Hob – Box Hobby Cultivation Hub in Neighborhood

Author: Naman Shroff
Site Location: Kolkata
Institute: Amity School of Architecture and Planning
Advisor: Prof. Adityadip Chowdhury

description

In the Digital Age, where basic needs are easily met and alternative job opportunities are abundant, relying solely on work for fulfilment and contentment is insufficient. The accessibility of information and technology has led to a decline in the quality of life outside of work hours, indicating a neglect of mental well-being. Consequently, individuals seek escapism and mindless entertainment as a means of respite from work pressures. However, this does not indicate a lack of passion or interest, but rather a need for supportive urban infrastructure that encourages hobbies and passionate pursuits. Urban environments with high living costs pose challenges in allocating resources towards activities like arts, sports, or music.

This project addresses the lack of accessible and available neighbourhood infrastructures for pursuing personal interests and hobbies in Newtown Kolkata, a satellite city, that caters to diverse hobbies. It draws inspiration from the personal journeys of individuals who have faced constraints, such as limited space, while pursuing their diverse range of hobbies and passions. The area is dominated by multi-story apartment buildings and single-family houses. The sparse apartment carpet areas limit the users’ passionate pursuits and therefore becomes an inevitable challenge for them. The project seeks to uncover narratives and propose solutions embedded within the fabric of the neighbourhood to foster a supportive ecosystem for hobbies and enhance the overall well-being of its residents.

The proposal focuses on developing modular community hubs as inclusive and vibrant spaces that cater to a wide variety of interests. The project blends sustainable principles with prefabricated construction methodologies by utilizing modular design approach to provide flexible venues for creativity and self-expression. Strategic placement of these hubs encourages social interaction and knowledge exchange among residents with varied hobbies and interests.

drawings

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Re-Instate – Rehabilitation in Mined Coastal Areas

Author: Utkarsha Mali
Site Location: Panmana, Kerala
Institute: Rachna Sansad’s Academy of Architecture
Advisor: Ar. Yagnik Bathija

description

The coast of Kerala between Chavara and Alappad has long has decade long stories of peoples’ struggle for survival against mining companies. The stretch of land in Kerala called Panmana is the part where extensive beach sand mining happens. because of coastal sand mining the land has been prone to erosion and hence consequences can be seen in the form of frequent tidal attacks and displacements. there are lots of issues with rehabilitation as well as it relocates fishermen away from coast hence their livelihood gets affected. the thesis focuses on rehabilitation of people that are getting displaced in mined areas. The site chosen is Ponmana, a ward in Panmana village which is the southern part of Alappad village where mining has been stopped and the land has been abandoned. utilising that land again in order to negotiate between nature and human needs is the core design intent.

drawings

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Architectural Response to Resilient Landscape

Author: Ritik Jain
Site Location: Chennai
Institute: IES College of Architecture
Advisor: Prof. Prachi Nandkarni

description

The design proposal for the Foreshore Estate, Chennai residential neighbourhood showcases a sophisticated and thoughtful urban development approach. Rooted in the site’s natural topography, the concept elegantly integrates surface runoff considerations, exemplifying a strong grasp of sustainable design principles within the contextual framework. At its core, the design revolves around four pivotal landscape principles: delay, store, protect, and recharge. This strategic focus on water management and flood resilience underscores a commitment to both environmental and practical concerns. The innovative clustering strategy, based around sunken courtyards and communal spaces, not only cultivates a profound sense of community but also ingeniously transforms into water storage facilities during flood occurrences. Shared landscape spaces take precedence over private gardens, fostering an inclusive and vibrant communal atmosphere. The arrangement of landscape clusters interwoven with diverse amenities like urban farms, sports facilities, and age-tailored
play areas mirrors a comprehensive approach catering to a wide range of resident needs.
Remarkably, the housing typology explores low-rise, high-density living, manifesting as five-level residences with a mix of private gardens, patios, and terraces. This architectural diversity enriches the visual landscape while providing residents with multifaceted outdoor spaces for leisure and social interaction.
The integration of landscape and architectural strategies attests to a meticulous design ethos, as evidenced by the intricate consideration of site setbacks and spatial relationships. In summation, the proposal exudes a professional demeanour, seamlessly aligning with contemporary urban design paradigms. Through its holistic melding of site-specific attributes, sustainability imperatives, and community oriented features, it lays a robust foundation for an all-encompassing, dynamic, and resilient residential enclave.

