RESUSCITATING BARAPULLAH DRAIN NEW DELHI VOIDS AS AN OPPORTUNITY
A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF
BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE
By RAGHAV KUMAR CHANDIGARH COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE CHANDIGARH, INDIA 2016
RESUSCITATING BARAPULLAH DRAIN VOIDS AS AN OPPORTUNITY A Thesis submitted to the Chandigarh College of Architecture in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the graduation in Bachelor of Architecture, 2016
Raghav Kumar
LIST OF FIGURES Fig 0.1 -The area under barapullah elevated road along the drain, New Delhi. Kumar R. (Authur's image), 2016.
Fig 0.2 -The void. Marchand Y. and Meffre R.
Fig 1.1-Spaces under AIIMS flyover. Available at http://network2media.com/images/stories/Jan2010/week2-1117/13thJanuary2010/Delhi-Flyovers-500x438.jpg
Fig 1.2 -Abandoned Rajghat Plant. Available at http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/02683/03ndsgi04_
Rajgh_DE_2683716f.jpg Fig 1.3- Empty dual- space void at parking lot in Palika Bazar. Available at . available at http://cache3.asset-cache. net/gc/129451318-empty-space-inside-the-automated-lot-at-gettyimages.jpg Fig 2.0- Map showing South Delhi created on Google
Fig 2.1- Coverpage, Finding Lost Space, Tranick R., Google images Fig 2.2- Coverpage, Tokyo void: Possibilities in absence, Google images
Fig 2.3- Coverpage, Urban Catalyst The Power Of Temporary Use, Google images Fig 3.1 -TRANSITION SPACE, Illustration, Sharma A. (2016) Fig 3.2- INNER BLOCK, Illustration, Sharma A. (2016) Fig 3.3-STREET AND SQUARE, Illustration,(Author's image) Sharma A., 2016 Fig 3.4- PARK AND GARDENS, Illustration, (Author's image) Sharma A., 2016 Fig 3.5-LINEAR WATEFRONT, Illustration, (Author's image) Sharma A., 2016 Fig 3.6-TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE, Illustration, Kumar R. (Author's image) 2016. Fig 3.7- Theories of urban spatial design,Tranick R. (1986) Finding Lost Space: Theories of Urban Design, New York, John Wiley & Sons
Fig 4.1-Void function of time, culture and necessity, Jonas M., Rahmann H. (2015) Tokyo Void: Possibilities in Absence, Berlin, Jovis Fig 4.2-Manipulation of void, Jonas M., Rahmann H. (2015) Tokyo Void: Possibilities in Absence, Berlin, Jovis Fig 4.3-Flexibility of Void, Jonas M., Rahmann H. (2015) Tokyo Void: Possibilities in Absence, Berlin, Jovis Fig 4.4-Void in state of flux, Jonas M., Rahmann H. (2015) Tokyo Void: Possibilities in Absence, Berlin, Jovis Fig 5.1-Japanese "Ma'- The in-between, Google images Fig 5.2-Green stretch along the Barapullah drain. Kumar R. (Author's image), 2016 Fig 6.1 -Pop up urbanism, Narusevicute P.(2014) Empower the disused: Temporary use recipes for kanaus, dissertation, University of Strathclyde arapullah drain Fig 6.2 - Thermal Bath, RaumlaborBerlin Fig 6.3 - Temporary club made using water tanks, Inhabitat.com Fig 6.4 - Tresor club, earlier a power plant, Inhabitat.com Fig 6.5 - Multiple temporary users Fig 6.6 - Start up, www.siliconcaribe.com Fig 6.7 - Community garden Fig 6.8 - Opportunist temporary user occupying space under flyover Fig 6.9 - Dumster used for landscaping Fig 6.10 - Temporary learning space Fig 6.11 - Temporary exhibtion space
Fig 6.11 - Temporary club in Berlin Fig 6.12 - Parasite shelter Fig 6.13 - BMW-Guggeinheim lab Fig 6.13 - BMW-Guggeinheim lab Fig 6.14 - Barcelona Pavallion Fig 6.15- Temporary club at ostbahnof Fig 6.16- Search reults and popularity of temporary, Narusevicute P.(2014) Empower the disused: Temporary use recipes for kanaus, dissertation, University of Strathclyde arapullah drain Fig 6.17- Timeline of firms that practice portable and temporary architecture , Narusevicute P.(2014) Empower the disused: Temporary use recipes for kanaus, dissertation, University of Strathclyde arapullah drain Fig 7.0- Nizamuddin Baoli, Kumar R. (Author's image), 2016 Fig 7.1- Map of Barapullah drain, made using google maps Fig 7.2 - Drain closed by concrete surface near Jangpura - Bhogal, Kumar R. (Author's image), 2016 Fig 7.2 - Drain closed by concrete surface near Jangpura - Bhogal, Kumar R. (Author's image), 2016 Fig 7.3- storm water drains in history, credit: Source Oasis Design inc, available at http://municipalika.com/wpcontent/uploads/2014/Presentations/CS03-Akash-Hingorani-Presentation.pdf Fig 7.4- storm water drains Before and after, source Times of India Fig 8.1- Unpacking the potential of void Fig 8.2- Site illustration showing Barapullah drain
Chandigarh College Of Architecture, Chandigarh
Thesis Title: Resuscitating Barapullah Drain: Voids as an Opportunity Thesis Guide: Asstt. Prof. Amrit Panwar Thesis Coordinator: Prof. Sohan Lal Saharan Thesis Period: 15th January 2016 - 8th July 2016 Date of Submission: 28th June 2016 No. of pages:
Raghav Kumar
RECOMMENDATION We hereby certify that the Thesis Report entitled “RESUSCITATING BARAPULLAH DRAIN: VOIDS AS AN OPPORTUNITY, NEW DELHI", prepared by RAGHAV KUMAR under our guidance, be accepted as a requirement for the partial fulfilment of the Degree of Bachelor of Architecture. Dated: 27th June 2016
Amrit Panwar (Thesis Guide)
Pradeep K Bhagat (Principal)
Sohan Lal Saharan (Thesis Coordinator)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS For some unworldly reason when it comes to acknowledgements, just for a momet, I intend to roll up my sleeves and bare some skin and take a deep breath. This thesis, the final lap was the icing on top of the wonderful five year journey – For I have been lucky to have the company of very talented individuals and outstanding friends, without whose relentless support this project wouldn’t have been possible. Firstly, to my guide Prof. Amrit Panwar, for your unwavering support, guidance and inspiration throughout the process and always pushing me to believe I can achieve far more than I had imagined in this thesis. Thank you for sticking through all the ups and downs throughout the course of the thesis. It would have been an impossible monster, if it were not for your collected thoughts and sound guidance. Ma’am, you truly are an amazing mentor. Our Thesis Co-ordinator Prof. Sohan Lal Saharan cannot be thanked enough for his unbiased and cooperative approach towards the entire batch. To my team, my strength, for all the unconditional support and sleepless nights they put in this project making life look a bit easier. Aman( the perfectionist) - my right hand , you were always the go to guy at any hour with any task. Sarthak (Chinti),my ant man, for doing all the mammoth tasks with ease, calm and utmost efficiency. Abhishek, for his wonderfull illustration skills, perseverance and dedication despite his training commitments. To Akshay(Bareilly) and Ashish(Bhatt)- For sheltering me in your den, for the fun times and working on the complex task of both physical and 3d model. Paras(Thappa) you were a surprise package and great help. A special mention to Arnab for his support at times of crisis. To my first year army- Manish(the quick learner), for being a one man army. Kanav(Mr.Never-sayno), for accepting and doing any task that lay at hand. Gurpreet, for helping in site documentation. Ashish (Gallu) for all the positive vibes and cheer you brought into the team. To Avneet (Mango)-For believing in me and having absolute faith. You were invaluable for my sanity over the course of thesis. To my colleagues Rahul, Sashank, Raghvinder, Shubham, Sanchit, Drishti, especially Siddharth and Akshit, for your support in times of stress and panic attacks. Neeraj, for all the social outings
and chill sessions. To my football team - Football was a real stress buster. I will cherish these moments spent playing forever. Eikman, my dear junior for logistics. To Divya(The-Man)- For being a constant critic of my work and for your unconditional support through the ups and downs in the past years. To Ansh- Cometh the moment cometh the man! For I cannot ask a more generous and loving sibling who happens to be studying architecture. Thank you for being my pillar of strength. Lastly, I am indebted to my family, Mom, Dad and Dadi, who have done everything in their power to help me achieve all I have to this day. Thank you for understanding my lifestyle and believing in me. You have all played an enormous part in shaping this year and making the project successful. Thank you.
PREFACE This Bachelors thesis report was written in the 10th semester of Bachelors programme in architecture, at Chandigarh College of Architecture. The idea of my thesis topic came forth due to my fascination with spaces which are abandoned, left overand how they are inhibited by the informal agents of the city. These spaces are obscured and concealed from public eye. The theme was to see these urban voids as an opportunity. To conduct the thesis one such void was identified, the Barapullah Drain in the heart of the city. The research phase was enforced with different theories: Urban Catalyst: The power of temporary use by P.Oswalt, K.Overmeyer, P. Misselwitz(2013), Tokyo Void: Possibilities in Absence by Marieluise Jonas and Heike Rahmann(2015) and Finding Lost Space by Roger Tranick(1986). These literature studies along with functional case studies formed the theoretical and practical foundation of the thesis before venturing in depth with the design phase.
