ELEMENTS OF URBAN DESIGN | URBAN DESIGN PORTFOLIO | AHMED SADEED | CEPT

PORTFOLIO ELEMENTS OF URBAN DESIGN STUDIO

SPRING 2022

AHMED SADEED | PUD21019 MASTERS IN URBAN DESIGN | CEPT UNIVERSITY

Studio Brief The studio is structured as an introduction to urban design representation and design of public places. The studio is based on the premise that urban design is best understood and expressed through study and representation of the built urban environment. The studio is structured in multiple modules running through the semester, each culminating with a review and exhibition of the outcome. All the studio modules will significantly focus on effectively capturing and communicating the spatial qualities of the urban built environment. The first module focuses on perceiving and representing the key elements of urban design (building types, streets, open spaces and urban blocks) that come together to make any functional urban space. The second module focuses on the analysis and design of streets including the detail design of elements. This studio will enable students to explore the scale, form, character of key urban design elements and their relationship with the larger urban context.

Content 1. What is your city talking about?.................................................................................. 06 2. Streets and building types a. Ocean Drive, Miami................................................................................................... 10 b. Marine Drive, Mumbai............................................................................................... 14 3. Urban block Downtown, Chicago...................................................................................................... 20 4. Open Space Market Square, Knoxville............................................................................................... 24 5. Street Analysis & Design Chaniya Choli Bazaar, Law Garden............................................................................... 28

What is Your City Talking About?

This exercise was aimed at understanding the process of any urban design project which has garnered popular reactions from the public. The exercise helped in understanding the scope of the urban design, timeline and the vast spectrum of stakeholders that were invovled.

One of the most visited market in T.Nagar, the Pondy bazaar was a buzzing place in Chennai during festivals. Apart from the big showrooms like Saravana Store, Nalli Store etc., roadside hawkers were the main crowd pullers.

About Pondy Bazaar, T. Nagar.

Existing ROW

Pondy Bazaar, Chennai

ROW Distribution

6

Proposed ROW

Reactions & Opinion

Source : The Launch of Pondy Bazaar Pedestrian Plaza, ITDP

Informal vendors were shifted to a new complex reducing the footfall in the street.

Removing street parking lead to illegal parking on the pedestrian plaza.

Segregating informal vendors goes against the Chennai Master Plan 2008

Street & Building Types This exercise was envisage as a first step in learning about streets and abutting buildings along with methods of graphic representation in urban design.

Ocean Drive road in the southern beach of Miami is known for its art deco styled buildings from the 1920s. The road is sided by beach on one side and hotels, bars and restaurant on the other side of the road.

Ocean Drive, Miami

Due to open nature of the commercial establishments along the road, after Covid, most restaurants and bars were allowed to extend onto the road reducing the effective carriageway.

10

Even the pedestrian crossing markings were customised to be tune with the aesthethic of the space.

12

Analysis

Commercial

Breakwater Hotel, Miami

Building Name

Ground Coverage :

881 sqmt

Ground Coverage :

909 sqmt

Total Built-up area :

2643 sqmt

Total Built-up area :

4545 sqmt

Building Name

:

:

Clevelander Hotel, Miami

Building Types

Mixed-Use

13

Marine Drive in Mumbai is a 3-km stretch along the natural bay. The C-shaped six lane road is sided by pedestiran plaza on coastal side and hotels, offices and residences on the other side. The pedestrian promenade along the sea lacks any placemaking interventions such seating and leisure area.

Marine Drive, Mumbai

Same as the Ocean Drive in Miami, Marine Drive also features buildings built in art deco style during 1920s.

14

Unlike the promenade in Ocean Drive, Marine Drive promenade is inert and not accesable throughout the stretch.

16

Analysis

Commercial

Soona Mahal, Mumbai

Building Name

Ground Coverage :

1014 sqmt

Ground Coverage :

955 sqmt

Total Built-up area :

6084 sqmt

Total Built-up area :

5730 sqmt

Building Name

:

:

Hotel Marine Plaza, Mumbai

Building Types

Mixed-Use

17

Urban Blocks This exercise was the continuation in study of elements of urban design from streets and building types. The study of urban blocks entailed looking into built-unbuilt ratio, ground floor use and road network, along with these elements, representation methods were also explored.

Downtown Chicago is the CBD of the city and hence witneses huge footfall. The block also has very high built density with highrises. Relief from such high density are offered in forms of plaza and riverfronts.

Efficient connection with multiple public transport network means that high pedestrian footfall and lesser vehicular traffic.

Downtown, Chicago

Plaza in front of a office tower.

20

Lower promenade o the river front wit commercial

Building use

Public open space 15% Private open space 15%

Institution 15%

Built space 70%

Hotel 25%

Commerical 15%

Office 25%

Mixed Use 20%

Street Network Inferences:

Planned on a perfect grid with average perimeter of 600m and high FSI, the downtown Chicago seems huge for human mobility and scale. But on further investigation at ground level, design interventions provide relief in the giant concrete and glass buildings.

Blocks

Nodes

Primary Street

Secondary Street

Block Perimeter Range

Link- node Ratio

480 m- 700 m

2.50

Tertiary Street

Analysis

of th ls.

Built- Open

21

Open Space The study of elements of urban design culminates with the srudy of open space. This exercise was aimed at looking into any open space in a city and delayer the elements that makes the open area a buzzing public space .

Market Square is a pedestrian mall located in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. Established in 1854 as a market place for regional farmers, the square has developed over the decades into a multipurpose venue that accommodates events ranging from concerts to political rallies, and has long provided a popular gathering place for artists, street musicians, war veterans, and activists.

