B.Arch Thesis Design Presentation

TO PROMOTE AND ACTIVATE INTERACTION AMONG SOCIOECONOMIC GROUPS IN A DIVIDED URBAN CONTEXT

Undergraduate Architecture Thesis

by Varun Michael Pais 4CM15AT900

PROPOSAL - INTERVENTIONS AND DESIGN AIM

Site AB (SCALE: L)

open drain (SCALE - S)

streetscape (SCALE - xS)

site d (SCALE - m)

Aim: To serve as extensions of the street and

The Drain is unsafe and also gives an unpleasant sensory experience. Objective was to recreate that space to allow for a pleasent experience on the street

Aim: To create a pleasurable experience on the

Aim: To provide public facilities like toilets in a manner that works with the notions of social inclusion. How does one design a public toilet that is safe and also a desirable place to be otherwise?

offer spaces for public life to capitalise on the opportunities that interaction offers.

Provide essential functions and activities that adhere to the day-to-day life of the people in Gokulam

Programs:

Library Cultural Learning Spaces Mysore One Community Centre Skill Development Centre Womens Self Help Centre Exhibition Spaces Workshop Spaces Bank Branches Food - formal and informal Commercial Activity

TEMPLE WALKWAY (SCALE - S) Aim: To create an experiential walk way from the street to the neighbourhood park behind the temple. Also create a space for vendors by the temple

Site c (Scale: S) Aim: To offer a space on the street that protects from undesired climatic conditions and serve as an open space for all.

street that focuses on the pedestrians and the activites that support pedestrian activity on the street.

To rework traffic movement and provide dedicated space for loading and unloading.

This is primarily focused on controlling traffic and vehicular presence on the street to make pedestrians feel safer and take to the streets as if it belongs to them

interventions

pedestrian oriented sidewalk modifications

parking/loading unloading

bus stops

FOOD PLAZA (SCALE - m) Aim: To provide a dedicated and safe space for

vendors and the people of Gokulam. Also serves as a desirable place on the street that people would come to.

scales: l: Large m: Medium s: Small XS: extra small

PROPOSAL/street/restructuring of vehicular movement

a

a

street cross section aa - 4 lanes

b

b

street cross section bb - 3 lanes

PROPOSAL - INTERVENTIONS AND DESIGN AIM

c

c

street cross section cc/temple - 4 lanes

PROPOSAL - INTERVENTIONS AND DESIGN AIM This portion of the street is driven by the Ganapathi Temple. The other drivers include a chai shop and a medical store that are opposite the temple. Apart from that there are a few street vendors that draw people in the morning and the evenings.

The junction as of now, is unorganised and a primarily space where pedestrians feel unsafe. There is a bus stop, an auto stand and due to the high number of pedestrians at the drivers of the street, it is chaotic and unorganised.

The interventions attempted here aim to address these problems and positives with the intention of expanding the pedestrian domain of the street and give primary importance to the pedestrians on the street.

PROPOSAL - INTERVENTIONS AND DESIGN AIM This portion of the street is driven primarily by commercial activities including an alcohol store and a bar that are primary drivers in this area. This portion of the street sees more activity in the evenings as compared to the mornings and is dominated by a larger male population towards the later hours of the day.

As this area draws a lot of pedestrians, the number of street vendors that set up shop here are higher. The manner in which the vendors position themselves however makes the experience for their customers and themselves a little unnervy as there is no demarcated space for them to operate safely.

The interventions attempted here aim to address these problems and positives with the intention of expanding the pedestrian domain of the street and give primary importance to the pedestrians on the street.

intervention ab Scale: LARGE

building b Aim: To keep the vibrance that food already brings to this site while adding facilities for the people of Gokulam.

Introduce programs that a community-centric and allow for interaction between these spaces at multiple scale within the building and the street.

Program: - Community Facility - Skill Development Center - Women’s Self Help Center - Mysore One Office - Bank Branches and ATMs - Food - Retail

building a Aim: To design a place on the street that infuses the everyday life of the people of Gokulam and a variety of learning spaces.

The ambition is to bring spaces of culture and knowledge sharing into the public realm. Identify ways in which such spaces can spill out into the ‘public’ spaces of the building that facilitate opportunities for interaction at multiple scales and between these scales as well.