ABSTRACT Today, urban environments face accelerating trends of urbanization and resources are becoming scarce. There is increase in flow of human movements due to rise in frequency of both natural and man-made disasters. The urban fabric of modern metropolises are facing both internal and external pressures. Our daily needs are adapting to new technologies and cities are failing to live up to our ever-changing modern needs. The contemporary cities are swarming with underutilized, void spaces to which designers have turned a blind eye. In order to meet these needs, as designers, we must re-evaluate these spaces with new perspectives. With colossal but latent potential, voids have the capacity of becoming the crux of future cities. Emptiness has to be seen as a condition for imagination. This new urban setting needs to be more flexible, adapting to environment, responding and organizing to pressures the cities face. This thesis aims to create a concept to tap the catalysing potential of these urban voids. At the same time, resolving the issues which made it dysfunctional at the first place instead of bandaging it with green landscape. The notion is to imagine these empty spaces as testing grounds in real urban world conditions for new urban social experiments, evolving new tectonic systems, use of indigenous materials and construction methods. The thesis proposes an “Architecture toolkit� of public functions disposed on site on the basis of edge complexity. The thesis aims to create an amalgamation of pragmatic, economic and creative design solution that could become an architectural precedent for further designing of urban voids with urban design. The design end product creates a beautiful mental image of these voids reconnecting communities and stitching the urban fabric back.
CONTENTS
25
Literature Studies
14
Structuring the Thesis
26 Finding Lost Space: Theories of Urban Design 31 Tokyo Void: Possibilities In Abscence 33 Spatial Concept of 'MA'- The Space in Between, The Potential of Nothing 35 Urban Catalyst The Power of Temporary Use
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44
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49 51 58 59
Introduction Re-Thinking Urban Voids
Site Storm Water Drains of Delhi Research Question Site Location Site Relevance
108
Survey 111 116 118 122 129
Site-Survey Interviewing Locals Programme Public Space Survey Creating Awareness
72
132
74 Building Heights Map 76 Land Use Map 78 Kevin Lynch Maps: District Map 80 Road Hierarchy Map 82 Nodes Map 84 Landmarks Map 86 Traffic Flow Map 88 Edge Analysis Map
134 140 148 154
90
160
93 95 97 99 101 103 105 107
163 165 166 169 170
Site Analysis
Edge Analysis Nizamuddin East Edge Nizamuddin West Edge Nizamuddin Basti Edge Pantnagar Edge Jangpura-Bhogal Edge Jangpura-B Edge Barapullah Bridge Edge The Wall
Case Studies Work in Progress (WIP) by St+art Boxpark Buffalo Bayou Promenade References
Design Tactics Thickening of Edges Urban Stitching Master Plan Play With the Wall Architecture Toolkit
182 Bibliography
14
15
Latent
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INTRODUCTION Today qualities of urban space have been lost. High vacancy, social pathology and boredom plague new developments. Water bodies, urban transport infrastructure, national highways, ring roads once the cornerstone of growth of cities, currently have left us with a disconnect and left permanent scars on the urban fabric. These happen because of abandoned projects due to economic decline or poor decisions influenced by political changes. Also, design tends to forget other two dimensions i.e. the third dimensional space and time, fails to accommodate the end
user requirements. This is one reason such spaces remain obscured from people’s eye. The main problem is that these zones, more often than not are treated with undesirable bandages of grey-concrete surface and green- grass landscapes creating a further division between the social communal cohesion. The thesis aims to confront this problem which today’s contemporary cities face, dealing with a specific type of urban void in the built environment.
Fig 0.1 The area under barapullah elevated road along the drain, New Delhi
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void.
Void of people? Void of infrastructure? Void of activity? Void of green? Void of buildings?
18 Fig 0.2 The void. Marchand Y. and Meffre R.
Confront void. Define void. Without content. Devoid of meaning, action, sense and time? Emptiness? Why? When? What? To who is it void? Vacant , Interstitial space. Disrupt urban tissue. Latent. Opportunity? A vast potential? For what? For who ?
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RE-THINKING THE URBAN VOIDS This thesis deals with 'Vacant and interstitial territories' and spaces which have rendered into oblivion void in the contemporary city of Delhi. Urban voids can be seen as spaces which disrupt the urban tissue, without belonging to a private or public realm. They are seen as out of context and incoherent with their surroundings (Vakarelov, Fracasso, 2015) 1. At times, these spaces are designed in two dimensional plan, with singular function but often fail to realize their potential in the other dimensions i.e. space and time, accommodating no real requirements for the users of urban fabric and ignoring human scale. These are sometimes odd and unique landscapes formed by hard edges of infrastructure. They live up to the definition of the very word they bear, ‘voids’ – “without content; ineffectual; vain; useless; empty;” (dictionary.reference.com) 2. For example, dilapidated buildings, unused parks, spaces under and around major flyovers, metro stations and transit arteries, parking lots, hard edges, abandoned construction sites etc., the kind of spaces that are generally ‘invisible’ to people’s eye as they fail to perceive them at all.
as a reversible condition using ephemeral interventions and exploiting the catalysing potential of these spaces within the context of the urban fabric around.Making people experience these spaces as never before, an experience which is usually reserved fordesigners. These voids have potential of being experimental grounds for empowering socio-cultural functions. In his paper, Kinetic city: Designing for informality in Mumbai (2009)3, Rahul Mehrotra talks about how we need to understand the blurred lines of contemporary urbanism and changing roles of people and spaces in urban society. He argues “An architecture or urbanism of equality in an increasingly inequitable economic condition requires looking deeper to find a wide range of places to mark and commemorate the cultures of those excluded from the spaces of global flows. These don’t necessarily lie in the formal production of architecture, but often challenge it. Here the idea of a city is an elastic urban condition, not a grand vision, but a grand adjustment.”
The thesis aims to see designing in voids
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1.Vakarelov, Y. and Fracasso, S. (2015) ‘Urban voids unpacked’. Master Thesis. 2.http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/void
3.Mehrotra R. (2009), Kinetic city: Designing for informality in Mumbai
As designers we need to be very sensitive designing for the voids which can be imagined in the state of tabula rasa, however overlapping and in conflict with the context.The theme is to create an inclusive public space, an urbanism that embraces and engages city’s plurality. The urban space should bring everyone together rich
Fig 1.1 Spaces under AIIMS flyover
and poor, different ethnicities, people of various abilities, disabilities, new immigrants, migrants, visitors etc. The initial focus was to locate, analyse, problematize and find pragmatic solutions for these spaces which have been concealedfrom the public city eye.
Fig 1.2 Abandoned Rajghat Plant
Fig 1.3 Empty dual- space void at parking lot in Palika Bazar.
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Finding lost space: Theories of Urban design Tokyo void: Possibilities in absence Urban Catalyst The power of temporary use The Spatial Conecept of 'Ma'
Theoretical Foundation Reseach Phase
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Fig 2.0 Map showing South Delhi created on Google
Fig 2.1 Coverpage Finding Lost Space, Tranick R.
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Fig 2.2 Coverpage Tokyo void: Possibilities in absence
Fig 2.3 Coverpage Urban Catalyst The Power Of Temporary Use.
LITERATURE STUDIES The theories listed below will form the basis for the development of my bachelors thesis. Some of them are going to be useful for the analytical stages and some will be used in the design stages of the project. Both Finding lost space: Theories of Urban design and Tokyo void: Possibilities in absence helps in understanding the causes, types of voids and behaviour of voids. The key concepts of these theories will be used during the analytical phase of the work, during which the site is scrutinized in different ways; resulting in mappings, registrations and a general understanding of the use of space at the sites in question. Urban Catalyst The power of temporary use instead serves as an inspirational tool in understanding the potential of temporary uses and users ,hence would form an important base for concept design. Sources of inspiration and information will be many, however the theories mentioned below will be the core theoretical foundation.
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Roger Tranick FINDING LOST SPACE: THEORIES OF URBAN DESIGN Problem of Urban Design “The usual process of urban development treats buildings as isolated objects and sites in the landscape, not as part of the larger fabric of streets, squares and viable open spaces. Decisions about growth patterns are made from two-dimensional land-use plans, without considering the threedimensional relationships between buildings and spaces and without a real understanding of human behaviour. “ (Tranick, 1986) What is LOST SPACE? Tranick refers to these spaces as LOST SPACES which he defines by examples as: ‘Lost spaces are also the abandoned waterfronts, train yards, vacated military sites, industrial complexes that have moved out to the suburbs for easier access and perhaps lower taxes.’ “ (Tranick, 1986). He also considers the deteriorated parks, marginalized housing
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Quotes are taken from Roger Tranick's Book:
projects, loosely composed commercial districts as loose spaces.These spaces form a scar in the urban fabric and rupture the pedestrian linkages between important destinations and makes walking frequently disjointed. These spaces are incoherent with the surrounding context. Causes “1)An increased dependence on the automobile; (2) The attitude of architects of the modern Movement towards open space; (3) Zoning and land use policies of the urban-renewal period that divided the city; (4)An unwillingness on the part of contemporary institutions – public and private- to assume responsibility for the public urban environment; (5) An abandonment of industrial, military, or transportation sites in the inner core of the city.” (Tranick, 1986).