drawings

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Weave with water – The story of Vypin

Author: Riya Georgie
Site Location: Vypin, Kerala
Institute: SMEF’s Brick School of Architecture
Advisor: Dr. Vaidehi Lavand

description

Since 2018 tidal flooding has become a silent disaster that’s been eating into the Vypin communities and their livelihood,

A disaster that only effects the poor vulnerable section of society, and no one is willing to pause or stop their life for a disaster they can just run away from.

-Sreeja, Research Director at Equinoct

And so, I shine a new light onto the alarm-struck water edges by creating a harmonious interface between nature & man and water & land in Edavanakad, which is home to a small fishermen community.

Keeping ecology, economy and living, as the base requirements and developing them through flood resilience measures as well as climate strategies that work together to provide the optimal solution.

You see the entire community coming together, rebuilding its roots step by step, to bring in resilience and economic stability for the greater good of preserving the essence of the fishing community and lifestyle.

The case of Edavanakad will stand as a strong example, of how using architecture as a catalyst we can actively promote the beauty of communal living whilst strengthening and encouraging a new symbiotic lifestyle.

drawings

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The Way of Water: An Extension to Support the Water-based Settlements

Author: Neha Phadtare
Site Location: Pulicat Lake, Andhra Pradesh
Institute: V.I.T.’s Padmabhushan Dr. Vasantdada Patil College of Architecture
Advisor: Ar. Niranjan Garde

description

Rising sea levels and rain induced floods, place low-lying areas and wetlands on the frontline of change. Viewing floods as perpetual events may alter our perspective, urging us to move beyond temporary solutions.
Pulicat Lake, India’s second-largest brackish water lagoon, graces the Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh borders, embraced by 52 villages. From tsunamis to rain-induced floods, Pulicat and its community have weathered it all. Population rises due to the lake’s abundant biodiversity. Silting of the barmouth disrupts water exchange, decreasing salinity levels and impacting thriving biodiversity. Conversely, eroding sandbars create multiple openings, elevating salinity and affecting the ecosystem once more. In this whole process the lake depth decreases, affecting the community to movement.
This project has eco-friendly, renewable-energy-powered structures, minimizing our footprint while nurturing the community’s needs sustainably. On the policy level the community will receive incentives to keep barmouth intact. Incentives for researchers and scientists to work with the community forging a new path forward. Zero waste tolerance policy, livelihood opportunities with seaweed farming, vertical farming, ecotourism and the community as a pitstop for fishermen going in the sea for fishing.

drawings

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Flood Resilient Housing: An Amphibious Approach

Author: Muskan Singhania
Site Location: Jalpaiguri, West Bengal
Institute: Dept. of Planning & Architecture NIT – Rourkela
Advisor: Dr. Soumi Muhuri

description

Floods are the most common natural disaster in India. 31% of deaths from disasters are caused by floods.

Floods impact both individuals and communities and have social, economic, and environmental consequences. The immediate impacts of flooding include loss of human life, damage to property, destruction of crops, loss of livestock, and deterioration of health conditions owing to waterborne diseases.

The aim of this thesis is to come up with a solution to adapt to riverine floods in order to prevent dislocation of settlements, ensure basic services during flood conditions, and minimize disruption to daily life.

Amphibious construction is a fairly new technology used in western countries to adapt to floods. This thesis has attempted to introduce this new construction technique to the Indian context by making it cost-effective as well as adaptable to the needs of expanding families (incremental housing).

