Gulbarga Heritage Park

Bagh-e-Kalburgi Quila THE GULBARGA HERTAGE PARK

PROJECT BRIEF ‘Culture of Resilience’ is a place-based project where students will engage in an interdisciplinary manner to ‘think’, to ‘conceptualise’ and of ‘making‘, to reveal how culture emerges out of learned human behaviour manifesting in the form of responses to places of human habitation. This in turn will encourage the development of a bewildering diversity of ways of life, language and cultural forms. The approach is to use ‘Place as Text’ – to read, to observe, to record, to speculate, to subverse, to investigate, to critique, to propose and to change.

We will examine how culture can become an asset to drive transformation in historic cities?

UNESCO Chair at Srishti invites you to collaboratively explore the cultural landscape in the Dhakani region also known as the Hyderabad-Karnataka region.

Dhakan has rich diversity of cultures influenced by architecture, language, crafts, social movements, culinary practice, syncretic philosophy and several other local traditions that makes it distinct from its surrounding region. This project is situated in Gulbarga, one of the important historic cities in the Dhakan region.

The influences to investigate and explore are open to the student’s interest and practice.

Students will construct experimental lens to build propositions that demonstrate -how can art and design practices act as a catalyst and mediator to sense, shape and shift developmental paradigms?

Collaborations This project is in collaboration with several organisations, individuals in Dhakan region including Gulbarga and Srishti faculty with backgrounds in architecture, urbanism, archiving, curation, journalism, Kannada and Dhakani literature, human geography, UX/UI design, digital humanities, system design, futures thinking, social development and conservation.

An integrated workshop and hackathon will be facilitated in Gulbarga as part of this project in collaboration with communities, external partners and Srishti faculty members.

INTRODUCTION TO GULBARGA Gulbarga is a small town known for its rich culture and built heritage. Over the years, city has been gradually expanding and developing around these historic buildings. The monuments of Gulbarga are a very rich source of history.

Gulbarga is located at 17.3333°N 76.8333°E. Gulbarga (Kalburgi) is 623 km north of the state capital city of Bengaluru and 220 km from Hyderabad. Previously it was the part of Hyderabad State, it was incorporated into a newly formed Mysore State (now known as Karnataka) through the States Reorganisation Act[2] in 1956.

Due to Gulbarga’s location, Hindi, Urdu, Marathi, Kannada are spoken, though Kannada is the most popular. Owing to its rich heritage, the city of Gulbarga has a prominent place in the Archaeological map of India.

Gulbarga is a historic city and it dates back to 6th century. Therefore, heritage in Gulbarga is experienced on everyday basis. It is a developing city, and over the years the city has expanded around its historic building. It is amidst these ancient infrastructure, cultural makers and diverse ecological setting, the city and its people are existing cohesively.

Area: 192 km² Elevation: 454 m (1,490 ft) Population: 533,587 Coordinates: 17.12°N 76.31°E Location of Gulbarga in Karnataka

SCOPE OF PROJECT • To preserve the heritage in Gulbarga in such a way that it doesn’t become an obstacle in local development of the city, instead become a strength and strong identity of the people of Gulbarga.

• This project will contribute by providing a platform for future development to locals and building a sense of belonging to their city.

• This project may also help in reviving the cultural heritage be it tangible or intangible that somehow got faded with time and got overlooked.

• Actors will understand the importance and valorisation of their heritage and though adopting a common vision of sustainable local development and motivation to rediscover their heritage and desire to contribute to safeguarding it.

• Thus, will provide a starting point of changing outlook in Gulbarga and enhance their significance in today’s time.

IMPORTANCE

OF

CONSERVING

HERITAGE

• Heritage can contribute to strengthening the local population’s pride, dignity and feeling of belongingness.

• Its influence on the character of the environment and an area’s sense of place.

• Its potential to be a catalyst for regeneration in an area, in particular through leisure, tourism and economic development.

