Core Course
Typology, Spatial Patterns & Material Phenomenology
13th September to 28th October 2021
Embedded Files
SITE
Navapada, Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivali, Mumbai.
The Sanjay Gandhi National Park area has a long history dating back to the 4th century BC. The Kanheri Caves in the center of the park were an important Buddhist learning center and pilgrimage site sculpted by Buddhist monks between 9th and 1st centuries BCE.
The park was named 'Krishnagiri National Park' in the pre-independence era. At that time the area of the park was only 20.26 sq. km (7.82 sq mi). In 1969, the park was expanded to its present size by acquiring various reserve forest properties adjoining the park. After this, an independent unit of the Forest Department called 'Borivali National Park Subdivision' administered the area. Krishnagiri National Park was created in 1974 and later renamed as 'Borivali National Park'. In 1981, it was re-dedicated as 'Sanjay Gandhi National Park'
Based on a public interest litigation filed by the Bombay Environmental Action Group in 1995, which cited a forest department survey to say that around 400,000 people were living within the park’s boundaries, the court ruled that those who could prove they had lived here before 1995 qualified for resettlement after they paid a ‘fine’ of Rs. 7.000. The rest were to be evicted and their electricity and water connections cut off.
11,380 families who qualified for resettlement have been given houses in Chandivali, and 13,698 are on a waitlist. there were a total of 67,000 huts in the encroached park area in 1997, and by the year 2000, 49,000 of these huts had been removed.
SITE MORPHOLOGY
The entire settlement is surrounded by the forest. This site morphology was build by 5 groups studying different areas of the settlement. The area highlighted by the red box is the one which I studied with my group.
This is the plan of the spine that I had studied with my group and which I further used to study the spatial patterns. The images here of the spine show the kind of material used in the settlement, the rawness of the pathways. The houses in the settlement are generally made out of galvanized iron sheets and karvi layered with mud, using the wattle and daub method of construction. There are very few brick houses found as the forest department restricts the people of the settlement from making permanent home.
SPATIAL PATTERNS
In the spine, all the houses had verandas. Each of them were facing towards each other or facing the spine. The verandas were made out of either brick & mud, stone & mud and a few were made out of brick & tiles. So mud was like a common material used for construction in the settlement.
Another pattern that I observed was that there were a lot of animals found in the settlement such as the dogs, cats, hens, ducks, geese and goats. Further, I studied the places where they are usually found and the type of land and environment they usually prefer.
HENS (Red) - Hens are generally found near the bushes, wooden logs, roof and the plinth of houses since they prefer a dry space with protection from the sun. They prefer a bedding of wood shavings or straw to sleep on.
DUCKS/GEESE (Orange) - They prefer water sources to swim. They generally sit in slightly damp and sunny place. They prefer being on the ground level.
GOATS (Green) - Goats usually stay inside their shed and are let out only once or twice a day. A shed closed shed is usually preferable for goats as they are easy prey for the wild life.
DOGS (Blue) - Dogs are generally found in the verandas. They usually prefer a tight space as they find it comfortable.They also prefer sleeping under a bench or a bed.
CATS (Pink) - Cats are also found in the verandas as well as on the roofs. Cats prefer tiny spaces which are higher since it helps them to maintain their body temperature and higher spaces provide a better view of their territory.
EXISTING CONDITIONS OF THE ANIMALS
Taking the animal observation forward, I was looking at the existing conditions of the animals. The ducks generally sit on slightly damp areas. The goats already have a closed shed for them. The birds are kept in a big cage with a tree inside it. The dogs and the cats are generally found in the verandas. The cats are also found on the roof.
ITERATIONS
These are few of the initial iterations in which this would be a small shed of length and height 4 ft whose lower space could be used to occupy by the animals whereas the upper space could be used as storage as the people of the settlement generally keep their clothes and other stuff outside.
This is a wall maze for the cats which could be used to play. But since all of these iterations were becoming more like installments or add-ons, we decided to design something which would be inside the construction of the house itself.
SITE OF INTERVENTION
Using the animal studies, I decided to design something which would integrate them more into the community with spaces designed in such a way which provides a suitable habitat. For that, the site of intervention would be the area highlighted by the red box. A part of the design is also that I have used small bridges to connect all the roofs throughout the spine, keeping in mind the animals which prefer being on the roofs.
Detailed plan of the site of intervention with the design changes.
ISOMETRIC DRAWINGS
The isometric drawing of the site of intervention shows how the space would be inhabited. The site of intervention includes 3 houses and a common kitchen. From the left, the first houses is made out of galvanized iron sheets and the next two houses are made out of karvi layered with mud (wattle & daub). In front of the third house on the right is the common kitchen which is not enclosed by walls on its 3 sides.
In the first house from the left (the galvanized sheet house), I have provided long steps at the front to reach the veranda and also for everyone to sit. On its both sides are small slopes for the kids and the animals to play on. To reach the bridge above, I've created steps which would have shelfs below it of different sizes which could be used by animals who prefer tighter space and also as storage. There is a bridge below as well for the kids to play. There are also alcoves made in the plinth for the animals who prefer being on the ground level.
In the second house, in place of the steps to reach the veranda, I've provided different sizes of wooden logs as there are a lot of wood for fallen trees found in the settlement. This would also provide a moist area which is suitable for the hens. There are also some alcoves made in the plinth. There are a few pegs attached to the wall for the birds. An alcove is made in karvi wall for the animals to occupy and to enter the house as it would be a protrusion for inside. In this house, I've made a slope to reach the bridge above for the animals. Also, there is a partition made in the roof for the birds to occupy.
In the third house, to reach the veranda, I've provided steps at one side and a small slope for the animals on the other side. To reach the bridge above, I've used the same steps and shelf concept as in the first house. There is also an alcove in the plinth as well as one protruding from inside the wall which could be occupied by the animals and the above part could be used as a sitting area.
In the common kitchen, the water that they use to cook is thrown in front of the kitchen which makes that area marshy and muddy. So to avoid that, the water can be send down from a pipe which has a filter at its end to filter out the solid waste from the kitchen and the water can be used to fill a small pond for the ducks and the geese to occupy and could also act as a drinking water source for the animals.
ELEVATIONS
These are the elevations of the three houses and the common kitchen. It helps to locate all the design intervention along with the surroundings.
MODEL
This is a working model of the site of intervention. It helps to know the scale as well as the material of the design interventions.
Page updated
Report abuse