Different housing modules have been developed in response to the site conditions as well as livelihood requirements. The users have the flexibility to customize their house. Bamboo mat board (BMB) is the principal building material.

Although a site has been selected, the prototype can be replicated in other locations with similar flood conditions.

drawings

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Architecture of Incrementality

Author: Dhruv Sachala
Site Location: Mumbai
Institute: School of Environment & Architecture
Advisor: Ar. Rupali Gupte & Ar. Apurva Talpade

description

The design thesis looks to intervene in existing processes of architecture practiced in various parts of the country. 95% of architecture evolves incrementally, mobilizing multiple forces. It follows a very nuanced and intermittent way of transforming their built form, shaped by diverse social and economic influences. This organic growth involves continuous, non-linear transformations that respond to inhabitants’ needs. Unlike traditional linear processes, that appear to be the only delivery system, this approach incorporates factors like local networks, small finances, kinship networks, and a sense of repair.
The aim is to comprehend and engage with this dynamic, ecologically sensitive design process, to understand the forces that produce inhabitation, and to find ways for architects to insert themselves into this process.
The tool kit is a set of specific and surgical architectural interventions / techniques that allow for rethinking of fundamental elements of the building, and funtionality such as walls, fenestrations, foundations, etc, to be much more responsive to the condition of enighbourhood. The toolkit is divided into parts, each part talks about elements of building, it talks about how these elements which are present in the neighbourhood can be repaired or scaled in way to enhance the light and ventilation conditions in the dense area, while also looking at the asthetic details of the space. The catelogue is further used to design few habitations in detail. Also, looking at how to work on the form of such spaces keeping in consideration the density. The catelogue is further used to design some of the habitation in detail.

drawings

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Telangana State Urban Centre of Excellence, Hyderabad

Author: Nitya Kapoor
Site Location: Hyderabad
Institute: School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal (SPA-B)
Advisor: Dr Piyush Hajela

description

The Telangana Urban Centre of Excellence, proposed by the Government of Telangana, would act as an urban think tank and a research Centre to deal with urban challenges and house best practices. The intent is to set up an integrated development of mixed-use typology, in a sprawling campus of 45 acres, abutting Outer Ring Road. It would be conceived as a research Centre, to host prototype solutions for various urban issues, that celebrates and leverages the natural topography of the site. While the campus with all its facilities will be planned in 25 acres, the remaining extent of 20 acres would be kept as green space/walking track/golf/future requirements. These facilities include: Hub of Urban

Innovations, Conference and Convention Centre, U-Hub, Workstations, Research labs, Accommodation facilities, Residential facilities, Relaxation Hub, Service facilities and parking.

The proposed detailed design comprises of Workstations, Research Labs and U-Hub, integrated with the Central Green, Entrance Court, and built form for public facilities (Auditorium, Conference Block, Amphitheatre), and Service areas.

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Attapadi Community Development Center

Author: Jerin J Panakkel
Site Location: Attapadi, Kerala
Institute: College of Architecture Trivandrum (CAT)
Advisor: Prof. Niby Thomas Varghese

description

At the time of the formation of Kerala State, Attappady was a healthy rich land. Then ninety percent of the population was Adivasis. Their self-sufficient subsistence economy, life support natural systems, as well as ecologically harmonious lifestyle, were destroyed in a very short time. Their cultural, as well as unique agricultural foundations, were destroyed and devalued. The tribal community itself has been undergoing drastic changes. The best way to resolve this issue is to create change in the community for all three generations at the same time. Pratheeksha Bhavan is trying to address the issue that the community faces in a 3 steeped manner consisting of all the 3 generations of people who are part of the community. The project tries to solve this issue in the community under the St Thomas ashram at Attapadi. The project consists of a kindergarten, High school, vocational training institute with bamboo training workshops, community center with a medical dispensary for tribal medicine and preparation. Education stands as the best way to address their issues, the right kind of education is needed to understand their cultural importance and also to understand, and experience modernity.