Program: - Learning Spaces - Dance, Music, Art and other cultural activites - Workshop Spaces - Library - Exhibition Spaces - Food - Retail

Site a/b - site analysis B

A

VEHICULAR MOVEMENT AND NOISE

PREVAILING WIND DIRECTION

SITE CONTEXT

TOPOGRAPHY

SUN PATH

section across site A and B

PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENT AND DENSE SPOTS

SECTION b1

SECTION a1

SECTION b2

SECTION a2

SECTION b3

SECTION a3

BUILT vs OPEN

March

June

September

December

Site a/b - design concepts and development Design Ideology

MATERIAL SELECTION BREAKING EXISTING NOTIONS Keep ground floor as open as possible

Varied sectional quality to allow for play of light and shadow

concrete is perceived as the go to material for a ‘pucca house’ steel is perceived as a temporary material

Stepped terrace to have interactions between levels

Modulated ground plane to create variety in the experience of the space

When we look at new housing that is built in cities and even rural areas, the desire is to always aspire to be able to build in concrete and that is what is aimed for. Even if vernacular methods of construction and materials are more suitable to those contexts.

Is there a way that I can subtly break these existing aspirational notions through material selection and expression of my interventions?

Multiple means of vertical circulation that is interactive with the open space

Evolution of the Design

Possible entry points for both sites

Atrium that runs along both the sites

Defining open and built space

Introducing design grids for vertical circulation

modifications of the open and semi open spaces

developing a relationship between the two sites: at the entrie

variations of the atrium based on grids derived from sites

atrium running through two sites

multiple shifts in the atrium

curve derived from the road as possible form for the buildings

deconstruction of the atrium to bring variety in the relationship between built and open space

notional intersections and segmentation of the sites

The site is considered as one site with a road running through the middle. The derivation of the grids come from the site on two sides of the road, while developing the form of the building, variations of these grids were attempted in several forms before the final design was evolved further variations of the grids

final implementations of grids to either serve circulation or open/ built space

lower basement plan

exploded view of structure

PLAN @ -2.90m FLOOR LEVEL: -3.90m Floor Height: 3.15m No. of Cars: 22

1. VERTICAL CORE 2. PARKING

upper basement plan PLAN @ +0.75m FLOOR LEVEL: -0.75m Floor Height: 3.15m No. of Cars: 30

1. VERTICAL CORE 2. PARKING

part View of structure/building a/ exploded

Though the space is defined as an exhibition space it can be used for several types or forms of exhibitions that respond to the desires of the people of Gokulam. A typical use, such as an art exhibition one such version of how this space can be utilised

As there is a TVS showroom and a Honda service center that cater to their two wheeler markets, this space could also serve for the launch event of a bike. The manner in which the launch itself is conducted could be reimagined in a public space such as this.

SALES catch everyones attention! This ‘exhibition’ space could also house flash sales for clothes, elctronics and anything else.

Such a location won’t just serve positively to the stakeholders, but could create a vibrancy within the public space itself.

lower ground floor PLAN @ +3.40 FLOOR LEVEL: +3.40m Floor Height: 3.15m No. of Cars: 14

WHY EXHIBITION SPACE!?

WHAT EXHIBITION SPACE!?

1. EXHIBITION SPACE 2. KUND SEATING 3. RETAIL 4. BUS STOP 5. MEN’S TOILET 6. WOMEN’S TOILET 7. VERTICAL CIRCULATION 8. PARKING 9. GENERATOR

upper ground floor

SOUTH ELEVATION

PLAN @ +6.55m FLOOR LEVEL: +5.55m Floor Height: 4.05m No. of 2 Wheelers:

1. FOOD SHOPS 2. CHAI STALL 3. RETAIL 4. STORAGE 5. MEN’S TOILET 6. WOMEN’S TOILET 7. VERTICAL CIRCULATION 8. PARKING

first floor plan

PLAN @ +10.60m FLOOR LEVEL: +9.60m Floor Height: 4.05m

section aa

Through the vertical core & entrance at +9.60m

section bb

Through the Library showing mezzanine & folded plate roof

1. MAIN LIBRARY 2. DIGITAL LIBRARY 3. READING ROOM 4. READING SPACE 5. BOOK STORE 6. RETAIL 7. MEN’S TOILET 8. WOMEN’S TOILET 9. VERTICAL CIRCULATION

east elevation second floor plan

VIEW OF INTERNAL ATRIUM FROM THE STEPPED SEATING AREA

PLAN @ +14.65m FLOOR LEVEL: +13.65m Floor Height: 4.05m

1. LEARNING SPACE TYPE 1 2. LEARNING SPACE TYPE 2 3. OPEN WORKSHOP SPACE 4. RAISED WORKSHOP SPACE 5. WORKSHOP SPACE 6. MEN’S TOILET 7. WOMEN’S TOILET 8. VERTICAL CIRCULATION

