Parth Kocharekar

Site Understanding

The site lies on the steep slopes of the Sahiyadri Ranges, in the village of Malusare, near Mahabaleshwar; which experiences heavy rainfall from the South-west monsoon winds. Hence, this place forms an interesting fabric to intervene in. Some latent developments to the site included creating pathways up the site and clearing and filling of earth, held together by retaining walls. As a result a variation in the density of the landscape fabric started getting visible. The presence of constant rainfall for over five months of the season, led to landslides and shifting of 'earth' from the surface.

Site Visuals

Pattern understanding

Conceptualization and form

Landscape stratergies

A systemic understanding of landscaping with serial planting of vetivar grass, leguminous shurbs and berries in an organic fashion could be implemented which would be beneficial for the soil and soil heath and prevent landslides. These could be planted in the areas which were earlier cleared to build upon and present a softer way giving back to the landscape while creating  a softer flow into wilderness. As a reference to Piet Oudolf's work,  a gentler form was developed where the bushes and the shurbs could grow down the slope creating pathways between them. 

Design intent

A thorough understanding of the type of the houses in this region,  led us to experiment the systemic and material configurations of space with specificity of the site we were intervening in.  Several naturally occurring features like boulders, rocks, slope edge conditions, dense forest fabric often led to site specific form.  As a result, I got experiment with three different typologies, responding to distinct locations of the site. One of the units, wrapped around the boulder and a thick stone wall enveloped to make a certain closeness. Another, was an earth-berm structure which merged into the landscape. The one by the road, opened up to vastness of the valley below. 

The material and spatial explorations  let me experiment with several the affordances of a dense contoured landscape.  The landscaping strategy would weave together the units and merge with the existing mountain fabric.

Site Plan

Cut Plans

Sections

Design models