"Finding lost space: Theories of Urban Design, 1986
According to Tranick, there are: “Five types of urban voids (with different degrees of openness and enclosure) play a part in the exterior city.” “The First is the entry foyer space that establishes the important transition, or passage, from personal domain to common territory“
Fig 3.1 -TRANSITION SPACE
“The second type is the inner block void – the enclosed “hole in a doughnut” – a semiprivate residential space for leisure or utility or a midblock shopping oasis for circulation or rest.“ “A third type of void is the primary network of streets and squares, a category that corresponds to the predominant field of blocks and that contains the active public life of the city.“ “Public parks and gardens are the fourth type of larger voids that contrast with architectural urban forms“
Fig 3.2- INNER BLOCK
Fig 3.3-STREET AND SQUARE
“The final type of urban void is the linear open space system, commonly related to major water features such as rivers, waterfronts, and wetland zones“ (Tranick, 1986)4 Fig 3.4- PARK AND GARDENS
Fig 3.6-TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE
Fig 3.5-LINEAR WATEFRONT
4.Tranick R. (1986) Finding Lost Space: Theories of Urban Design, New York, John Wiley & Sons
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“void contains in itself all the potential of the space, all the relation not written and experienced. [..] Void is the place of tension of something that will be, a space in power, but also the only place where the recollection of reality, the composition of the parts, fragments, of life can happen.” -Simone Pizzagalli, Spaces, Poetics and Voids 5
"What is to be done with these enormous voids, with their imprecise limits and vague definition? Art’s reaction … is to preserve these alternative, strange spaces….Architecture’s destiny [by contrast] has always been colonization, the imposing of limits, order and form, the introduction into strange space of the elements of identity necessary to make it recognizable, identical, universal. " - Solà-Morales Rubió, 1994 6
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5.Pizzagalli S., Privileggio N., Schoonderbeek M.(2013) Spaces, Poetics And Voids, Amsterdam, Architectura & Natura 6. Solà-Morales Rubió I. (No date). Terrain vague,
Three theories of urban spatial design These theories differ from each other but will form a basis for analysis and when taken together they can provide us with potential strategies for integrated urban design, respond to human needs and unique elements of context. Figure-ground theory ‘In this approach, the starting point for an understanding of urban form is the analysis of relationship between building mass and open space. Figure ground analyses are powerful tools for identifying the textures and patterns of the urban fabrics as well as problems in its spatial order, but can lead to a static and two dimensional conception of space.’ Linkage theory ‘It is derived from ‘LINES’ connecting one element to another. These lines are formed by streets, pedestrian ways, linear open spaces or other linking elements.’ ‘In this approach, the dynamics of circulation become the generators of urban form . The emphasis on connection and movement is a significant contribution , but need for spatial definition is sometimes undervalued.’
Fig 3.7-Theories of Urban spatial design
Place theory ‘It adds the components of human needs and cultural, historical and natural context. ‘In place theory social and cultural values, visual perceptions ,of users and an individual’s control over the immediate public environment are as important as the principles of lateral enclosure and linkage.’
4.Tranick R. (1986) Finding Lost Space: Theories of Urban Design, New York, John Wiley & Sons
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Fig 4.1-VOid function of time, culture and necessity
' Void is a function of time, culture and necessity. ' - (Jonas , Rahmann , Tokyo void Possibilities in Absence2015)7
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7.Jonas M., Rahmann H. (2015) Tokyo Void: Possibilities in Absence, Berlin, Jovis
Marieluise Jonas, Heike Rahmann TOKYO VOID: POSSIBILITIES IN ABSENCE Void doesn’t exist by itself. It is dependent on manipulation by other objects to give itself form. Thus it is argued that void is an interactive space. Fig 4.2-Manipulation of void
Void exists everywhere, free flowing through spaces, creating invisible boundaries, and intangible spaces. Void is flexible as it doesn’t have a still form but it is expanding in all directions, directly influenced by surrounding forces or causes and affected by amount, sizes and all sorts of ever changing aspects.
Void is flexible as it is not only a three dimensional form; it is four dimensional. Void is always in state of flux; it changes when inhabited with animate object over time. With the attendance of object, void co-exists to fill in negative invisible spaces, unseen, or disregarded.
Fig 4.3-Flexibility of Void
Fig 4.4-Void in state of flux
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Terrain Vague (Solà-Morales Rubió, 1994) 6 - a term that describes the left over blank spaces of the city. They aren’t really blank through, they have all sorts if left overs, existing invisible infrastructures, etc
Fig 5.1-Japanese "Ma'- The in-between
32 Fig 5.2-Green stretch along the Barapullah drain
SPATIAL CONCEPT OF ‘MA’- THE SPACE IN BETWEEN We humans have created manifold boundaries that continuously hold space and maintains segregation via invisible lines, planes and even physical walls. This act of making boundaries often fails to perceive one another and end up creating a space that is neglected and abandoned.
Lawrence Abrahamson THE POTENTIAL OF NOTHING
“When we think of boundaries, we think of lines. But what if we thought instead about space? ‘Ma’ is a Japanese boundary, but it isn’t a line. It is a void, an expanse. The literal translation is “space between” but rather than a static gap, it is the distance that exists between objects as well as between time. It is the silent pause between musical notes, the shadows between the light streaming through blinds, even the interactions between people, whether they are loved or despised.” "As designers, Ma encourages us to create boundaries for nothingness, edges of vacancies where ideas can spout and muses grow. It lets our minds fill silences with our own tones or personalities an image rising out of distant pencil marks. " “MA reminds us that what isn’t there provides the ability for everyone's story to co-exist. It is the boundaries of space that allow us, and all our ideas, to exist side by side.” (Abrahmson, No date) 8 The Ma exists everywhere, there’s always one to be discovered. The space in-between has a lot of potential, it is only for us to see absence as an opportunity for endless discoveries. Ma can be used to design a joint element that weaves back everything into a cohesive whole.
8.Abrahmson L. (No date), The potential of nothing, short essay.
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guerilla DIY Pop-up insurgent open source spontaneous tactical _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ urbanism …whatever the buzzword of choice-as a growing trend throughout many US and European cities suggests- an incremental, “temporary” approach to producing urban interventions increasingly appears to be a viable means for affecting long-term change Fig 6.1 -Pop up urbanism
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8.Narusevicute P.(2014) Empower the disused: Temporary use recipes for kanaus, dissertation, University of Strathclyde arapullah drain
Philipp Oswalt, Klaus Overmeyer, Philipp Misselwitz URBAN CATALYST THE POWER OF TEMPORARY USE
In a context of an oversupply of space and high vacancy rates many developers resign to apathy and ›wait for better times‹. The Urban Catalyst research sites represent a spectrum of diverse conditions in which temporary use can act as an urban catalyst. Temporary Events Temporary uses are often associated with crisis, a lack of vision and chaos. But, despite all preconceptions, examples like the vital scene of Berlin’s nomadic clubs or temporary events proves that temporary uses can become an extremely successful, inclusive and innovative part of contemporary urban culture. Temporary use do not emerge accidentally but are guided by different factors and rules. temporary users are urban players that act delibrately and follow certain visions. The research team has come to the following conclusions:
Fig 6.2 - Thermal Bath, RaumlaborBerlin
Fig 6.3 - Temporary club made using water tanks
A. citizens become temporary users in order to follow different aims claim vacant spaces as breeding grounds for the development of ideas, as niches or as a parallel universe in relation to the regulated urban environment. Fig 6.4 - Tresor club, earlier a power plant 9.(Oswalt P. , Overmeyer K., Misselwitz P., Urban catalyst,: The Power of the temporary use (2013)
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B. specific vacant sites attract specific temporary uses temporary users follow precise spatial criteria such as retreat, exposure or niche. C. temporary uses flourish with a minimum of investment Temporary uses can recycle and appropriate existing structures and spaces with minimal interventions – ‘urbanism light’. D. temporary uses are mostly organised in networks and use clusters Initial temporary programs often attract similar uses to the same or a nearby site. E. temporary uses are a laboratory for new cultures and economies Temporary uses can create a unique environment of experiment, where ideas can mature in time, leading to the foundation of may start-up companies.
Fig 6.5 - Multiple temporary users
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9.(Oswalt P. , Overmeyer K., Misselwitz P., Urban catalyst,: The Power of the temporary use (2013)
Who are the temporary users? Young Entrepreneurs: People that use these urban spaces as a springboard for the realization of an idea. Usually they are young well-educated people between school and career. They include students, migrants and others.
