Constant dependence on groundwater along with diminishing recharge capacity, make urban aquifers vulnerable. Coupled with this, many surface water bodies are affected by untreated sewage and garbage dumping. As a result, they go through the cycle of negligence, degradation, and diminish to become an eyesore, reducing their social connection with people. With climate extremes and dearth of open spaces, there has never been a more urgent need to restore these damaged ecosystems than now - both socially and environmentally.
Hence, the studio explores nature-based solutions around these degraded urban water sites of varying capacity and wetness as potential catalysts to generate social spaces. Keeping water positivity and climate resilience as a focus, the unit worked around the Kharicut canal in Ahmedabad. Students had to construct the multi-dimensional problem and then craft adaptive solutions around the disturbed water sites that can be tested across time and adverse scenarios.
Studio Unit
Studio Process (Week 1to 16).
Module I: ABSORB (L scale) The first module builds understanding and recording the dynamics of the site and people to prepare a water positive vision.
Module II: REFLECT (M scale) Moving along the framework set by the vision strategies, the second module focuses on water calculations, site programming, and design iterations to create a master plan.
Module III: DISSIPATE (S scale) Detailing a part of the master plan with program, vegetation density responding to ground wetness, and testing the resilience through seasonal and extreme fluxes.
Design progress across modules - demonstrating resolution across scales.