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Reimagining the Foreshore Estate as a Social Infrastructure

Author: Vaishnavie Ravi
Site Location: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Institute: MEASI Academy of Architecture, Chennai
Advisor: Ar. A. D. Devaanand

description

WATER AND LAND EDGE, is a dialogue between oppositional environs, or simply the feeling of being against a great precipice constantly in motion, that brings a magical attraction to waterfronts.
The fishing Communities across India are fighting to protect lands as SEA LEVEL RISES, and the risk of future developments by the government at the coast, putting the fishermen’s livelihood at stake. The Marine ecosystems are compromised for the sake of land expansion.


The site, Foreshore estate is a neighborhood in Chennai, India. It is situated along the southern stretch of Marina Beach. It is located by the Bay of Bengal on one side and the Adyar Creek on the other.
The government is anticipating the estate to be a tourist attraction essentially becoming an economic source but this is often at the expense of the fishermen ls community.


Development and Progress can’t be traded-off at the expense of the authentic settlements of the place.
This thesis is mainstreamed on the redevelopment and the revamping of coastlines without revoking their communities. An idea of bridging that might sustain the locals and also heave in visitors who want to explore the city’s rich heritage. It also engages in the social, economic, and infrastructural compositions to ultimately bridge the gaps in the social context.


The intention of the Social infrastructure is to create a community gaining set out, rather than just being an economic source. This forum will work as a point of convergence for a vast spectrum of people and at the same time fortify the existing coastal domains. A prototype landscape which enriches the visitor experience , forging stewards of the resilient ecological systems where land meets water.

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Reviving Fabric of Empowerment – Khadi Weaving Village at Jalgaon

Author: Pradnya Mahajan
Site Location: Pune, Maharashtra
Institute: Singhad College of Architecture
Advisor: Ar. Kavita Patil

description

The proposal focuses on resolving  the crisis in Khadi weaving industry by providing empowerment sources to the weavers to generate economical opportunities. Site is located in Jalgaon, comes under one of the extreme hot and dry climatic region of Khandesh in Maharashtra. It will be an Iconic Identity of the city with exploration of various passive strategies to deal with the climatic conditions of the place. It aims to analyze the weavers issues and providing a robust platform to Khadi weavers who weave for their livelihood in rural area. Project is envisioned as  khadi weaving village with extensive facilities for promoting khadi as empowerment source for weavers and adopting these Khadi fabric crafts to preserve Rich Textile Heritage of India. the proposal comes with number of innovative strategies exploring the applications of traditional building practices and climate responsive strategies gives the thought to climate  responsiveness in hot and dry  region. 

Spatial planning thought is given to spaces and clusters that goes and accessed by central axis and spaces that are grouped by proximity  reflecting path space relationship by adding functional  spaces between built forms. Integrating the flexible paths that leads to floating platforms for creating Microclimatic spaces merged with nature surrounded by the spaces based on Village layout concept.

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Housing for Urban Poor, Bhalswa – Delhi

Author: Abdullah Zubair
Site Location: Delhi
Institute: Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Design,Integral University Lucknow (AKTU)
Advisor: Dr. Meeta Tandon

description

The design aims to create an integrated society with different nature of buildings within self-sustaining society to fuolfill the basic necessities of people of economic weaker section, the design not only focuses on housing but it creates opportunity for the people of society to enhance their living standards by developing their skills and establish a good future for them and their coming generations. The design is made using refurbished shipping containers as building material and is similar to light house project (PMAY) to accept globally as housing choice to overcome poverty and urban challenges while going green and sustainable

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Navodaya School of Tadipatri

Author: Mallangi Sai Kumar Reddy
Site Location: Bangalore
Institute: School of Architecture REVA University
Advisor: Dr Shubhi Sonal

description

Learning is the most important thing in school life. Learning depends on teaching and learning style. Every student in grades 6 through 12 is engaged in a passive learning style, which provides education but not knowledge. Different teaching methodologies are referred to as pedagogy.
The main idea of the project is that children have to learn from built space by using a combination of an active learning process guided by basic visual concepts of math and science through built spaces, demonstration spaces, and a (collaborative and liberationism) teaching style. And teaching style changes the design process.