Hobbyists: People who undertake the temporary use as an hobby. These urban actors search to enrich their cultural experience seeking the freedom to follow experimental life styles. They seek parallel universe, freedom to practice experimental life.
Opportunists These temporary user sare usually people searching for opportunities to pull back from society and build alternate living arrangements. These include the homeless.
Fig 6.6 - Start up, www.siliconcaribe.com
Fig 6.7 - Community garden
Tresor night club converted from an abandoned power station.
Fig 6.8 - Opportunist temporary user occupying space under flyover 9.(Oswalt P. , Overmeyer K., Misselwitz P., Urban catalyst,: The Power of the temporary use (2013)
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8 different typologies of temporary uses explored in the book: -Stand in: Temporary uses do NOT have any LASTING EFFECT on the location, but only USE the VACANT SPACE for the TIME AVAILABLE
Fig 6.8 - Dumster used for landscaping
Impulse: Temporary use gives an IMPULSE for the FUTURE DEVELOPMENT of the site by ESTABLISHING NEW PROGRAMS/ NEW PROGRAMS cluster at a certain location.
Fig 6.8 - Temporary learning space
Consolidation: TEMPORARY USE establishes itself at a location and is TRANSFORMED to a PERMANENT USE. INFORMAL ARRANGEMENTS are REPLACED by LONG-TERM leases and regular permits. - (Oswalt , Overmeyer Misselwitz, Urban catalyst, 2013)
Tresor night club converted from an abandoned power station.
Fig 6.8 - Temporary exhibtion space
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Coexistence: Temporary use CONTINUES to EXIST (IN A SMALLER SIZE) even AFTER ESTABLISHMENT of a FORMAL PERMANENT SITE at the location. Example: Flee market and Yaam Club at Arena Berlin
Fig 6.11 - Temporary club in Berlin
Parasite: TEMPORARY USE is developed in DEPENDENCE of existing PERMANENT USES and takes ADVANTAGE of EXISTING POTENTIALS and availability.
Fig 6.12 - Parasite shelter
Subversion: Temporary use is INTERRUPTING an existing PERMANENT USE (institution) by squatting as a political action. Although such OCCUPATIONS and situations are usually SHORT-LIVED, they often NEGLECT a MARKED TRANSFORMATION of the INSTITUTIONS concerned.
Fig 6.13 - BMW-Guggeinheim lab 9.(Oswalt P. , Overmeyer K., Misselwitz P., Urban catalyst,: The Power of the temporary use (2013)
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Pioneer The TEMPORARY USE is the FIRST ‘URBAN’ USE of the site, establishing a way of settlement, which might become PERMANENT. Examples: Building of World Expo’s which have intended to be temporary but became permanent.
Fig 6.14 - Barcelona Pavallion
Displacement: A PERMANENT INSTITUTION is displaced for a LIMITED PERIOD of time and during this time established in an IMPROVISED way as a TEMPORARY USE. Example: Displacement of railway station at Berlin Ostbahnhof in year 2000.
Fig 6.15- Temporary club at ostbahnof
-(Oswalt , Overmeyer Misselwitz, Urban catalyst, 2013)
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Fig 6.16- Search reults and popularity of temporary, Narusevicute P.(2014) Empower the disused: Temporary use recipes for kanaus, dissertation, University of Strathclyde arapullah drain
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[Pneumatic clusters, container] [Plug in] [cellular agglomerates]
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Haus-r Co Oas no.7 , 1
Roberts, P.N. MOBILE Theater 1973
Doring, D. Stacked cells , 1969
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Q+ Cit
Friedman, Y. Mobile architecture, 1956
Fig 6.17- Timeline of firms that practice portable and temporary architecture , Narusevicute P.(2014) Empower the disused: Temporary use recipes for kanaus, dissertation, University of Strathclyde arapullah drain
CAT, 1973, Site offices (caravans sprayed with insulation)
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1960
1970
1980
Plastique Fantastique Rakowitz, M. paraSITE, Raumlabor, Das Gorgon-project, 2014 2000 kuchenmonument,2006
ruckerse Hackitekture 1972 ,situation room,2010
Raumlabor, Limousine EXYST, Palace, 2011 service, 2012
Shigeru ban, Nomadic NDSM Wharf, art city, Esterni+atrium abandoned museum, 2005 bridge urban intervention, 2006 2013
+A, Temporary Containers ty, 2012
Raumlabor Emma, 2012
EXYST, Reunion public house 2012
Cirugeda,S. Spiders, 2008
2000
2010
‌.
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Source: (Paulina Naruseviciute, 2014)
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Storm water drains of Delhi Research Question Barapullah Drain(Nallah) Site Site Location Site Relevance Site Pictures
SITE 45
Fig 7.0- Nizamuddin Baoli
Neglected
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Fig 7.1- Map of Barapullah drain
Fig 7.1- Drain closed by concrete surface near Jangpura - Bhogal
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Fig 7.3- storm water drains in history, credit: Source Oasis Design inc
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Absence as Opportunity STORM WATER DRAINS OF DELHI In history, these storm water drains were essential features of natural drainage system of the 7 cities of Delhi which used to carry excess rainwater runoff to Yamuna and recharging wells, stepwell, tanks along the way. They carry the tag of Ganda(dirty) Nalas as the Dilliwala’s call them as they have been converted into garbage heaps, poor planning decisions have led to growth of squatter settlements . Delhi today boasts of 22 such drains.(The Hindu, 2012)10 The city of Delhi that constitutes only 2% of the entire catchment area of the River Yamuna is responsible for 80% of its pollution load(K.P Agarwal, 2012)11. Most urban neighborhoods use these Nalas as backyards and have spatially shunned them by creating walls, hard edges. Due to their negative imageability these Nalas or storm water drains, spaces around them, can be seen as voids acting as barriers between the various districts and neighbourhoods, fragmenting the city in small parcels which are incoherent in nature at the edges. These voids disrupt and rupture the urban fabric of the city. Insensitive decision such as the covering of Barapullah may have provided temporary solutions for parking spaces but have worsened the situation in the long run and may prove hazardous ecologically. Although there have been many proposals on macro level such as The Greenway corridor that would become a heritage trail linking different monuments, ecological corridor and other activities however ignoring the holistic micro scenario of disconnected communities and bifurcated neighbourhoods.
Fig 7.4- storm water drains Before and after 10. Misra M. (2012) , ‘Green the dirty drains‘ The Hindu, 28 September 11. Agarwal K.P. (2012), ‘Yamuna lifeline of county in danger’
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Fig 8.1- Unpacking the potential of void
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RESEARCH QUESTION
{
set a precedent for other such sites. The idea is not to see voids in rupture in the tissue but exploit it as landscape continuity, a generator of NEW URBANITY. The focus is to overcome the socio-spatial obstacles, to strive for INCLUSIVE URBANISM and to give design solutions that are more socially just by answering the main research questions of the thesis project:
{
The thesis aims to identify one such VOID site or a linear stretch of NATURAL DRAIN and resuscitate it by unwrapping its catalysing potential. The notion is to be an IMPETUS of how these spaces around the drains can be developed by using EPHEMERAL INTERVENTIONS so as to blur the boundaries of existing barriers between the various neighbourhoods and integrating them into the city fabric as a COHESIVE whole and
Can implementation of inclusive participatory urban design, ephemeral architecture interventions resuscitate the natural drains in the city weave back urban neighbourhoods and communities together?
{
{
Can the proposed design change the perception of voids, drain and strengthen the image ability of the city apart from making it ecologically more sustainable ?
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BARAPULLAH DRAIN
Obscured
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GLOBAL SCALE
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SITE
Zoom
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Aerial view
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ABOUT The Barapullah Nallah, one of the storm water drain, flows North along Jangpura and Nizamuddin, past a Quabristan, adjacent to Khan-i-khana's Tomb under the hisotric Barapullah bridge before meeting Yamuna.
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SITE LOCATION The SITE for the thesis is a LINEAR OPEN SPACE SYSTEM along the BARAPULLAH DRAIN, a TRAIL which corresponds to the FINAL TYPE OF VOID stated by TRANICK. The stretch lies in zone-3 of the proposed barapulah basin between the Lala lajpat Rai marg and historic Barapullah bridge on the other side. The site shares it’s edges with Nizammudin Basti, Nizammudin west, Pant Nagar, Jangpura extension with close proximity to Humayun’s
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tomb, Dargah Nizamuddin , Khan-I-khana tomb makes it quite reactive in nature. Jangpura metro station, Nizamuddin railway station and ISBT Sarai Kale Khan makes it very accessible. The thesis focuses on UNWRAPPING the catalyzing potential of PATH, a THREAD that WEAVES SPACES TOGETHER, EXPLORE RICHNESS OF EDGES and OPPORTUNITY IN THE ABSENCE.