• It showcases the progress an advancement of society.

• Can be an important functional asset that can be used for present day requirements of people.

• Heritage preservation is an investment in our community that rewards us today and leaves an invaluable resource for future generation.

INTRODUCTION TO SITE: GULBARGA FORT

CLIMATE- The climate of the district is generally dry, with temperatures ranging from 8 °C to 45 °C and an annual rainfall of about 750 mm.

The year in Gulbarga is divided into three main seasons. The summer lasts from late February to mid-June.

TOPOGRAPHY- Unlevelled AREA- 38,000 sq. ft.

SITE CONTEXT- Main entrance to fort is in the east. The roads which connects to the fort is well connected throughout the periphery of the fortified walls. On the south there is Appana kere. Northern and western sides to the fort is densely populated.

In the 6th Century the Rashtrakutas ruled over the area. But later the Chalukyas ruled over the place for almost two hundred years. But at the end the Hoysalas took over. Muhammad bin Tughlug occupied the Deccan in the early 14th Century. The revolt of the Muslim officers appointed from Delhi resulted in founding of the Bahmani Sultanate in 1347 by Hassan Gangu, who chose Gulbarga (named as ‘Ahsenabad’ during this period) to be his capital. The capital of the Bahmani Kingdom was Gulbarga, with its headquarWters at the Gulbarga Fort.

The Bahmanis ruled over most of Deccan until the late 15th Century and early 16th Century, then the kingdom was divided into five independent states. After India became independent in August 1947 ,the fort and Gulbarga district became a part of Bangalore rule.

The Gulbarga Fort is found in the Gulbarga district in North Karntaka, built in 1347. The Gulbarga fort is one of the finest examples of the ancient Islamic architecture in Karnataka. The fort was originally built by Raja Gulchand. As Gulbarga gained prominence as the Bahmani capital, the fort was fortified by Alauddin Bahmani with a deep moat and massive walls.

The fort is built with well planning the canal is made around the fort so that it becomes difficult to the enemy. Krishna River and Bhima River flow very close to the fort. Predominantly black soil is found in this area,and is situated in the drought prone region. The fort contained 15 towers and 26 guns of which one was 8 metres long.

Current situation Standing tall, the structure has been silent witness to generations of invading armies and victorious rulers. It has a glory of its own. But, owning to neglect, the monument has turned into crumbling ruins. There are 150 families living inside the fort currently and call it their home. Gulbarga Urban Development Authority has stated that land will be identified where these families will be shifted. The fort, Jamia masjid and Bala hissar have been recognized as national monuments by ASI and are guided by the ancient monuments & archaeological remains act of 1958. Local visitors and tourists do not come very often and hence the footfall is very low. Fort currently lacks basic amenities and infrastructure and hence is not very inviting and appealing. The only active crowd that visits fort are worshipers who come for their

daily prayers to Jamia masjid. Other than Bala Hissar and Jamia masjid, there is not much to see and its mostly very barren and isolated.

& enhance the heritage conservation with community involvement, which promotes local development.

Fort can be an important public space if utilized and acknowledged effectively. Somehow, the interest of people in the fort is weakening. Presently, Gulbarga fort, which holds very significant heritage value, is kept intact and well preserved yet the very protection by the ASI tends to isolate it and divorce the place from the wider urban context. Thus, the aspect of relationship between locals, their and visitors is weakening.

The sense of ‘ownership’ and ‘belongingness’ is currently missing amongst the people of Gulbarga. Hence, there is a need to bridge this gap and understand how to balanc

Therefore, this project will aim to make heritage a valuable part of local communities living environment and make is more of an asset to them to build a strong identity. This project will explore the idea of how community participation and cultural heritage can lead to local development. This project intends to focus on the role that heritage can play in the development sustainable development framework. This will be done in the form of a spatial intervention, which will be subtle and respectful in nature.

