Typology and Material Phenomenology

Faculty: Rupali Gupte, Milind Mahale, Anand Sonecha, Samir Raut

SITE

Navapada, Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivali, Mumbai.

SITE

The Sanjay Gandhi National Park area is located in the northern suburbs of Mumbai and it has a long history dating back to the 4th century BC. The Kanheri Caves in the center of the park were an important Buddhist learning center and pilgrimage site sculpted by buddhist monks

The park was named 'Krishnagiri National Park' and the area of the park was only 20.26 sq. km (7.82 sq mi). In 1969, it was expanded to its present size by acquiring various reserve forest properties adjoining the park. After this, an independent unit of the Forest Department called 'Borivali National Park Sub-division' administered the area. Krishnagiri National Park was and later renamed as 'Borivali National Park'. In 1981, it was re-dedicated as 'Sanjay Gandhi National Park

There are 13 settlements inside the national park. The one we studied is called the navapada settlement . It is 1.6kms inside from the main gate. The settlement is 150-200 years old and 8 generations of people have said to live here. They also have a river that flows adjacent to the settlement.

SITE MORPHOLOGY

The settlement is located adjacent to forest department houses in Sanjay Gandhi National Park. It is connected to the main road on one side and the other side ends at a patch of fields and a river. The settlement opens up with a large open space ‘Maidan’ in the beginning. The morphology or the arrangement of houses in this settlement does not follow any particular grid pattern and does not have any specific arrangement of houses.

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ANALYSIS - SPATIAL PATTERNS PHENOMENOLOGICAL READINGS

Undulating texture of stone plinths restricts sitting movements. Hence used for storage.

Small gap between houses restricts movement, thus plinth is used for storage

Undulating texture of stone plinths restricts sitting movements. Hence used for storage.

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Varied heights and widths of plinths as well as the gap between adjacent houses allow and restrict certain activities.

Women adorn sarees in verandah due to less availability of light in the house. This becomes a recreational practice where women, apathy from their daily chores, take time and communicate with each other.

When inquired about festivals it was found that people celebrate festivals together in the common courtyards formed between two or more houses.

People here do not throw things, they store or reuse it. Hence every house can be seen with a separate storage space.

Houses with less partitions have a large common space where multiple activities are practiced.

Use of bricks to keep plants

Use of cement bags to keep plants

Unused CDs hanged on the roof for aesthetic purpose.

Use of bricks to keep plants

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People reuse multiple found objects in different ways.

The program was to create a recreational space where people can practice and perform different activities together. Since people here have a strong idea of reusing materials, this design will be made from the found and reused objects and will include varied sizes of plinth. This will also be a place where women can practice their work of adorning sarees and where people from the community can gather at the time of festivals and celebrations.

SITE INTERVENTION

Since this area is one of the few larger spaces within the settlement and can cater to a larger number of people I decided to locate my program here. Also its adjacency to the road and two entries through the village will make it feasible to access it.

DIAGRAMS

Different levels and widths affecting different activities.

Shorter plinth allowing to sit erect

Very slightly elevated plinth giving an experience closer to ground

Wider plinth allowing different postures for sitting

Movement of walls along the movement of people

The arrangement of walls will be such that it will follow the movement of people through different entrances.

Design Intervention

Roof Plan

Isometric view

The design spans along the sides of the path. The walkway will be covered with the bricolage of reused tiles and at places there will be wild grass and smaller flower gardens.

Cut Plan

People inhabiting different interventions in the design.

Zooming into the details of further smaller interventions

Entrance through the village

A community gathering space where people can spend time together. Wider sitting area allowing different postures can be seen here.

This space lets women to socialize while carrying out their daily chores. Children can always hang around here.

This circular intervention with a plinth closer to ground and a curved roof of bamboo weave creates a more domestic and intimate space. As women here sit on the floor for adorning sarees, this area can also be occupied by them

People can hang around at night having talk about the things that happened throughout the day

This space can also be inhabited by people at the time of festivals and celebrations.

A large elevated plinth can also act as a platform where village meetings or celebrations such as weddings can be held. At times when no mass gatherings occur this area can always be used by women for their everyday practice of adorning sarees.

Position lamp posts and low level lights throughout the design. The taller lamp posts provide illumination over the smaller interventions whereas the lower level lights give a diffused and subtle experience.

The main structure of the roof is made from bamboo. In some areas the gaps between the bamboo are filled with reused CDs whereas in other areas for protection from rain the roof has bamboo weave.