SITE RELEVANCE The Barapulla Nallah has one of the largest catchment population area with many tributaries meeting it along the way. It is relatively cleaner as compared to the other drains as the residential areas it flows through are high and medium income housing with adequate sewage networks. It does not carry industrial effluents by virtue of not flowing through formal/informal industrial areas and contains water mainly in the monsoon months. (Rajeev kumar, no date) “The area below the Barapullah Expressway is acting as a dead space, being used to dump garbage. The slums that have come up are polluting the Nallah” (mail online india, 2014)8. A STRETCH on the BARAPULLAH DRAIN is selected as the site for interventions. AREA- 36 Acres approx. Linear stretch of 1.5 kms Perimeter- 3.97 km Land area: 1,12,500 sq m (28 acres)
Problem
The present scenario of the space is that it is used for dumping garbage and as backyards and the edges have high walls which seclude the space from the urban fabric and disrupts the tissue.
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Promise
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Site plan showing water body, access points, pedestrian bridges
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Mapping conditions of void spaceprivate vs public? Infrastructure vs structure? Boundaries vs boundless? Temporary vs Permanent? Floating vs Ground? Green vs ungreen?
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Building Heights Map Land Use Map Kevin Lynch Maps: District Map Road Hierarchy Map Nodes Map Landmarks Map Traffic flow Map Edge Analysis Map
SITE ANALYSIS Mapping phase 73
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Building Heights Map 75
District Map
Nizamud basti
Govt. Buildings
Pant
Nallah
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Jangpur extensio
Humayun’s Tomb
ddin
Nizamuddin East
Nizamuddin West
tNagar
ra on
Jangpura Extension
Jangpura Extension
Bhogal 77
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Land Use Map 79
Road Hierarchy Map
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Major Roads Moderate Roads Minor Roads
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Nodes Map
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Landmarks District Map Map Landmarks Map 85
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Traffic Flow Map 87
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Edge Analysis Map
SOFT
HARD
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Nizamuddin East Edge Nizamuddin West Edge Nizamuddin Basti Edge Pantnagar Edge Jangpura-Bhogal Edge Jangpura-B Edge Barapullah Bridge Edge
EDGE ANALYSIS Mapping phase 91
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NIZAMUDDIN EAST EDGE Place Theory Nizamuddin East is an upscale residential colony • The neighbourhood has a few bungalows on 1000 Sq.yds. plots and plotted housing on small 200-300 Sq.yds. plots The colony having 286 houses, including Jaipur Estate, and 32 public parks. Numerous expatriates and corporate executives live here like Sheila Dixit, former chief minister of Delhi. Strength There is a small commercial strip in the colony, with several grocers, a cafe, an internet and telephone facility, a tailor, beauty salon, a pharmacy, and a small eatery. Resident Welfare Association has a Community Centre for residents with sports facilities like tennis, basketball, table tennis, badminton and
pool. When area is better connected with pedestrian and cycle paths, it could offer a lot of sports options for the surrounding neighbourhoods. Morning and evening walkers take advantage of the 5 acre expanse of the Humayun Tomb with its gravel tracks, fountains and walking tracts. Weakness An upscale Cafe "Cafe Turtle" and also a factory outlet of an Ethnic Designer Store called "Anokhi". But mostly the residents of this area go to Khan Market. Opportunity Creating an upscale pop up retail that could serve social strata of this edge along with pop up galleries, cafes, F & B etc.
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NIZAMUDDIN WEST EDGE
Place Theory The colony is divided into six blocks and has the main entry point near the petrol pump at the Mathura Road. The population mainly comprises of muslims and partition era Punjabi migrant families who have accumulated considerable wealth. Weakness The park in Nizamuddin West is home for many homeless women and families. About 50 homeless women live under the trees, on the pavement and in temporary shelters. Some of them are single mothers who have no fixed
income. As they have young children to take care of, they are unable to work full-time. Due to lack of affordable crèches and part-time employment opportunities, some women work as rag-pickers and some are forced into beggary. There are socio-cultural differences with the Basti people. Opportunity To create creche for the children of homeless, to create employment opportunities, weave back communities of Nizamuddin west and Nizamuddin Basti.
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NIZAMUDDIN BASTI EDGE Place Theory Built around the Nizamuddin Dargah and Jamaat Khana Masjid is a medieval settlement which proliferated in the last 50-60 years. Nizamuddin Basti comprises a resident population of approximately 20,000. Strength Most residents live above the poverty line. It is rich in heritage, culture and history. Aga khan trust have done a lot of work under the urban renewal programme NOOR SHG, women are trained in paper cutting (Sanjhi) and they sell the produce in crafts melas. Apni Basti Mela that takes place at the outer Barat ghar park showcasing three days of music, theatre, food, craft, heritage walks, performances and experiencing 700 years of living culture. Threats Low levels of literacy. High number of immigrants. Floating pilgrimage population who reside there for short periods put further strain on amenities. Rampant drug usage and peddling have led to
high crime. Immigrants who can’t afford rent inside basti become homeless and stay at footpath. Weakness Urban village forms a peculiar edge as the buildings do not follow by laws and are illegal in nature. There are no active resident associations/youth groups or community groups. Approximately 64% of the populace is in the productive employment age group but only 41% participate. They dump the garbage on the drain site. Opportunity Government should promote recycling and employ garbage collectors and rag pickers. This can generate employment There is void space on the western edge connected to the Lala Lajpat rai marg, that can be converted into a temporary recycling centre and solid waste management centre. Creating an art district to change the negative image of the Basti and Cemetery edge so as to attract people towards the edge.
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PANTNAGAR EDGE Place theory It’s a low income housing next to Jangpura. Strength The Mandir attracts a lot of visitors. Strong community, people willing to spend time outdoors
Weakness The closing of drains have caused the encroachment of squatter settlement along sides. Opportunity Reopening drain and forming a NMT corridor towards Lajpat Nagar. Creating more fitness spaces, relaxing spaces.
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JANGPURA-BHOGAL EDGE Place Theory One Colonel Young, tasked with moving the villagers of Raisina – a village soon to disappear to make way for the grand edifices of state to come up along Rajpath, established the colony of 'Youngpura', which was colloquialised as Jangpura.
Singh Sabha, Sanatan Dharm Mandir, the Sanatan Da Dera Gurudwara and the Bhogal Buddha Vihar. Bhogal market serves the daily needs of the neighbourhood. Multi-level parking under construction.
In 1950–51, it grew to add Jangpura Extension to accommodate many of the refugees who arrived in Delhi at the time of Partition of India, that accounts for Jangpura Extension's high Punjabi and Sikh population to date.
Weakness No government hospital or dispensary nearby. People have to go to private hospital every time. Weekly bazar mandi that takes place on Tuesdays bazar causes traffic jam in bhogal and blocks the main road.
Bhogal used to be a village,a centre for the grain and vegetable trade, and in other agricultural and household commodities. Now mostly SCF’S
Marriages happen in the streets. People bicker about parking spaces. But cars manage to squeeze in anyway.
Strength Jangpura-Bhogal is Secular and diverse as it is home to a number of places of worship which represent every major religion, including St. Michael's Church, Shahi Masjid, Gurudwara
Opportunity Giving space for Mohalla clinic on the site. Shifting the site of the mangal bzar to the site will attract more customers and ease the traffic flow. Creating more spaces for play.
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JANGPURA-B EDGE Place Theory It is part of the Jangpura colony that lies across the mathura road. Strength There are daily use shops at the ground floor along the edge. The social strata living here is medium and high income group.
Weakness There are lack of playing areas for children. Opportunity This edge is more green compared to other edges, hence can be used for recreational purposes. Also, it already has a commercial character. Void DDA land can be used for creating temporary sports arena. Nursery can be converted into community gardens and that could function better.
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BARAPULLAH BRIDGE EDGE Place theory Built by Mihir Banu Agha, Jahangir’s chief eunuch. It has ten piers or arches but 12 towers or pallahs. It is now amidst the fruit and vegetable market behind the Nizamuddin railway station. In 1628 the road between the bridge and Humayun’s Tomb was a wide treelined path and this was the handsomest bridge of Delhi. Weakness It's barely visible today and overrun by squatters. The stench emanating from it, accumulating garbage, encroachments and years of neglect
have placed it in danger of vanishing completely. Slums proliferating near the railway track are polluting the drain. The heritage bridge is under pressure from the informal market which includes juice vendors, butchers, music DVD sellers, Clothes , vegetable sellers etc. It's a Heavy traffic zone as Nizamuddin station is nearby. Opportunities Relocating the informal market and hawkers on site so as to restore the heritage Barapullah bridge. Rethinking the design of new bridge.
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THE WALL The wall was built 3 years back and now people throw the garbage over. It acts as a physical and visual barrier with the nallah as residents have turned there back to it. It is the biggest obstacle both socially and physically.
The dilemma of the great wall?
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Public survey about site General survey about Public space Interviewing locals Public space users desires Y-knot
SURVEY Mapping phase 109
Discover
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SITE- SURVEY The survey is equally divided with responses from people of different class and also from different edges around the selected site. The following survey is responded by people living in areas - Jangpura, Nizamuddin West, Nizamuddin East, Basti, Bhogal, Pant Nagar and nearby. The survey samples were collected from children, students, adults, senior citizens and across different professionals, residents and shop owners.
