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DESIGN STATEMENT

THE UNFOLD

“A solution is right behind the plight; all it takes a step towards unfolding the problem.”

While fighting with the COVID -19 Pandemic, some of the densest residential areas have emerged as hotspots. Though the enemy is in the street, in mass transits, the risk of infection increases radially out from the dwelling.

This does not point towards the end of the world yet, staying at home has eventually made us feel the importance of common public interaction, decongestion of urban fabric and the desire to get closer to nature. The Unfold is a humanitarian approach of connecting local public spaces to nature while preparing for the next big disruption. The pandemic has hassled the human lifestyle and pointed out the oversights of architecture. Today, need for a small-scale vegetable market to contain the infection is significantly felt.

The Site

Janakpur is a city famous for its large number of ponds. Almost every locality is pond centric. Instead of reaching out bigger market space, creating ponds into recreational as well as a market space can be a smarter option. The site, Argaza Pokhari, is a pond near famous Janaki Temple of Janakpur which has roads on its two sides.

The Concept

The conceptualization of the project starts from initial characterization of post pandemic problems and unfolding the solutions. The basic idea of form development got driven by the unfolding nature of a leaf. The curvature of leaves on two sides of the waterfront derived the basic form while the veins of the leaf derived the pathway to the stalls. The unfolding of the solutions of social distancing and local vegetable market space is achieved in the unfolded parts of the leaf.

Design Features
The unfold is a fulfilment of need of socializing space after and during pandemic along with availability of vegetable market with optimum catchment area. The design smoothens the boundary of water and ground by inclusion of connected water bodies in the ground and vice versa.

Entrance/Exit
The Unfold tries to minimize the post pandemic overreaction through incorporation of social distancing and disinfection possibilities. Multiple entrance and exit points with sensor activated hand washing points and sanitizing booths to the site could disperse the crowd during ingress and egress.

Market Stalls
Two-way wooden pathway leading towards the vegetable stalls with possibility of social distancing by marked footway over the waterbody is an approach to stimulate the senses. Aesthetically pleasing wooden planked pathway emerging out from the water takes full advantage of unused space along with attainment of Social distancing.

Seating
Knowing the fact that pandemic never lasts forever, inclusive sitting space for pandemic and non- pandemic times is introduced. Psychological tactics for distancing by painting seats and minimization of face to face interaction through outward facing seats is a resilient approach to designing public space.

Conclusion

The Unfold tries to amalgamate a waterfront and marketplace to redefine post pandemic occurrences. It fulfils the demands of time and connects human life with Nature, unfolding the elements of life.