SITE CONTEXT AND AREA OF INTERVENTION

CONCEPT NOTE rchaeological sites are recognized as an important magnet point due to the growing public interest and consequently mass tourism. Hence, there is a demand for planning of new services and facilities to support the regional or local growth, as well as to reduce the damages and impacts of exploitation by means of integrated planning principles.

The brief was to bring life back to a highly significant but derelict heritage site for the enrichment of future generations, to restore its historicity in the spirit of minimum intervention and to recover the Fort’s spirit of place so as to re-establish a thriving and breathing presence within its painstakingly conserved fortified walls.

The site would be activated by embedding a collection of museum spaces to serve the core activities of historical and conservation interpretation and public use for events and accommodation. Keeping a monument as a public space through conservation is a direct connect to community, a space for all, that reminds us of the rich built heritage that surrounds us and has made up the many facets of our history.

A related objective was to increase public awareness of the heritage value of Gulbarga fort and appreciation of and pride in cultural heritage in order to revive local rituals and enhance community cohesion. The main aim of the project is to conserve the entire complex as a physical ensemble, emphasising historic authenticity. Imagining that funding was limited, however, careful planning was undertaken to ensure maximum impact in critical areas.

The two historic monuments were to be restored and made suitable for people. Through the use of traditional methods and materials in its restoration, the project also aimed to re-establish customary skills and create new opportunities and livelihoods for the local people. The walls had to be stabilised and checked to prevent further damage while it awaited more comprehensive treatment.

In addition, the grounds and open spaces of the complex were to be returned to their former condition, in order to encourage the use of the complex by the local people as a gathering place for festivals, meetings and seminar.

Historical places combined with public usage not only enrich the visual and cultural quality of open urban spaces, but also enable to preserve the historical fabric of the urban landscape. It aims an integrated conservation concept concerning the aspects of tourism, education and visitor facilities. Above all, excessive usage of the space can also damage the archaeological assets. However, such usages of historic structures give some impression about how the spatial design of the cities were evolved and survived. Such spaces consist of integral spaces for rest and leisure set in a new approach.

UNDERSTANDING USERS

AIM, OBJECTIVE AND PROCESS TIMELINE

SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF EXISTING SITE CONDITIONS • The site lacks basic amenities and infrastructural facilities like walking pathways, trees, seating, adequate lighting etc.

• The structure and its elements are not very well maintained and there is a need for restoration and development of the site.

• Fort is not very easily accessible by pedestrians due to irregular and broken pathways. Inside the fort, the passages are very rocky and unlevelled. Thus, creates difficulty in pedestrian movement. Almost all the visitors coming inside the fort prefer autos or cars and rarely anyone walks.

• Due to informal gathering of men at the entrance, visitors especially women tend to feel insecure.

• At the entrance instead of welcome boards or any information poster, there are signboards of warning and instructions. This somehow impacts the user experience negatively.

• There were more men than women. This itself gives an idea of the situation and why maybe people don’t feel safe or secure inside.

• There are no security guards or guides present on the site. There is absolutely no way to know about the fort or the place other than one blue boring board which gives nothing but just a brief history of Gulbarga fort.

• Positioning of signages are also unfitting. They are hardly readable and most of the times get neglected.

• Inside the fort, nothing is universally designed. There are steep and high steps, irregular pathways, no ramps, no shelter, etc.

• Lack of landscaping, dry patchy lands, open barren dry lands everything adds up to its dull aesthetics and makes it all very boring. During summers, these open dry lands becomes so hot that it becomes unbearable for visitors to spend time there.

• The inside of the fort is mostly used by settlers and they have built their small houses inside using and dismantling fort walls and stones. Their they manage to keep their cattle and vehicles.

• It doesn’t feel very safe inside as there are many isolated zones that come in between entrance and masjid.

• Very few parts of the fort can be used as other parts are either being occupied by settlers or they are dismantled and broken.