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Gender of Respondents
Travelling for pleasure 13%
Travelling for work 17%
Student 45%
Works nearby 25%
Occupation of Respondents
Age of Respondents
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No 25%
Do you live in Jangpura, Nizamuddin or nearby areas? Yes 65%
Near By 10%
E Public Park block, lajp 8% at nagar-1 8%
Which is your nearest Park?
Kargil Park 8% Q block park 8%
Kashmiri Park 34%
jangpura A 8%
Yoga 5%
What is the general activity in the park ?
Birbal Park 17%
k block park 9% Fitness 5%
Playing 19%
Picnic 5% Raghiri 6%
Walking 60%
Do you have personal interest in making you neighborhood a better place?
Do you spend time in your neighbourhood everyday ?
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Do you know about the Barapullah drain(Nallah) that passes adjacent to your neighbourhood?
Do you know the historic significance of the drains(Nallah) that they carried the run off rain water to Yamuna?
Did you know the drains of Delhi comprise of 2% catchment area of Yamuna but are the reason for 80% Pollution of Yamuna?
Do you think if the Barapullah drain is cleaned and revitalized it can be activated into a happening public space?
Do you think covering of drains is the right decision knowing that it causes growth of methane gas underneath which is hazardous?
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Would rebranding and revitalization of drain affect your professional life?
Do you think these neglected spaces along drain(Nallah) should be used to temporally shelter the homeless along with other public functions?
Do you think the area along the drain(Nallah) has potential of temporary use?
Will you be interested in reviving the drain(nallah) and the vacant spaces?
How do you commute to adjacent neighbourhoods such as Nizamuddin , Lajpat nagar?
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INTERVIEWING LOCALS 1.
Gundeep | Age: 25 | Sex: Male | Transport user: Metro | Resident of Nizamuddin West The experience: " I have never paid attention to the place (Barapullah Nallah) and what’s going on this space. There is nothing interesting to see. It is just a filthy drain."
2.
Suresh | Age: 25 | Sex: Male | Transport user: Pedestrian | Location: Grazing pigs at the Nallah Resident of Pant Nagar The experience: “ My family raise pigs here at the Nallah and sell them to the butchers in the Nizamuddin Basti.”
3.
Shyamsundar | Age: 65 | Sex: Male | Transport user: Pedestrian | Location: Valmiki temple Resident of Pant Nagar The experience: "I have seen this drain flow clean and blue in my earlier days. Now people have dumped a lot of garbage and so the drain floods during heavy rains."
4.
Neha |Age: 35 | Sex: Male | Transport user: car | Location: Jungpura-A block Resident of Jangpura extension The experience: " I used to live here before and now I have come back after 3 years and I am not happy to see the drain covered and converted into a park without any green space which is not even used. It has become breeding grounds for squatters."
5.
Ismail | Age: 35 | Sex: Male | Transport user: car | Location: Barapullah Bridge Resident of Nizamuddin East The experience: “ The informal market at the bridge throws a lot of garbage into the drain. Also the slum that has come up adds to the waste that goes into the Nallah and then Yamuna. “
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7.
6. Prateek | Age: 15 | Sex: Male | Location: Playing Gully cricket Resident of Jangpura extension The experience: " Even though there are parks such as Birbal and Kashmiri park we children " !our not allowed to play cricket and football. We need more spaces to Play 7. Anju | Age: 35 | Sex: Male | Location: Barapullah Bridge Resident of Jangpura extension The experience: “ We can't open our windows because of the stench. Our air-conditioners and other metal products we had left on the terrace have turned black because of the chemical reactions of the garbage.” 8. Sanjay |Age: 45 | Sex: Male | Location: Dhobhi Ghat Worker at Dhobhi Ghat The experience: “Before the flyover came up, this place was clean and our children used to play here.”
Does this area(Barapullah Basin) have an established an identity ? If yes then describe it? Answer: Yes, Ganda(Dirty) Nallah!
What is the biggest problem you face living in Jangpura, Pant Nagar? Answer: Parking, No sports complex, No proper connectivity to metro station and Illegal construction and encroachment. What is one hobby that you are not able to pursue and have to go out of the neighbourhood for the same? Answer: Swimming, Restaurants, socializing.
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PROGRAMME Reprogramming embedded vacancies begins with community infrastructure , economics, culture, and nature. Merged with the characteristics of available space, this process creates proposals that are content specific but purposely site generic. examining the edge conditions between vacancy and occupying becomes the driving force. -( Jonas , Rahmann , Tokyo void Possibilities in Absence2015)
25 20 15 10 5 0 12 Tourist information centre/ kiosk
Shelter for homeless
Camp sites
Pop up spaces for faith and knowledge
Pop up retail
Food truck
Hawkers
Flea market
Pop up activity
Pop up cafe
Start up incubator
Farmers market
Community garden
Nursing home
Community kitchen
School
Urban labs
Pop up library
Choice of activities by that e respondents that should take place along the drain (Nallah)
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Shelter for homeless
Community garden
Flea Market
Sports
Art District
Play and arcade area
Festival spaces
Fitness/ open air gym
Performance space
Most Popular activities (Descending order) Programme for Thesis
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Concert area
Food trucks
Pop up Cinema
Pop up retail
Open air Library
Pop up cafe
Most Popular activities (Descending order) Programme for Thesis
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Urban Lab/ incubator
Dumpster pools
Mini Adventure Park
Urban Piazza
Mohalla Clinic
Urban Campsites
Galleries
Tourist Visitor Centre
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Public Space - Survey Responses 1% 3%
3%
2%
1% 1% 2%
2%
6%
2%
1% 1%
1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1%
7%
1%
6%
19% 10%
3% 3%
5%
11%
Chandni Chownk Eros Bhagat Singh Park Cyber Hub North Campus Pacific Mall Ambience Mall Red Fort Delhi Metro Gurdwara Bangla Sahib Lajpat Nagar Qutub Archaeological Park Adventure Island Kingdom OF Dreams Jama Masjid Connaught Place Select City Walk DLF Promenade Emporium Khan Market Lodhi Garden Hauz Khaz Defence Colony India Gate GK Lotus Temple GIP Noida Delhi Haat
Top Places Connaught Place - 19% Select City Walk - 11% Hauz Khaaz - 10% India Gate - 7% Defence Colony - 6% DLF promenade - 5% Choice of favorite public spaces (park, streets, malls etc) in Delhi, respondents wish to attend in their leisure time.
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5
0
2
22 19
5
14 13
Nightlife & safety
14
Space visibility from a distance
13
Possibility of using the space with low or no price
16
Sense of attachment
19
Existing of different & various activities at public space
Welcoming of space to play, other activities & discovery
Availability of theatres, cinemas, cafe, restaurant & meeting spaces
Exclusive & unique acticities of space
10 11
Existing of different sex & age groups
14
High probability of forming social relationships & contacts
24
Suitablecrowd in space
10
Suitable & varied places for sitting and staying
Natural & Artificial landscape in space ( greens, sculpture, fountain etc.
Memory representation at space (the space of which the respondent has memory of )
30
25
20
15
20
11
3
6
4
1
Top 6 Qualities of public spaces numbered
Choice of Qualities of public spaces that are most important for the respondent.
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Dog walk 3% Playground for children 5% Eat/picnic 4% Watch people 4%
Use it as a shortcut 4%
Walk/Stroll 20%
Socialize 10%
Sunbathe 2% Read 6%
Enjoy Nature 20%
Sit and relax 22%
Activities performed by the respondents while using the public space
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How often do you and your family use your neighbourhood park?
How long do you plan to stay in your park ?
Who do you go to the park with ?
What do you like best about the park?
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#yknotdelhi
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CREATING AWARENESS Y-Knot is a campaign started to educate the citizens of Delhi about the appalling condition of the Barapullah drain through Social media. It i s a platform to collect surveys, discuss new events and to brew a new revolution.The mission is to resuscitate the Barapullah drain and unwrap its catalyzing potential with participatory urban design. To transform the void, neglected space under the Barapullah elevated road into an inclusive urban space for youth, play, shelter, connecting neighborhoods, for community building and celebration with active participation of communities and injecting temporary interventions. To blur the boundaries of existing barriers between neighbourhoods by over coming sociospatial obstacles.
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Work in Progress(WIP), New delhi Boxpark, Shoreditch, London Buffalo Bayou Promenade, Houston References: High Line, New York Sotto Il Viadotto, Rome Fez River, Morocco Cheonggyecheon river, Seoul Folly for a flyover, London Q+A Temporary city, Amsterdam
CASE STUDY Analytical Phase 133
Case Study
St+art India WORK IN PROGRESS(WIP) Purpose : The power of temporary use and art in Delhi Area : 2900 sq m Location : Inland container Depot (ICD), Tughlakabad St+art India St+art Festival is a collaborative platform for street artists from India and around the world. It works on the idea of 'Art for Everyone' with the primary objective of making art accessible for wider audiences while having a positive impact on society. St+art Festival is a collaborative platform for street artists from India and around the world. It works on the idea of 'Art for Everyone' with the primary objective of making art accessible for wider audiences while having a positive impact on society. WIP –The street art show WIP - The Street Art Show – was hosted at the largest dry port in Asia- ICD (Inland Container Depot) - Tughlakabad, Okhla. The Show 31,200 sq ft. of ICD was transformed into a walkthrough installation using 100 containers that outshined their peers thanks to bright colours and illustrations that draw from mythology and daily life. The street art show that brought together 25 artists from across the world who painted containers, which were on display here throughout February.
