised Median and no intermediate crossing
Multi Modal zone
Existing
Neighbour
Fig5. Science city Road Existing Plan No crosswalks
Wide unsafe intersections
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Proposed BRTS
High speed Traffic
Unpaved shoulders with no delineation of spaces
S
g Cycle Docks
Food Vendor
Municipal Parking
Vacant Plot
rhood zone
Seasonal Vendors
No intermediate crossing
Cars encroaching walkable edges
Vendors
Existing Auto Stand
No space or shade for vendors
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Vision Along the Science city road i.e the arterial road various street activities like pedestrian movement, vending, cyclists and vehicular movement exists, but the street layout does’nt accomodates the user group.
“The proposal intents to transform Science city Road of Sola into user friendly, Inclusive and Safe.”
Existing Scenario
Proposed Scenario
Proposed Master plan - 600m Stretch Channelizing intersection for reduced conflicts and safer crossing
Retaining AMTS
Raised Site Entrances
Parallel parking infront of commercial edges
Multi Modal zone
Continous cycle tracks
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Proposed Cycle docks near BRTS
Mid Block table top crossing
Segregated Bus Lane Near BRTS
Terminating cycle lane at 16m Wide Road
Design Strategies
ath
otp
Fo
er ov nc ne La cle g Cy rkin Pa
ee
Gr
Ve
Organize
Existing Activities
Paving existing Vendor Area
lar
u hic
t
ee
Str
lar
u hic
Ve
Reclaim
Street from Vehicles
Adding additional vending spaces in MUZ
t
ee
Str
lar
u hic
Ve
t
ee
Str
Activate
Street for Social Interaction
Shared Bus Lane
Neighbourhood zone
Mid Block table top crossing
Segregating walkway from cycle track by wide MUZ
Providing paved areas adjacent to road for seasonal vendors
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Detailed Plan- 200m Stretch Green pits placed alternately to provide shade and space for street lights
Raised crossing @ +150mm at T junctions 34
Lamp post @ 10m c-c for footpath
Shaded Vendor zone in MUZ
Mid Block Table top crossing
Restablishing existing vendor zone
Street lights @ 15m c-c for carriageway as well as cycle lane
Shared Bus Lane
Parallel Parking in front of commercial areas
Seaters facing each other
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Sections Existing Section
Proposed Section
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Material Palette Interlocking Brick Tiles Red Asphalt cycle Tracks Interlocking Cement tiles of darker color to differentiate the crosswalk
Interlocking Cement tiles edging
Pre-cast concrete seater
Tree Grill for pits around seaters
Tree Grill
Concrete Pavers
Stone Pavers
Colored Asphalt
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Proposed Scenario
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Science City road supports variety of activities but is not designed to cater to the usage. In the proposal major emphasis is given to allocate the spaces like wide pedestrian footpath, cycle track, green areas, seating, vending and gathering spaces which are necessity of the site. Along with this necessary raised mid block crossing is given at running lengths to slow down fast moving traffic. Existing vendor area is paved and retained and new vendor zone is added in MUZ to support the future activities.
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Learnings
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Module 1 Module 1 intented to impart the understanding and representation of various urban spaces. My key learning were two phased; one was realising on how represent a space through abstraction using different themes and second was how different streets works in India and outside. The streets across the world are not just a mode to commute but a living thriving entity that supports majority of city life. The representation techniques also imparted the idea pf sense of scale, character of spaces and how to focus on important activities.
Module 2 Module 2 intented to focus on analysis and design of existing streets. With learning from previous modules I was able to represent and convey the existing and proposed conditions of streets better. I was able to look into nitty gritty of street and how it functions. With the help of proper analysis I tried proposing a context specific street design and activating streets especially wider ones as places for public interaction and not just mode to commute.
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Elements of Urban Design Studio