There is a lot of potential in the site and can be revived. There is a need to inspire people to collectively reimagine and reinvent the space.

With community participation and interest, fort can turn into an effective public space that capitalizes on local communities assets, inspirations, and potential which will result in people’s health, happiness and well-being. The site is being institutionalized by ASI and government that other stakeholders rarely have the chance to involve and voice their own ideas and aspirations about the place they inhabit. More than planners and designers, what is needed is grassroot involvement. A system and a space has to be designed in such a way that it fosters successful social networks and benefit multiple stakeholders at once. This project will be an ongoing process as there has to be constant engagement of public with fort in order to keep it relevant and active. There is a need to enhance on user experience and this has to be the base of all the ideas. Fort has a lot to offer but it will be only possible if certain important elements are taken care of and worked on together. There is a need to protect the remaining monument but also there is a need to keep it relevant in today’s time and support its ongoing evolution.

Concept of circulation refers to the movement of people through space.

Circulation routes are the pathways people take through and around buildings or urban places. In the diagram, the highlighted area is the main routes of the majority of users. The users include worshipers, locals, tourists etc.

Climate is the most important environmental factor which is always considered an important part when designing. The temperature rises upto 45 degrees in summers and as the fort is large open area, it tends to heat up quickly.

Due to hot and dry climate, the exposed open spaces inside the fort are dry and patchy. Due to lack of maintenance they have grown weeds. The existing trees are very less and provide minimal shade to visitors. The only landscaped area inside the fort is a small garden adjacent to Bala hissar.

Gulbarga fort is an ASI and government property, hence the land belongs to them. Yet, there are settlers who have been living inside the fort for years. Hence, the land is being currently used by ASI, Settlers and visitors.

Rest of the land is barren and is being not used for any purpose as of now.

USER FEEDBACK

Exhibition was an important platform for all of us to explain our projects to people of Gulbarga, to make them aware of what we intent to do and how our projects can impact certain areas. Each one of us displayed the work we did in last three weeks and explained it to all the visitors. I felt that this was a great opportunity to convey my project to people and get real feedback from them. I got a great push from all of them and great motivation

I was suggested by most of them to go ahead and publish my work in local newspapers so that it reaches to general public and get aware of it. My topic was well appreciated and this gave me a sense of encouragement.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT IDEATION & INTERATIONS

Scanned by CamScanner

CONCEPT #1 REVIVAL OF MOAT DEVELOPING AND ENHANCING PERIPHERY

The primary objective was not to focus on conserving single historic structure but to restore, revitalise and protect the whole Fort complex to arrest further damage and to plan for full public access. To achieve this, the conservation works had to be in sympathy with the surviving architecture and the historicity of the site in order to enhance visitor experience.

From day one, the aim was to activate and maintain the place as a living site, with adaptive reuse in mind. A range of activities were envisaged, which include interpretation of local heritage, conservation and restoration workshops and site visits, cultural performances, fairs and festivals, etc. Without the active participation of people, the whole conservation exercise would be meaningless.

CONCEPT #2 BUILD CONNECTIONS BETWEEN MONUMENTS DESIGN A HERITAGE TRAIL

CONCEPT #3 DESIGNING A MULTI-PURPOSE AREA FOR EVENTS AND CITY FESTIVAL

The design allows the informal and formal activities occur while maintaining the quality and character of a vast public space with leisure zones with trees and shade, fountains and seating areas. Some of the other issues the project addresses are the up gradation of physical elements such as signage, lighting, landscaping and street furniture.

The aim is to evaluate the archaeological sites from the perspective of landscape architecture and provide a new approach to the concept of heritage and nature preservation in terms of landscape planning and design principles. Hence, heritage planning requires not only to protect and display the preserved remains, but also to convey the

spatial and visual connection between the archaeological setting and the material.