FIRST FLOOR

SECOND FLOOR

TERRACE

Showing Program Distribution For Building A

UPPER GROUND

(Typical) South Facade

EXPLODED ISOMETRIC

LOWER GROUND

DETAILED WALL SECTION

WORKSHOP SPACE LEARNING SPACES CORES

LIBRARY SPACES RETAIL SPACES CORES

FOOD SPACES RETAIL SPACES CORES

EXHIBITION SPACES RETAIL SPACES BUS STOPS CORES LANDSCAPE

building a/Main Entrance (South-East)

lower basement

PLAN @ -2.90m FLOOR LEVEL: -2.90m Floor Height: 3.15m No. of Cars: 24

1. VERTICAL CIRCULATION 2. PARKING

ground floor

PLAN @ +0.75m FLOOR LEVEL: -0.m Floor Height: 3.15m No. of Cars: 22

1. VERTICAL CIRCULATION 2. PARKING

View of structure/building b/ from the top

VIEW OF BUILDING B

Showing the south face , the open space within and the lower courtyard

ground floor

PLAN @ +3.40m FLOOR LEVEL: +3.40m Floor Height: 3.15m

1. FOOD 2. SERVICE STORE 3. STATIONERY STORE 4. ATM 5. MYSORE ONE 6. MEN’S TOILET 7. WOMEN’S TOILET 8. VERTICAL CIRCULATION

VIEW OF BUILDING B Main Entrance

perspective section of BUILDING B

cut isometric VIEW OF BUILDING B

first floor

PLAN @ +6.55m FLOOR LEVEL: +5.55m Floor Height: 4.05m

1. COMMUNITY SPACE 2. RESTAURANT 3. ADMINISTRATION 4. MEN’S TOILET 5. WOMEN’S TOILET 6. VERTICAL CIRCULATION

VIEW OF BUILDING B

From the Court through the Atrium

south elevation building b

west elevation building b

second floor

PLAN @ +10.60m FLOOR LEVEL: +9.60m

1. RESTAURANT 2. BANK BRANCH 3. ADMINISTRATION 4. MEN’S TOILET 5. WOMEN’S TOILET 6. VERTICAL CIRCULATION

VIEW OF BUILDING B Recessed Court

EXPLODED ISOMETRIC

Showing Program Distribution For Building B

OR O L DF

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORES

THIR

SEC third floor

OR

FOOD FACILITIES ADMINISTRATION CORES

OR

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION CORES

LO ND F

O

VIEW OF BUILDING B South West Corner

PLAN @ +14.65 FLOOR LEVEL: +13.65m Floor Height: 4.05m

LO ST F

FIR

1. SKILL DEVELOPMENT CENTRE 2. WOMEN’S SELF-HELP CENTER 3. MEN’S TOILET 4. WOMEN’S TOILET 5. VERTICAL CIRCULATION

OR

GRO

U

LO F D N

FACILITIES RETAIL SPACES FOOD CORES LANDSCAPE

STREET VS BUILDING Public spaces around the world include plazas, promenades and other forms of large open spaces for everyday public activity. In India, we consider our streets to be our primary public spaces. Though true, streets have a lot of other things going on, from vehicular movement, bus stops and parking to services, drainage, etc.

The pedestrian is rarely given sole preference.

Yes, at time sidewalks are widened and traffic methods are used to control the flow of traffic, but can this be pushed further?

The way in which we look at our buildings and their relationship to the street is limited. They are always perceived as two separate entities.

It is possible to look at both as part of a whole and the pedestrian domain can grow into the buildings as well.

If such is the case, can the building be called the street and the street the building?

