TerraStairs : Vertical Social Spaces
Varun Shetty
About the studio:
Spaces of extensions, insertions and commons become the thresholds between social and private spheres of the lives of people inhabiting here. They provoke pauses and detours in the cycles and rhythms of their lives, becoming major nodes of activities at particular times of the day while allowing them to move fairly unobstructed in the space.
Site Observation:
Spaces of extensions, insertions and commons become the thresholds between social and private spheres of the lives of people inhabiting here. They provoke pauses and detours in the cycles and rhythms of their lives, becoming major nodes of activities at particular times of the day while allowing them to move fairly unobstructed in the space.
Spaces of extensions, insertions and commons become the thresholds between social and private spheres of the lives of people inhabiting here. They provoke pauses and detours in the cycles and rhythms of their lives, becoming major nodes of activities at particular times of the day while allowing them to move fairly unobstructed in the space.
Site Cross Section And Compound Wall Scale
Rasied platform inhabited
Animals and workers resting on the steps and stage due to shade and raise in ground
Compound Walls
Stalls using elevation of compound wall to sit and stack items
Acts of play on levels
Play equipments based on the principles of surfaces and levels connecting
The transit buildings in the vicinity consisting social spaces at midlandings and stairs
Locals creating intermediate levels, activities based on hierarchy of levels
Daily socialising of locals on stairs and levels above ground
Strategy
Iteration 1: Building extents and placing
Iteration 2: Building extents and placing
Program Diagram
The adjacent diagram articulates the programs overlaps which helps making multifunctional spaces with distinct characters. For example the spine with shops also accomodates playarea one side and temple on other side. This creates resting spaces as well as spaces from where a eye can be kept on children. At the same time temple becomes a play area at some instances.
The lines going across denote the circulation of the sites with in and out arrows and how porosity plays an important part in the building across streets and through various spaces.
Process Models
First iteration, stairs growing from ground eventually forming the first floor
Elaborating the previous iteration, jutting out spaces and creating multiple intermediate levels
Extending it to the other side of the site, placing programs in the free plan
Transforming sections
Step 1: Growing of the stairs from the ground forming the first floor, shaded space beneath the surface
Step 2: Adding another layer, forming a 1 storey structure. A terrace formed for viewing the neighbourhood. Closing the other end.
Step 3: Adding midlandings for pause points. cascading downwards from the end inviting the opposite street density.
Step 4: Adding the levels for change in volumes, skylight cum ventilator. Transforming the end stairs into amphitheater with a pergola above.
Section Concept
Text
First plan iteration
Second Plan Iteration
Sectional Perspective
Sections
Ground Floor Plan
First Floor Plan
Terrace Plan
Elevations
Spatial Detail
Views