Visibility of the archaeological landscape is strongly related with the integration of archaeological site in the landscape by means of presentation and site landscaping. The landscape is a key element of the project-it features a smooth sinuous drive into the complex, an ‘introductory walk’ into the entrance foyer and is used extensively as inserts, pauses and even termination nodes to compliment the built environment of the Interpretation areas .

With the main priorities of the park being ‘Make the park accessible and feel safe’ and

restore the Fort and to create an attractive space with strong pedestrian links promoting sustainable movement of people across.The archaeological site is displayed within a public urban park including tourist facilities such as toilette and seats, yet the entrance of the archaeological heritage is charged. In this respect, the display of archaeological heritage has established an interrelated usage of recreation and conservation through a park concept, which epitomises modern design principles.

Thus, the new materials are likely preferred in park design and public access to the archaeological heritage is across the park.

Creating an open space project will make a direct contribution to changing and ideally enhancing the local landscape character of an area. The aim should be to identify if it is possible to retain a current shape of the landscape and recognise the site’s history whilst creating an area of value. Through the conservation works coupled with landscaping of the setting, the project aims to ensure long term preservation, in a public-private partnership model for conservation of our built and intangible heritage in a manner the original builders intended the structures to appear. This major conservation effort will lead to a ripple effect thus attracting a significantly higher number of visitors and tourists, instilling a sense of pride

in the city’s residents and creating potential economic opportunities for local businesses.

The proposed landscape masterplan, based on site surveys and available archival material, is aimed at an enhanced setting for the monuments and an improved internal visitor circulation. Significant area will be dedicated for ecological zones. Ecological trails will allow visiting school children, to have an improved understanding of heritage and ecology issues.

KEY ELEMENTS

CASE STUDIES

FINAL DESIGN OUTPUT

GULBARGA HERITAGE PARK Historical places combined with public usage not only enrich the visual and cultural quality of open urban spaces, but also enable to preserve the historical fabric of the urban landscape. It aims an integrated conservation concept concerning the aspects of tourism, education and visitor facilities. Above all, excessive usage of the space can also damage the archaeological assets. Such spaces consist of integral spaces for rest and leisure set in a new approach.

The primary objective was not to focus on conserving single historic structure but to restore, revitalise and protect the whole Fort complex to arrest further damage and to plan for full public access. To achieve this, the conservation works had to be in sympathy with the surviving architecture and the historicity of the site in order to enhance visitor experience. From day one, the aim was to activate and maintain the place as a living site, with adaptive reuse in mind. A range of activities were envisaged, which include interpretation of local heritage, conservation and restoration workshops and site visits, cultural performances, fairs and festivals, etc.Without the active participation of people, the whole conservation exercise would be meaningless. The design allows the informal and formal activities occur while maintaining the quality and character of a vast public space with leisure zones with

trees and shade, fountains and seating areas.

Some of the other issues the project addresses are the up gradation of physical elements such as signage, lighting, landscaping and street furniture The aim is to evaluate the archaeological site from the perspective of landscape architecture and provide a new approach to the concept of heritage and nature preservation in terms of landscape planning and design principles.

Hence, heritage planning requires not only to protect and display the preserved remains, but also to convey the spatial and visual connection between the archaeological setting and the material. Visibility of the archaeological landscape is strongly related with the integration of archaeological site in the landscape by means of presentation and site landscaping.

The landscape is a key element of the project-it features a smooth sinuous drive into the complex, an ‘introductory walk’ into the entrance foyer and is used extensively as inserts, pauses and even termination nodes to compliment the built environment. This design creates different opportunities and experiences from one heritage park, expanding the mission and reach of the current arrangement to incorporate a wider variety of users and experiences.

With the main priorities of the park being ‘Make the park accessible and feel safe’

and Restore the Fort and to create an attractive space with strong pedestrian links promoting sustainable movement of people across.