The space changes with time change. As of now, I have created some theory concepts from the built space. In the future, the present student will make expo spaces as a demonstration for upcoming students. This chain keeps on repeating.

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“Un Built Margao” Restorative Urban Landscape in the time of Climate Change

Author: Saurabh S Tubki
Site Location: Margao, Goa
Institute: Goa College of Architecture
Advisor: Ar Milind Ramani

description

Integrated natural and mechanical systems give shape to a vision of architecture as a scaffold that regenerates ecosystems and facilitates community empowerment.
In an answer to the age-old question of why our cities stagnate while their population and climate undergo rapid transformation, this project, began by challenging current urban planning models that prioritized the built over the unbuilt.
Our communities are drowning- economically & soon physically too. The project distills principles of environmental, social & economic sustainability for superior quality of life in the city. It envisions environmental sustainability in 2022, social sustainability by 2035, and economic sustainability by 2050.
The project proposes an urban park enveloping a high-rise system. Natural systems are integrated into a tower to create a holistic self-sustainable ecosystem- a tower of flux as a catalyst for change. The urban park offers recreational & learning facilities for the community. Biodiversity & natural water resources are carefully preserved on site, and the land is protected from haphazard horizontal urbanization.
This serves as a resilient model of urban planning, fostering a symbiotic relationship between people and nature, the present and the future.

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Flood Resilient Community – A prototype for Flood Prone Areas

Author: Aashita Thaker
Site Location: Dhubri district, Assam
Institute: SAL School of Architecture , Ahmedabad
Advisor: Ass. Prof Roma Almeida

description

Due to climate change, there are large number of disasters taking place in India. It faces recurring atmospheric phenomena like floods, heavy monsoon rains, cyclones, earthquakes, drought etc. These natural disasters take thousands of lives, cost millions of money, and result in loss of large number of lives.
Out of all these natural disasters in India, flood is one of the most affected and dangerous disaster. Assam having the Brahmaputra River with more than 50 numbers of tributaries causes the flood devastation in the monsoon period each year. Out of all the districts in Assam, Dhubri district has river Brahmaputra flowing through the centre of it and faces flood almost every year which adds to the vulnerability of people and building stocks.
The main aim is to create resilient house design by using different flood resilient strategies which can sustain itself in the situation of flood and can save lives of people during these difficult times and can ensure that the impacts of disaster are manageable and short-lived. The built community and houses are a prototype which can be repeated to flood prone areas and can sustain itself.
The built community and houses to become resilient, have to be climate responsive and rebound during the events of floods.

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Community Disaster Resilience and Social Advancement Centre – Majuli Island

Author: Shubham Vinayak Kambli
Site Location: Majuli Island,Assam
Institute: Pillai HOC College of Architecture, Rasayani (PiCA HOC)
Advisor: Prof. Jayant Sahasrabudhe

description

The project responds to the current climatic conditions faced by the people of Salmora Gaon, Majuli Island resulting in loss of occupation, there rich culture and shelter. Due to mismanagement many villagers especially the female population faces sanitation problems, many try to temporary shift towards the highland area were they are unable to serve their families. A step towards addressing these problems is providing the right platform and injecting the right program.


Thus a proposed architectural intervention away from the flood zone will act as a social agency not only provides a temporary shelter for the villagers to survive in flood but also a mean for the upliftment of the community by evolving the local construction techniques of Salmora gaon. The program born out of research needs of the community renders the proposal relevant, while acknowledging the need for it to be sustainable in every sense of the word. Meanwhile when there is no flood situation the centre will act as a bridge to connect the local people and the visitors to spread their culture which is slowly decreasing, to spread knowledge about their culture.

