Nisarg Jignesh Shah

UR3005

Grow Collage

The project examines different ways of green productive spaces in the city. The aim is to define a distinct connotation by stitching the productive landscape in the currently sparsely developed built forms.  The Central vista is seen as an important public space which would bind the city of Gandhinagar and transform into a space which the inhabitants of the city could use in their everyday life. In the current context, the project raises questions like – What is an ideal public space? Can only a green lawn be the symbol of power? Why can’t we think of a productive use of the city greens that can also support public programs? As the central vista is quite monotonous currently, I propose to make it more dynamic by creating variations in the topography and adding hierarchy in the area. The experience of transition from road to the urban forest is gradual. Along the road, the farms would have vegetables, flowers and grains which are up to 5 m of height from here the central patch which is the urban forest becomes an area with 10 m and above tree height. A modular shape has been imagined for the library, amphitheater, sports area, cafe, viewing deck and market space to maintain a homogeneous armature throughout the site. The shape or the form could be changed according to the function of different activators and a unique arrangement could be formed. The idea of keeping the activator in the urban forest is envisioned to be taken over by the birds habitat, flora and forest over the years which brings the interaction between the inhabitants and landscape closer.

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Vision for Gandhinagar where the design focuses on stimulating association by linking urban development and productive landscape

Catalogue for contextualizing the programs at the city level which is chosen such that the vacant spaces are utilized

Plan for the Central Vista which is envisioned as a public space with productive use of the city greens

Imagining the Central Vista with the existing site conditions

The planting palette has been selected such that the inhabitants experiences a colorful variation, height variance and diversity in flora and fauna throughout the site

The Cafe and Library Activators are proposed such that these spaces become a part of the resident's everyday life which redefines the idea of public space by bringing the interaction of people with nature closer

The Viewing Deck and Amphitheater Activators are envisioned to become recreational spaces where the inhabitant along with the function also explores the modulation in the topography in the central urban forest

The sports area Activator invites people from all the age group and is placed such that it gives a unique experience to the players as well as the spectators. The Market Activator becomes a space where people could buy the vegetables, fruits, grains or flowers which are grown in the periphery of the central vista. Also, the seasonal variation of the site during spring and monsoon is depicted

Visualizing the Central Vista in the city along with the activator which is situated within the urban forest

Along with the function of activator it also becomes a space for interaction between people, fauna and flora