EVERYDAY ACTIVITY/SECTION ACROSS THE ATRIUM/BUILDING AB

FOOD FESTIVAL/SECTION ACROSS THE ATRIUM/BUILDING AB

MUSIC PERFORMANCE/SECTION ACROSS THE ATRIUM/BUILDING A

GANESH CHATURTHI/SECTION ACROSS THE ATRIUM/BUILDING A

building B/BIRDS EYE VIEW

AXONOMETRIC VIEW/AB

APPROACH VIEW/FROM STREET/AB

intervention c Scale: SMALL

TEMPLE WALKWAY Aim:

To create an attractive and obvious pedestrian link with the neighbourhood park behing the temple. Currently the vendors around the temple set their shops up on the road, there was an intent to see if they could also be incorporated within this intervention.

pavillion c Aim:

The Gehl Institute talks about creating spaces within the public realm for people to stay longer. This intervention aims to capitalise on the fact that there is an empty site behind a demarcated bus stop. The intention was to incorporate the bus stop within the site and create a shelter that protects from undesired weather conditions. As was observed in the case studies, pavillions can be designed in a manner that it can be used on a day to day basis as well as for small scale events. The design aimed to achieve this while incorporating the street within the site as well.

Site C - site analysis

VEHICULAR MOVEMENT AND NOISE

SITE CONTEXT

PREVAILING WIND DIRECTION

TOPOGRAPHY

SUN PATH

BUILT vs OPEN

March

June

September

December

PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENT AND DENSE SPOTS

Aim:

The Gehl Institute talks about creating spaces within the public realm for people to stay longer. This intervention aims to capitalise on the fact that there is an empty site behind a demarcated bus stop. The intention was to incorporate the bus stop within the site and create a shelter that protects from undesired weather conditions. As was observed in the case studies, pavillions can be designed in a manner that it can be used on a day to day basis as well as for small scale events. The design aimed to achieve this while incorporating the street within the site as well.

EVERYDAY ACTIVITY

EVENT ACTIVITY

intervention D Scale: MEDIUM

FOOD PLAZA Aim:

To identify a location that can accomodate the street vendors in this region of the street. While doing so also create a relief space from the business of the activities on the street.

building d Aim:

This street does not have basic facilities like public toilets!

The intention of this intervention was to create a public toilet on the street and also add certain complimentary functions that work with the ideas of interaction and social inclusion. The building would have to serve as a backdrop to the street as well as incorporate the bus stand that is located here.

Aim:

Public Toilet Eatery Uni-sex Salon Exhibition Space Office Space

Site D - site analysis

VEHICULAR MOVEMENT AND NOISE

SITE CONTEXT PREVAILING WIND DIRECTION

TOPOGRAPHY

SUN PATH

BUILT vs OPEN

March

June

September

December

PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENT AND DENSE SPOTS

Site D - CONCEPT

Pedestrianise road as food plaza Initial massing

Tilt of one block?

Demarcation of vendor space Massing updated with central spine

Introduction of vertical circulation Bus movement/into site

Parking entrance Defining circulation lines

Roof iteration 1

Redefining circulation lines Introduction of ‘boxes’

Introduction of the second ‘box’/ defining the higher floor

Roof iteration 2

GROUND FLOOR

PLAN @ +1.90m FLOOR LEVEL: +0.90m Floor Height: 3.60m

1. EATERY 2. COVERED SEATING SPACE 3. UNISEX SALON 4. MEN’S TOILET 5. HANDICAP TOILET 6. WOMEN’S TOILET 7. NURSING ROOM 8. JANITOR’S ROOM 9. PLAZA

basement FLOOR

PLAN @ -2.00m FLOOR LEVEL: -3.00m Floor Height: 3.00m

first FLOOR

PLAN @ +5.50m FLOOR LEVEL: +4.50m Floor Height: 3.60m

1. EXHIBITION SPACE 2. UNISEX SALON 3. OFFICE SPACE

BUILDING D/SECTIONS key plan c

SECTION AA/ CIRCULATION GRID

d

d

a b

a b c

SECTION BB/ CENTRAL SPACE

SECTION CC/ CIRCULATION GRIDS

SECTION dd/ THROUGH PLAZA

building D/BIRDS EYE VIEW

building D/VIEW OF PLAZA

building D/VIEW FROM ACROSS THE ROAD/MAIN ENTRANCE

BUS stop

plan

building a

bus stop b

pavillion c

building d

front elevation

side elevation

familiarity with a little playfulness

site d/open space behind bus stop

site d/introduction of a wall

site d/modification of wall to accomodate seating

site c/pushing of sidewalk behind the bus stop/within the site

site c/angle & level difference accomodated/ planter box serves as a back rest