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Nav Utran Mandi

Author: Anaushka Goyal
Site Location: Mumbai
Institute: Sir J.J. College of Architecture
Advisor: Parul Kumtha

description

Nav-Utran Mandi is a new form of experiential market that focuses on habitualising cloth barter among various economic groups through removing the Shame Aspect from the mind of the user. Here, each user is a buyer and seller. The design involves grades of markets with common cloth Sorting and Collection Centre along with Public Spaces used as attractors to attract people. The design aims to –

  1. Awaken
    Make people aware about Post Consumer Textile Waste and create circularity in cloth use through normalizing cloth exchange, reuse and upcycling of cloth.
  2. Change Mindsets
    Remove negative judgement and bias against Preloved clothing and make it accessible and available to all economic classes.
  3. Create new habits
    Weave clothing circularity in the lives of people up to a level of normalcy.

Recycling first sheds clothing into a lump of threads. They are messy, intermingled and impossible to segregate. However, in this most basic form they indicate the fabric of fabric in our lives. The form is a simple interpretation of these threads. It symbolizes a series of intertwined threads erupting and subsiding in the fabric of the city. 

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Changing patterns of Cooperability

Author: Yadnesh Jeevan Pitale
Site Location: Manori, Mumbai
Institute: Smt. K. L. Tiwari college of Architecture
Advisor: Prof Manoj Parelkar

description

Co-operation is an act of an individual that makes him/her part of a group or community. This act of co-operation varies with the context and activities. This scale of Cooperation can also vary.
Koli community is one of such Community who cooperates among each other developing complex network of Solidarity. This network further results into unique culture and tradition. Going ahead with this community identity many Koliwadas set up cooperatives in their own villages to facilitate fishing.
The community which having inherent cooperation culture is an ideal ease to run such co-operatives society to help each member of community. But interestingly in Versova Koliwada where such cooperatives significantly work, co-operation among its members and that community is seem to be reducing. The spatial configuration that flourishes communal relationship is seem to be diminishing with ‘progress’ of co-operative society.
Hence, the inference collected study of Versova Koliwada was critically analyzed and applied to the Manori Koliwada where co-operation among Kolis still exist and flourishing through traditional pattern in fishing, in order with case of Versova should not be repeated.

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Introspection Forest

Author: Utkarsh Arun Jagtap
Site Location: Satara, Maharashtra
Institute: CTES College of Architecture
Advisor: Kirti Desai

description

There are two sections to the project: introspective programs and residential spaces. The section on introspection is designed to help the user connect with their inner self.
The property is 32 acres in size. The goal is for users to explore the site as they explore a part of themselves.
The light pavilion, reflection cube, introspection cave, bamboo forest, and unbuilt are all part of the Introspection program, and they all incorporate the five elements of nature.
Residential units are classified into three types: single occupancy, double occupancy, and dormitories.
Site preservation, wind direction, afforestation, retaining/maintaining ground water table, and greenhouse effect reduction have all been effectively addressed.

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[Re]figuring Social Security

Author: Somesh Nadkarni
Site Location: Mumbai
Institute: School of Environment and Architecture (SEA)
Advisor: Rupali Gupte & Apirva Talpade

description

The thesis explored the different spatialities of Social Security that emerge in informal neighbourhoods in Mumbai. It was a comparative analysis that intended to study how security in a neighbourhood changes when the existing spaces get institutionalised. Therefore, I looked at new ways of rethinking this spatiality that promotes the growth of security while also asking what an inhabitation in the forest might be like, instead of insecurities caused by displacement.

The design creates this sense of security through particular spatial configurations where the home is a set of interconnected, porous and dense spaces; where the neighbourhood becomes one home. Through the concept of collective memory, the intervention is created around the Nodes of Social Security by which the inhabitants navigate around the neighbourhood. The design creates opportunities for the forest to merge with the home and sustain itself eventually, thereby also retaining the resident’s agency and practices. I am arguing that instead of such Rehabilitation schemes that displace people, an intervention like this could be a speculative future for the residents by the PIL (Public Interest Litigation Act).

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