Living Waterfronts

Natural riverfronts support complex ecologies that have evolved to flourish along the boundary between land and water. In India today, rapid urbanisation has resulted in an extreme alteration of inhabited waterfronts. The highly engineered and homogenous nature of riverfront development no longer reflects the spatial condition of either natural or traditional responses to the riverine landscapes. In this studio, we will look at how to design responsive urban riverfronts that allow people to live in better relationships with natural systems in cities. The studio will combine group and individual projects, including research and literature review, a longitudinal study of the entire waterfront, briefing and explorative strategic design and individual masterplan proposals illustrated through renderings and modelling. The studio will reveal the exquisite complexity of natural river systems and equip students to design for modern living in harmony with these natural orders.