Projects | Studio | Awards
PG - MLA - Studio - 3 | Spring 2023 | Sponges in Peril
  • Student RUTUJA MUKESH PARAKH
  • Code PLA22294
  • Faculty Architecture
  • Tutor/s Chandrani Chakrabarti
  • TA Reeyaa Shah

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Project note: Urban landscapes have become hotbeds for water-related dilemmas due to multiple factors including rapid urbanization, encroachment, increase in impervious surfaces, urban heat island effect and climate change. Water logging in monsoons with increased surface runoff and heavy dependence on groundwater year-round, Ahmedabad struggles between both too much and too little water. The project explores the idea of re-linking the broken water system through a series of blue-green infrastructure toolkit not limited to storm water network for higher order stream but also a network of greywater treatment for surrounding residences. Proposal is a demonstration of resilient and nature based solutions in a residential neighborhood in peri - urban area undergoing development with sponges and stream corridor under stress of transforming to impervious surfaces. 

Absorb | Dynamics of Site. First impression of the site with seen and unseen water. Mapping and Analysis of lakes of Ahmedabad across time, scale, present condition and development.
Absorb and Reflect | Relationship between land and water, Vision and Strategies. Identifying potential sites with water holding capacity and the lake system and long term vision to hold, delay and recharge water through proposed strategies.
Reflect | Context and Analysis. The lake system and different layers of the site is analyzed. The site lies in a residential neighborhood with a large sponge and stream corridor passing and further connecting to a existing lake and undergoing development.
Reflect | Projection and Influence_ Assessing water. The proposed demonstration shows nature based solutions for the greywater treatment and stormwater management. Volume of water and ponds was calculated for both scenarios for functionality and resilience.
Reflect | Master Plan at the Neighborhood scale. Blue green infrastructure toolkit is proposed for a residential land use. This toolkit is demonstrated at this particular site that sponge as a greywater treatment system and a community space and streets catered through bio-swales and hybrid solutions.
Reflect | Master Plan at the Sponge scale. The design aims at firstly preserving the stream corridor and its changing nature across seasons. Secondly through plugins that operate as a system of residences with a density, their greywater treatment system, and a community space.
Dissipate | Weaving and Crafting the Detailed Site. A Plugin was selected to demonstrate a detail design in terms of experiences, seasonality, planting strategy, and planting palette
Dissipate | Planting strategy and palette. A Plugin was selected to demonstrate a detail design in terms of experiences, seasonality, planting strategy, and planting palette
Dissipate | Evaluating resiliency. The part of site was selected that shows both greywater and stormwater system, its functionality, experience and water performance across seasons and extreme conditions.
Dissipate | Conclusion. The long term vision shows how this sponge park module and plugin can be applied across city in both developed areas or in peri-urban or developing areas