Re-imagining Built Forms 


Gauri Shinde and Parth Agrawal

Question

For almost a century the beach in Moti Daman has been inhabited by the fishing community who, over the course of time, made provisions to deal with the recurring floods. The promenade project added a beauty quotient to the area causing a disruption in the ecosystem around, The locals were made to swift their homes, the construction caused  emergence of huge dunes and also caused the shut down of the drainage system. Though the promenade has its own benefits, it did cause a lot of disruption and damage such as rise in water levels causing floods during monsoons. This creates havoc in the nearby settlements, due to which the residents are migrating.

How can one think of making new built forms in order to make them resilient towards urban flood and sea level rise?




Site understanding

Site Settlement Section AA'

When there are sea level rise in monsoon water enters the houses and the level rise is from 50-60 cm max .


Site Settlement Section BB'

Water behavior 

Understanding the behaviour and absorption of water entering in the settlement.

Experiential

New concrete buildings have raised plinth and  some part of the plinth of older houses is now below the ground level and still there are issues with water been entering the houses and settlements. Water absorption is difficult as the concrete road is been built.

Conceptual ideas

Iteration 1

Raising the community as a whole with them being connected to the ground.

   

Iteration 2

Different levels in plinth to absorb water.

Iteration 3

Movable roof for light and ventilation

Iteration 4


House plan

Design intervention on site 

overall design intervention on site .

Model section BB'

Model Section AA'

Light and Air

Butterfly roof allowing maximum amount of light and air to enter the  house. 


Experiences

Monsoon

Ground floor allowing water to  enter and gets absorbed  in the green patches within few hours and water gets stored and can be reused from the waterbody in the ground floor . Inspired by the idea of sharing , storing and using the resources since there were ancient step well used for similar concepts of water storing and reusing and sharing. 

Space allowing the engagement of water with humans and other species rather than looking floods as problem .

Loft on the kitchen  to increase the interaction between people and one can peep within the living room and also can experience the building structure and materiality which is completely exposed , instead of providing the balconies in every bedroom .

Void above the waterbody on first floor similar to small courtyard allows people in the house to peep down and look at the activities ,interact etc  on the ground floor and also there is view of water of waterbody on ground floor.

Summer

During summers or on regular days water body helps not only humans but also other species to drink the water . Since the summers are extremely hot in daman the modulating plinths allows cats, dogs and other species to take nap or rest within this space.

Women can use this space for doing few house chores like cutting vegetables or cleaning grains etc while doing same activities  with other women this space helps more interactions between neighbours and more interaction with distinct species .

Children can use this place for playing as their is harsh sunlight during summers on open playgrounds .

Transition capacity increases degree of blur decreases , increase in involvement of animals, birds, natural resources etc. Building has exposed wooden and concrete lightweight structure. roofing has G.I sheets and windows below the roof levels is made with polycarbonate sheet for light and blur view and few blinders for opening and closing the window according to ones need .

Materials used in building are thought as those are easily affordable and available and suitable for climatic conditions and also responding to varying seasons. Few voids on ground floor used to plant tress which has perpendicular void on first floor in living room so as the tree grows there shouldn't be any obstacle and also it gives more cooling effect in house as well . As this tree grows and reaches until the first floor there is maximum amount of light available for it to grow further as well by simply adjusting  the blinders and windows. Maximum interaction between different species and environment.

Materials