Chapadgaonkar Vedika Satish Ruta

LA4010

Experiential Threads

Ignorance of water bodies in urban areas turns them into an eyesore. This has led to the conversion of Koteshwar lake into an Ash pond, whereas the changing perception of locals has resulted in surrounding ecological spaces getting converted into dumping ground and garbage yards. With increased religious tourism in the new Koteshwar temple, the connection between this new and the prachin temple is lost. This new temple has turned into a commercial and recreational space, often barring the locals. While the old temple is getting more secluded, it is getting disconnected from surroundings, and forgotten. The project aims at stitching the threads of culture and religion along with restoring the ecological connect of the site that will give a distinct identity to the Koteshwar village and its community, which otherwise would be lost with the projected development plan. Through this design one can understand that the cultural, religious, ecological and health aspects are present in bits and pieces all across the site. By reviving the lost and enhancing the existing, these aspects can be connected in the form of the experiential threads.  

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Absorb | First Impression Ash ponds have been used by thermal power stations for a very long time for dumping the fly ash and bottom ash slurry which has resulted in the seen and unseen water near the pond getting polluted and filled with effluents. To revive the water in its original form, we must first understand the ash pond, its working and its effects on the nearby settlement which is filled with cultural and religious stories. The study focuses on critical aspects dealing with the ash pond, Sabarmati River, Koteshwar Mahadev temple and the community residing in the Koteshwar village on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, near Gandhinagar.

Absorb and Reflect | Vision and Strategies. Resurrecting Connections In order to revive the river, the connections of the community around the ash pond and cultural, economic and social importance of the site the main visions are to Restore and conserve the degraded landscape, Enhance and experience the culture and ecology and engaging the community in making productive landscape that will generate employment for them.

Reflect | Site Analysis Site layers like land use, topography and vegetation were analysed. Not only the terrain and degree of wetness affects the vegetation grain change, but the grain change is also responding to the user perception and their usage of different parts of site.

Reflect | Zoning The concept is to bind religion, culture and ecology through experiential trails and creating new and enhancing existing dichotomy on site.

Reflect | Masterplan Masterplan highlights 4 threads- Religious thread, Cultural thread, Ecological thread, Health thread. These threads are intersecting at few locations indicating the spaces with maximum variation in human influx and pause points for experiential changes.

Reflect | Understanding the Threads All the 4 threads were studied on the basis of density and diversity of vegetation, the user group they are catering to and the important zones on each threads.

Dissipate | Weaving and crafting A part with maximum resilience, consisting the phytoremedial urban forest, ayurvedic garden and community ground is detailed out w.r.t the vegetation and underlying layers of vegetation.

Dissipate | Site Kinetics The vegetation palette has been chosen with consideration for the temperature and environment, ensuring that these species can withstand the peak season. The site performs differently as the seasons change, generating different user experiences that cater to various user groups in each season.

Dissipate | Planting density Model

Dissipate | Conclusion The main vision was of creating experiential threads that weaves the idea of single platform for religion, culture and ecology. The spaces that were designed in this process not only binded these 3 elements but they also helped in engaging and connecting the lost connection of community and its surroundings.

Project Video