Akshat Chadha

UD4003-1

Place Making & Public Spaces

The studio was structured as an introduction to urban design representation and how it is used as a means of design thinking. The premise is that urban design is best understood and expressed through the study and representation of the built urban environment. Hence the studio will focus on the study and representation of the key urban elements in cities and will be structured in multiple modules running through the semester, each culminating with an exhibition of the outcome. These modules will significantly focus on effectively capturing and communicating the spatial qualities of the urban built environment.

Module 1 involves perceiving and representation of the key elements of urban design. The premise is that building types, urban blocks, streets and public open spaces form the key elements that come together to make any functional urban space. The exercises in this module will enable students with methods to study each-element and how they contribute to the scale, form, character and their relationship with the larger urban context.

Module 2 final exercise which will involve the application of the abilities and skills developed in the first module through preparation of a framework plan for an urban intervention. This module focuses on preparing and representing site analysis, design strategies The culmination of this module will be to prepare a set of effective communication representation drawings for the design and the analysis. 


Report Content

Building Typology Exercise is designed to develop methods for effectively capturing various attributes of building edge such as form and its relationship to ground. Exercise is to identify, categories and represent the prevailing building types in our cities and develop skills to draw building footprint and its three-dimensional form that abstracts the architectural language along with its relations to the ground.

Streets Exercise is designed to develop strategic understanding of various attributes regarding streets and functional role of mobility as well as social role of being public space. Exercise requires the student to identify and represent one street with distinct characteristics and develop their skills to draw its three-dimensional form that abstract the character of the street life. Additionally, streets are analysed the parameters that make the physical envelope of the street such as

Urban Block Exercise is designed to develop strategic understanding of various attributes regarding urban blocks and its components - Building types, streets and spaces between the buildings. Exercise requires us to identify and represent prevailing urban blocks in our cities and abstract the character of the same. Additionally, understanding the landuse, built vs open space ratio in a given block and understanding the block perimeter and its functionality.

Urban Block Views

Urban Intervention near Vastrapur Lake Road Predominant Pedestrian Street

Design exercise attempts to develop the analytical, conceptual and representational abilities in preparing a frame work plan for a Vastrapur urban area. Exercise intended a real life design challenge where the site was critically studied with issues and potential and further design strategies to enhance the overall site. Designing a real life problem was the opportunity to deal with the challenges of designing public spaces in a city.

Proposed Sections

Delayering the Details

View of Outdoor Workspace & Food Park

Lake Entrance Plaza