The Mangrove Experience

What is environment ?

The environment is made up of many different ecosystems, each with its own living and non-living parts. These ecosystems interact with each other and play a vital role in maintaining biodiversity and ecological balance on Earth. They form complex relationships between organisms and their surroundings, including plants, animals, microorganisms, soil, water, and climate factors. 

What is flow ?

"Flows" refers to the intricate connections and mutual reliance among different ecosystems within an environment. When the patterns of life change in one ecosystem, it has a ripple effect on others in the environment, leading to further impacts on additional ecosystems. By studying the specific flow of one ecosystem, we can gain insights into how this interconnectedness operates across all systems. Thus forming a network of flow between ecosystems.

The Start

On the basis of the definition of the flows we started exploring and understanding various ecosystems and their flows in the mangrove forest. ecosystems like : Boats network, Animals, Insects, Flora and many more.

Mapping

One of the flows which intrigued us was the flow of seeds and pollen grains and its effect on the surrounding ecosystems.

We then stared mapping the flows of the mangrove seeds and how it affects the lives of other ecosystems which lead to the formation of the following drawings.

This drawing in particular maps the flow of the seed in terms of its densities at various heights. The drawing also shows the movement patterns and densities of crabs and birds. The drawing also talks about the interactions and the modifications one ecosystem has on the other.

The Intervention

After studying and mapping the flows we thought of creating an intervention to intervene in the flows of the seeds in a positive and beneficial way of an endangered species of mangroves.

The endangered species of mangroves which we were focusing on is known as Rhizophora Apiculata . This Mangalore species is heavily, wind dispersed. The seeds of these trees is very light and this can grow in population through wind disposal.

The Aim

The primary aim of the intervention was to protect the endangered species of the mangroves and to help it germinate much better in a particular area. 

The secondary aim was to create a living and playful space a mangrove mangrove park per say for the people to comes along and enjoy the mangrove forest as a playful space.

Iteration 1

Individual Units

In this iteration we tried to introduce our intervention as individual units for individual trees.

Iteration 2

Catching Form / Living Space

In this itteration we created an intervention considering the a group of mangrove trees as a whole also adding a slight human interacrtive design. One of the majour part of this iteration was the discovery and introduction of a new form known as wind catcher which will help in seed germination in the given particular area.

Iteration 3

The Park

As the previous iteration was becoming very bulk we again considered the intervention as individual units but with a twist. We folded the wind catcher form around the tree as well as extending its form into various programs of various form for human interaction. thus this iteration started looking as the them  of a park.

Iteration 4

Playful

We expanded the area of our site to spread out our intervention over a lager area, There was the creation of a sense of surprise and journey in the whole intervention. Also there was the addition of new human programs for the people to engage in.

Iteration 5

Integrated Park

This iteration is an upgrade of the previous iteration. The previous iterations had the pathway, Wind catcher and the human programs as individual interventions. In this intervention we intergraded the all of the above into one expanding form. This was achieved by folding, turning and extending all the individual forms into one.

THE MODLE

Conclusion

In conclusion this module taught us the methodology behind understanding the interdependences of various networks of ecosystems in the environment in  the terms of flows. The module also taught us how to design installations and structures by incorporating the dimension of flows in the environment. This module was highly knowledgeable and opened a new dimension for designing.