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“Over the past couple of months, some containers at ICD have gone through a metamorphosis with vibrant colours and geometric patterns. A space that is a no man’s land for Delhiites and decried as a pollution creator has been swamped by hundreds of visitors every day.� - Gulf News, February 2016
The environmental installation of 100 containers and the immersive site-specific art works led the public to be part of an overall journey which connected art to life and life to art.
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Program Through February, guided tours, talks by artists and screenings animated the ICD space. It also transformed into venue for workshops and activities with a focus on community-driven projects such as the Pimp My Bike Project in which local children had their bicycles painted, and the Through the Eyes workshop in which locals were given disposable cameras to document the exhibition space on their own, the photos of which are now exhibited in a container Flexible space The idea was to also have a space that will take different forms over the month — from a performance space to community-based projects, it intends to be an exploration of the space itself in a sense. Dance face-off USP of the event was the fact that “it also brought in sub-cultures like breakdance together with art”. Sundays saw events such as the “breaking and poppin jam” as part of the itinerary. Workshops USP of the event was the fact that “it also brought in sub-cultures like breakdance together with art”. Sundays saw events such as the “breaking and poppin jam” as part of the itinerary. Slam Poetry Slam poetry at WIP post a photo walk + photo workshop. Central open space A Sunday at the WIP- Two tours, 3 workshops, live poetry, music and bboying.
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Kid’s Workshop Volunteer architect helping out the kids with their ideas and concepts during the Kids workshop. Food truck SuperSucker FoodTruck at the WIP show. Modern Tea stall Jugmug Thela - Chai & Coffee in the style of a hawker stall. Photography It also became a spot for clicking selfies and clicking picture by instagrammers and professionals. DJ evening DJ Shantam set the mood on an evening at the WIP Show with his Psybient tunes and chill beats. DIY space jam It had a DIY jam space for bands.
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Wooden Pallets Used container wooden crates and pallets were reused for seating, stage and platforms for workshops etc.
Fine Dining An al fresco 12-course dinner curated by Gresham Fernandes, group executive chef of Impresario, the company powering Social and Smoke House Deli. It happened for four nights, with those in the Delhi Secret Supper Club circuit signing up for the 16-persons-and-nomore dinners.
Exhibition space Photo exhibition and art display inside the container. After the exhibition, the containers on display will return to fulfilling their primary purpose — transporting goods
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Case Study
Roger Wade BOXPARK Box Park Purpose : Pop -up Market (Retail) Location : Bethnal Green Rd, London E1 6GY Area : 1500 sq m (approx.) The Concept BOXPARK is a fresh retail revolution from Roger Wade, creator of Box fresh and fashion brand consultancy Brands Incorporated, in partnership with real estate developers Hammerson and Ballymore. BOXPARK strips and refits shipping containers to create unique, low cost, low risk, ‘box shops’. Put them to gether with a unique mix of international fashion, arts and lifestyle brands, galleries and cafés and you’ve got the world’s first ‘pop-up’ mall – so named because its basic building blocks are inherently movable: they can, and will, literally pop up anywhere in the world! BOXPARK is radical stuff. It’s not somerunof-the-mall shopping centre. It'sa living, fertile community of brands packed with talent, innovation and attitude that puts creativity and fashion back where they belong: on the street. BOXPARK isn’t just where you shop. It’s an inspiring and enjoyable place to drop in and hang out. It’s what a real brand experience should be all about .
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The Goodsyard Boxpark is located at The Goodsyard, a 4.7 hectares site and former railway goodsyard, which has been unused for over 40 years and lies between the neighbourhoods of Shoreditch, Spitalfields, and to the North of the City of London. The site will be developed in partnership between Hammerson and The Ballymore Group and the regeneration has the potential to deliver up to 2000 new homes, office space for both large organisations and start up enterprises, retail and leisure facilities, and up to 1.7 hectares of new public open space. Well-connected Shoreditch is incredibly accessible - wherever you’re coming from. Tube Shoreditch highstreet [1min] liverpool street [10min] old street [10min] Nationally Right next to the new Shoreditch High Street tube station, and 10 mins walk to Liverpool Street and Old Street station. Trains liverpool street [10 min] london bridge [21min] victoria [34min] euston [26min] paddington [39min] Internationally it’s a stone’s throw from Liverpool Street station with overground and underground links to all London airports – with London City Airport just a few stops away. Columbia Road
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Relevance Box Park is a “Pop up mall”- the antithesis of the out of town shopping mall. And at the same time a place where the kids could just hang out and have fun. The idea being that the containers can –and will – be moved anywhere in the world. This study showcases entrepreneurial interim use where small scale entrepreneurs can experiment with profit making ventures. The project activates the site that would otherwise remain exclusively for parking or as an empty lot surrounded by chain link fence until longer development moves ahead. After Box Park was initiated the “cargotecture” pop ups have been spread throughout the world. It shows the adaptability and potential of a container into small retail shops or start up incubators . There is a possibility of using containers as design interventions for the site. As it being a linear and narrow space like the one here in Shoreditch.
Retail
Music Band
Cafe Food and drink/ Restaurants workshop
Festival
Galleries
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Configuration The configuration arranges forty containers for the first floor and twenty on the second floor for a total of sixty individual units. Retrofitting the interior for the needs of individual cafes and stores was done. Flexibility The extreme flexibility of the transferable containers allows emerging retailers to become established and easily relocate to increase economic productivity. The retailers may frequently update their image with evolving fashions producing a diverse and dynamic atmosphere. The extreme flexibility of the transferable containers allows emerging retailers to become established and easily relocate to increase economic productivity. The retailers may frequently update their image with evolving fashions producing a diverse and dynamic atmosphere.
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Case Study
SWA BUFFALO BAYOU PROMENADE The buffalo bayou partnership , a non profit organization , aimed at revitalizing the buffalo bayou commissioned landscape architecture firm SWA to provide early conceptual master plan transitioning the existing site into a more pastoral and pedestrian based one . Project overview The buffalo bayou promenade is the1.2 mile critical link tying the pastoral buffalo bayou park to the west, with the theatre district Houston’s downtown to the East. The prior site of the promenade had become trash soaked eye sore with towering freeway structures crossing overhead and flooding the area with runoff during rain storms. Previously the water running through the bayou was filled with debris and trash as it is located at a major flood point for the downtown Houston . Pedestrian in the area would drop 30’ below grade of surrounding streets making it dangerous as visual connections were lost . Access and paths New access points were created and sightlines were reconnected. Implementation of new paths helped foster multi-modal transit.
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Location: Houston, TX USA Area: 23 Acres, 1.2 miles
Open space Open space allows for diversity of programs to take place. Design Features Using materials that contained qualities of durability, cost effectiveness and displayed contextual relevance . Recycled concrete swales were placed atop new berms , absorbing the runoff from the highways up above and helping reduce further flooding in the bayou below . Mixing a variety of new plants replaced old monoculture, that were riparian and flood resistant helped improve wildlife habitat, and soften the harsh urban infrastructure and mitigate the scale of freeways .
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The overall plan shows reinvigorated green corridor.
Buffalo
Bayous
Gabion edge treatment were placed along the edges, allowing for filtering of drainage from downtown Houston , along with creating safer and visually clear elements as one step down towards the water.
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Lighting Place specific lighting were installed that had the ability to be submersed and stand up to potential vandalism . Lighting made sure that the park was consistently illuminated , especially in the dark corners and under the freeways passes creating a feeling of safety of promenade . A specific set of lights, designed by consultants were carefully located under major structures , change from blue to white to blue in accordance to the lunar cycle radiating from the alien's landing the birthplace of Houston Pedestrian bridges New pedestrian bridges improve site mobility.
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Relevance Examining the goals that I am applying these for my thesis and how this case study meets them Goal : engage the community in the design of public spaces Goal : create more pedestrian access to the water drain. Goal : mitigate for human use Goal : improve safety in these areas Goal : recast views of mass transit infrastructure Buffalo bayou promenade as a valuable case study as its offers valuable insight into designing public space on a site that was once considered undesirable . Prior existing site conditions were similar to the site conditions and issues I currently face . The elevated highway condition at buffalo bayou created undesirable space by means of visual access noise and water runoff , however the design tactics taken by SWA to remediate those issues offers insightful strategies into how to approach these types of sites complexities. The conscious choice of materials along with system that are protected the ecology of the river are subtle yet celebrated features in the design .
Landscape/ Green corridor
Lighting
Pedestrian bridge Pedestrian Pathways
Cycle Pathways
operate as a public asset yet it offers more reason for people to travel to the site understanding the balance of programming of public space is a difficult and complex task , as in designing a public space you want it to create a equitable Issues of vandalism are dealt with the same ground , yet you want to create reason for people manner , with specific lighting choices and to reside in this space . materials chosen for durability , allow the space to continue to the function. The implementations of open spaces and small but effective program allows the space to
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REFERENCES During the development of the thesis there has been researched, studyied and analysed several references, very different among each other, but related to projects dealing with the same issues around the world. In
HIGH LINE The popularity of recent projects such as the High Line illustrate the potential of the MA: the space in-between, a linear neglected open space reclaimed into public space and a promenade to engage public.