Key master plan of Heritage trail

W A L K A B I L I T Y

MICRO-CLIMATE

NATIVE VEGETATION

Perspective views of heritage park & key elements

ENHANCES HISTORIC CHARACTER

Existing site conditions

FOCUS AREA-1

FOCUS AREA-1 This heritage park aims to serve two purposes- educational and recreational. The visitors should acknowledge the historic value of the monuments and fort and should be aware of their significance. This is why there is a need to provide adequate information about the important elements. Bahamani architecture has its own unique characteristics which can be seen in Jamia masjid as well as Bala Hissar. The beautiful arches of masjid are breath taking and the whole experience of passing through them is mesmerizing. To educate people about the architectural and cultural history, I have proposed interpretative area which focuses on this. With strategized placements of interpretative boards, it makes the visitor aware about the topic. The boards will be in three different languages- Urdu, English & Hindi. But those who do not wish to indulge in textual knowledge, there is a zone where installations have been mounted which is inspired from arches of masjid. This installation will give the visitor a similar experience as masjid and makes the information more visual and interesting for them to read. Once the visitors go through this interpretative area, there is a small pond which is being constructed on the land and nothing has been dig up. From there, picnic spot starts where people can relax and enjoy the view.

Master key plan & section

Perpective views of focus area-2

FOCUS AREA-2

FOCUS AREA-2 This heritage park aims to serve two purposes- educational and recreational. The visitors should acknowledge the historic value of the monuments and fort and should be aware of their significance. This is why there is a need to provide adequate information about the important elements.

The fort is a strong representation of Bahamani rule and evidence of its power. There is a lot to know about the kingdom. But question is how can one make history interesting? Bahamani kingdom after 1518, got divided into four smaller ones like Barishahi (Bidar), Kutbshahi (of Golkonda), Adamshahi(of Ahmadnagar), and Adilshahi (of Bijapur), known collectively as the Deccan sultanates. An interpretative area is designed in such a way that it educates the visitor about the Bahamani dynasty, its rulers and its kingdoms. Each Bahamani state today has its own story to tell, its unique characters and its own timeline. Taking the map of Bahamani kingdom as base, a landscape garden is designed where each state’s historical factors has been highlighted. To make it more interesting, small canon installations have been installed in each state garden which is a tribute to Canon in Bala Hissar. These small installations are rotatable which becomes an interactive and fun element for the kids. This landscape garden is a dedicated space for people to sit, relax and explore.

Master key plan & section

Perpective views of focus area-2

FOCUS AREA-3

FOCUS AREA-3 The third focus area is proposed near Jamia masjid. This focus area is a botanical garden cum landscape garden. On interviewing and observing, the worshipers who are an active user of the site, aspired for an open green space where after prayers they can indulge in recreational activities. Currently, kids play football and many other sports outside Masjid on the unlevelled path. Also, there was no space where visitors be it locals or tourists can relax and enjoy in the evening after their visit to these monuments. This landscape botanical garden nurtures local species and provides interactive water fountain element which is inspired from motifs of Islamic architecture. This space is dedicated for people to relax and enjoy the experience. Covered with native trees, there is plenty of shade being provided and people can preferably sit there in the evenings. This path currently is underutilized and not being constructed well. To initiate this proposed landscape garden, most importantly the floor has to be levelled and cleared. This path creates linkage between the two important paths thus completing the heritage trail.

Master key plan

Perpective views of focus area-3

DETAILS

For pedestrian path

For Cycle path

Street Lighting

Seating

Gazebo

EXISTING PUBLIC SPACES IN GULBARGA

Plants are vital elements in urban scenario. They are used for ecological, aesthetic, functional, religious and medicinal purposes. Planting design in landscaping is a major stage wherein plant selection becomes crucial. The selection of plants needs to be based on the physical environment, soil type, water quality and climate. Analysis of these factors with respect to plant needs to be done to make appropriate selection. Proper selection with respect to site conditions leads to successful landscaping. Observation of local varieties gives important clues for selection. Use of local varieties leads to successful landscaping and also gives distinct identity of the place.