Capillaries through Clusters

Papdi Talao is a public space centered around a lake in the urban area of Vasai. The site brings together a mix of institutions, including the Ram Mandir, a market, a garage, ISKCON, and a school. Despite this rich combination, the lake—once a natural focal point, is now cut off by a tall boundary wall, limiting access and reducing its presence as a shared public space. Reimagining the site offers a chance to create more open, inclusive spaces that not only connect these institutions but also restore the lake’s edge as a central, accessible feature for the entire community.

The design reimagines Papdi Talao as an integrated public realm by opening up the lake’s edge, which was previously restricted by a high boundary wall. The proposal seeks to dissolve barriers, both physical and social, by creating a sequence of open, accessible spaces that reconnect the lake with its surrounding communities. At the heart of the intervention is the transformation of the market into a dynamic public space overlooking the lake. This becomes a central node, anchoring various institutional and community functions. The site is structured through a system of architectural clusters that form capillary-like connections flowing toward the lake, inviting movement, gathering, and interaction. 

From here, the site branches out into three main spines:

• One leads to a community hall and library, supporting cultural exchange and public engagement.

• The second spine connects to a homeless shelter and school, offering spaces for care, learning, and inclusion.

• The third spine continues along the lake, activating its edge through strategically placed openings, creating visual and physical access points across the site.

Together, these pathways connect different functions, people, and activities to form a unified public space. The lake becomes a central feature—a shared setting for everyday life—while the building clusters create spaces where the community can gather and interact. This design sees Papdi Talao not just as a lakefront, but as a lively and inclusive public place, shaped by the daily needs and hopes of the people who use it.

Layered Transitions: Market, Movement, and the Edge

This proposal reimagines the Papdi Talao lakefront through a layered system of movement, public interaction, and institutional engagement. At the heart of the design is a market composed of plinths that run along the lake’s edge. These plinths act as spatial capillaries—guiding visitors through the site while allowing informal interactions and transitions between spaces. The market is strategically divided into zones—vegetables, fish, and meat, to improve circulation and create a more navigable experience. Beyond its functional role, the market becomes a transitional space: after shopping, visitors are naturally led toward the lake, encouraging engagement with the waterfront. An elevated pathway rises above the food stalls via a staircase, offering a dual-purpose design. This walkway serves both as a leisure promenade for the public and as a roof for the market below. As the path progresses from the vegetable to the meat market, it steps upward in a gentle gradient, forming a sequence of pauses and resting points where people can sit, gather, and enjoy views of the lake. This upper walkway activates the lake edge, turning it into a continuous, accessible public realm.

The ISKCON temple complex is also rethought with an emphasis on openness. A low boundary wall replaces traditional enclosure, reducing physical and symbolic separation from the surrounding context. The temple itself unfolds across levels: the shrine and community kitchen are located at the base, followed by a shared event space, an elevated viewing platform, and finally the priest’s residences at the top. This vertical layering not only responds to the site’s terrain but also encourages interaction between spiritual practice and public life.

Together, the market and temple form an interconnected system of spaces that are functional, symbolic, and social stitched together by movement and shared views of the lake. The design transforms the previously restricted edge into a inclusive public spine that strengthens community ties while celebrating the everyday rhythms of the site.

Spaces for Exchange: Community, Culture, and Knowledge 

The library is designed as an open cluster, with porous edges that invite movement from the market and surrounding neighborhoods. Semi-open courtyards, stepped seating, and shaded outdoor zones extend learning beyond the walls, encouraging spontaneous gatherings and everyday interactions. The built form responds to the lakefront context with low, grounded structures that allow views to flow through and people to navigate intuitively. The architecture supports both quiet contemplation and active community engagement, offering spaces for individual focus as well as group collaboration. The library and community hall act as a soft but powerful intervention—spaces of care, knowledge, and connection that strengthen local identity and collective memory. As part of the larger vision for Papdi Talao, they help transform the lakefront into a layered civic landscape, rooted in the everyday lives of its people.