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these pages are listed just some of them, the ones that has been found more relevant for the development of the concept and for the actual shaping of the final design proposal.
The Meat Packing District The High Line was originally created to remove train traffic from the street level to prevent collisions .The new track connected all of the factories and warehouses so that the meat could be transported efficiently.
Abandonment After the last turkeys were shipped in 1980, the high line quickly fell into the hands of nature. The tracks were taken over by plant overgrowth and the structure began to rust away. Within the decade, many residents began to lobby to have the high line demolished.
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The Most Original Urban Park Nearly a decade later, the first section of the high line stretching from Gansevoort Street to west 20th Street, opened on June 2009. Since then the last two sections have been completed and the high line has become an urban wonder snaking through New York’s famous skyline.
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SOTTO IL VIADATTO, ROME
Transforming a long abandoned area under a viaduct in northeast Rome into a bustling cultural hot-spot using recycled material, shipping containers to create an inviting community space to organize events, providing multiple spaces for workshops for local residents to attend
Source: Dezeen
Source: sottoilviadotto.wordpress.com
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Source: Designboom
Restoring Fez river, Morocco, Aziza Chouni Source: Aziza Chouni
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Cheonggyecheon project, Seoul
restoration
Source: http://www.preservenet.com/
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Folly for a Flyover, London Non-profit organisation Assemble have constructed a temporary canal-side cinema under a London motorway flyover. Source: Aziza Chouni
Q+A Temporary container city, Amsterdam Created for the Over Hett Ij festival 2012
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Source: http://www.preservenet.com/ Source: http://www.preservenet.com/
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Thickening of Edges Urban stitching Master plan Play with the Wall! Architecture toolkit
DESIGN TACTICS Concept Phase 161
Thickening
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THICKENING OF EDGES The idea is to thicken the site by including the waste spaces and parts of public parks on edges and retrofiting those spaces on merit so as to create better inclusive public spaces. Also, to create access points from fucntioning parks and edges into the site. For eg, the nursery is also boosted up with an adjacent community garden as it is now included in the main scheme of things. Thickening the edges with public programs , either formally or informally , may facilitate an event happening between individuals. This would also create mroe human transactions and create an identiy of the edge.
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URBAN STITCHING The Barapullah bifurcates the urban fabric and communities as it passses through it. There was a need of an urban suture so as create more connections across and to regenerate the disconnected areas through insertion of public space. A liner pop up park is proposed alongside the drain, linking existing and proposed uses and providing a direct connection between disconnected residential and commercial areas. This will be done b y following strategies:
1) Creating Gateways: Identification of nodes, main point interchange between various neighbourhoods of the edges. 2) Concenration: Dense layering of public functions over network with physical connections balanced to enable interaction at the same time preserving identity. 3) Network: Creation of linear and transversal pedestrian linkages and N.M.T along seam , which serves both the communities and the gateways. This also means creating bridges over drains for transversal linkages.
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Concept MASTER PLAN The conceptual master plan of site is built around the idea of edge complexity in literal and scientific ways(edge habitats on site), in spatial ways (range and type of edges that people can occupy), and in metamorphic ways, creating a language of edges and weaving communities together. No two experiences will be the same in a park that encourages free and organized play, exploration, learning, risk taking, and environmental awareness.
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PLAY WITH THE WALL! Most of the times the potential of urban voids are obstrcted, obscured by a physical setting , a barrier that was set out by poor decisions. Removing these physical borders in an experimental way reveals their connection to the physical setting, creating a bigger playgorund for both designers and users. The thesis asserts that the wall here is the biggest obstacle. Apart from being a physical barrier, it also acts as a blind fold for the neighbouring population as they fail to see the potential of the urban void formed. A toolkit of solutions for the wall have been designed which can be applied as per the needs of the edge.
Obstacle
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ARCHITECTURAL TOOLKIT The thesis proposes a tactical use of an architectural "toolkit" of public functions based ons trong theoretical foundation, site analysis and edge complexity. The toolkit seeks to cover all the 9 domains : Health and sports, Events and leisure, Amenities, agriculture, transport and mobility, facilities and landscape, nature, housing and accommodation. These various functions mingle and overlap to finally create an urban setting that is mooldable and reversible. This thesis puts forward a design that seeks to resuscitate a place through memory, identity and ecology.
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SPORTS AREA
AMENITIES + CYCLE SHARING
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FOOD TRUCK AREA
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BRIDGE
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COMMUNITY GARDEN ISOMETRIC VIEW
PLAN
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ISOMETRIC VIEW
MINI CINEMA
PLAN
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URBAN LAB FAB LAB TEDX CRECHE ANGANVADI
AXONOMETRIC VIEW
URBAN LAB
FAB LAB/URBANLAB 179
INSULATING DETAIL
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TYPICAL LAYOUT
POP UP RETAIL AREA
Site Plan
Plan First Floor
Plan Ground Floor
POP UP RETAIL AREA ISOMETRIC VIEW
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PANEL FOR JURY -1
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PANEL FOR JURY - 2
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PANEL FOR JURY - 3
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PANEL FOR JURY - 4
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PANEL FOR JURY - 5
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PANEL FOR JURY - 6
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PANEL FOR JURY - 7
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MODEL PICTURES
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MODEL PICTURES
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Vakarelov, Y. and Fracasso, S. (2015) ‘Urban voids unpacked’. Master Thesis. Aalborg University. pp. 12-13. Available at http://projekter.aau.dk/projekter/files/213023838/YOSI_Urban_Voids_ Unpacked_Master_Thesis_Report_compact1.pdf (Downloaded on 11 January, 2016) 2.http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/void 3.Mehrotra R. (2009), Kinetic city: Designing for informality in Mumbai, Available at https:// files.lsecities.net/files/2012/03/2010-05-18_kinetic-city_poster.pdf 4. Tranick R. (1986) Finding Lost Space: Theories of Urban Design, New York, John Wiley & Sons 5.Pizzagalli S., Privileggio N., Schoonderbeek M.(2013) Spaces, Poetics And Voids, Amsterdam, Architectura & Natura 6. Solà-Morales Rubió I. (No date). Terrain vague, Available at http://ufolog.co/wp-content/ uploads/2014/11/48643515-de-Sola-Morales-I-Terrain-Vague.pdf, downloaded on 20th February 2016 7. Jonas M., Rahmann H. (2015) Tokyo Void: Possibilities in Absence, Berlin, Jovis 8. Abrahmson L. (No date), The potential of nothing, short essay, available at http://www. mascontext.com/issues/17-boundary-spring-13/the-potential-in-nothing/ 9. Glick D. (2012) Bottom Up urbanism A survey of temporary use in Europe, available at https://issuu.com/david.t.glick/docs/bottom-up_urbanism_dglick 10. Oswalt P., Overmeyer K., Misselwitz P. ( 2013) Urban Catalyst The Power of Temporary use, Berlin, DOM publishers 11. Narusevicute P.(2014) Empower the disused: Temporary use recipes for kanaus, dissertation, University of Strathclyde, available at https://issuu.com/paulina.naruseviciute/docs/final_ dissertation
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12. Durant N. (2013)’ Ephemeral Interventions: Experimenting with the Performance, the Event and the Crowd.’, Master thesis, Wentworth Institute of technology, pp 2-3, available at http:// issuu.com/nicholaspatrickthaddeusdurant/docs/nicholas_durant_ephemeral_intervent 13. Misra M. (2012) , ‘Green the dirty drains‘ The Hindu, 28 September, available at http://www. thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/green-the-dirty-drains/article3945922.ece 14. Agarwal K.P. (2012), ‘Yamuna lifeline of county in danger’ , Available at http://nopr.niscair. res.in/bitstream/123456789/13525/1/SR%2049(2)%2032-35.pdf 15. Adak B. (2014), Makeover will restore Barapullah nullah from drain to beauty spot’, Mail online India, 24 November , Available at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/ article-2846596/Makeover-restore-Barapullah-nullah-drain-beauty16. Novazzi A. (2014), ‘Inhabiting Urban Voids: Urban Infrastructure in Sao Paulo’ Architecture thesis, Syracuse University, Available at http://surface.syr.edu/architecture_tpreps 17.Hingorani A. (No date) , On street design and storm water management, available at http://municipalika.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/Presentations/CS03-Akash-HingoraniPresentation.pdf 18. . Rory D. , Sullivan J. (2013), ‘Paradise lost’, Master Thesis, Victoria University of Wellington , available at http://issuu.com/davidb4sullivan/docs/d_sullivan_finaldoc_reduced 19. . Pit M. , Steller K., Streng G. (No date) , ‘Essay on parasitic architecture’, available at http:// www.gerjanstreng.eu/files/T02%20essay%20parasitic%20architecture.pdf
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