Market Square, Knoxville

Uniform facade style of arched windows and entrances.

24

Seating and light poles placed to accentuate the wide plaza.

Stage provided for events. The plaza extends to the private open space on the northern side.

Edge Type

Ground Floor Building use

Opaque 10%

Office 7%

Commercial 7% Open Space 4% Hotel 7%

Partially porous 90% Retail 75%

Access to Street Access to Building Total Building Edge= 400m Total no. of Entrances= 39 No. of Entrances/100m= 10

Legend

Visually Physically

Partially Porous Porous

COUNT

Opaque

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

SAT

SUN

MON

Inferences:

Rows of low rise commercial buildings flanking a 37m wide and 150m long plaza creates a huge open space. This space would be overwhelming for a pedestrian if not for the landscapes along other outdoor furtnitures provided at strategic locations. The edges are very porous with cafes and bakery setting up their tables under the extended awnings.

Analysis

Understanding the activity throughout the Week

25

Street Analysis & Design This exercise is an attempt at application of learnings from the previous exercises. The exercise entails selecting a street from Ahmedabad and studying it with regards to the street nature, abutting land use, street connection with the buildings, pedestrian and motor movements and activities. Informed from these analysis and directed by a design vision, a design proposal for street is to be arrived.

Law Garden

GLS Institute

Site Context

Law Garden BRTS Stop

Land Use

Existing Conditions

Market Along the GLS Institute

28

Apparal and accesories shops flanking the walkway.

There on alo Garden a colon On the there a arrange extendi tarred c

F T S a

t. ys pp a H

Shopping Center

Chaniya Choli Bazaar along the Law Garden in Netaji road is a buzzing street market for female ethnic wears, apparels and accesories.

The Chaniya Choli bazaar stretch of Netaji Road is abutted by public park on one side and an education institution among a shopping center and couple residences on the other side. Hence the street ranks lower in terms of porosity.

Bike parking and vendors sharing the same row.

Vendors

Market Along the Law

Illegal car parking next the dedicated walkwa

are 96 shops ong the Law n provided with naded walkway. e other side, are 138 shops ed in two lines ing onto the carriageway.

Due to the nature of the market, there lot of bikes parked along the road. Currently 4-wheeler parking is not allowed, this results in cars being parked with drivers inside the car.

Food Textile Shoes and accesories

Bike parkings Car parkings Private basement parking

No proper delineation of spaces

w Garden

t to ay.

Obstructed walkway

Dedicated shaded walkway.

Potential for plaza development

Issues & Oppurtunities

Parking

29

Existing Typical Section

Chaotic condition due to no proper delineation of space between parking, vending and walking.

Clear delineation between vending, walking and parking.

Design Strategies

Proposed Typical Section

30

Dedicated drop off/pickup zones.

Clear demarcation of vending, walking space with widened pedestrian pathway.

Creating plazas at suitable places.

Widened pedestrian pathway with parallel parking in MUZ. MUZ is shared with seating and vending space.

ROW Redistribution

Illegal parking with shopkeepers encroachment in the walkway.

31

Existing Plan (1:1200)

Quantitative Comparison

Existing

Proposed

234 Shops

510 Bikes

258 Shops

400 Bikes

6 Trees

15 Cars

6 Trees

10 Cars

Plans

Carriageway

32

Proposed Plan (1:1200)

Vendors

Footpath

MUZ

Street Market Walking space along the street market is increased with proper delineation between varioud activities.

Plaza The parking space in front of shopping center is converted to pedestrian plaza with seating spaces and vendors.

Happy St Junction Wide junction with improper crossing paints changed to compact intersection with more area brought under pedestrian realm.

34

Street Market Design

Vendors Line of vendors abutting the GLS compound walls are retained.

Street Parking Street parking provided for 2-wheelers in the MUZ alternating with seating area and vending space.

Seating Space Seating spaces are provided at required intervals for resting made from concrete. They are staggered for multiple people to use at the same time.

Semi-Permanent Shade Metal poles are provided at intervals for semi-permanent shade.

Vendors Second line of vendors are pushed to the side for wider walkway.

Street Market Section 36

Vendors 2m

Widened Footpath

Seating Space

Widened footpath flanked by line of vendors. On the road side, vending space is shared with parking and seating spaces.

Seating placed at required interval for resting. Planter box act as the seat back, seperating them from motor traffic.

Pedestrian 5.5 m

MUZ 2.7 m

EFFECTIVE CARRIAGEW 7m

WAY

Vending Space At strategic intervals, vending area for temporary vendors are provided along with seating area.

EFFECTIVE CARRIAGEWAY 7m

MUZ 2.5 m

Shaded Walkway The width of the existing walkway is increased to handle the footfall while allowing standing space for shoppers.

PEDESTRIAN 2.5 m

VENDORS 2m

Plaza Design

C

B

A

38

D

Materials

A Cobble stone for table top crossing

B

C

Kota stones arranged in longitudinal pattern

D Concrete pavement

Semi-permeable pavement for parking

Plaza Plaza provided with seaters and vendor spaces.

Basement Parking Plot opening leading to the private basement parking of the shopping center.

Food Plaza Placemaking interventions done to accomdate food vendors at the existing location.

Pedestrian Crossing Raised pedestrian for enhanced connection with Happy st to the proposed plaza.

Widened Footpath

Plaza Section

Widened footpath flanked by line of vendors. On the road side, vending space is shared with parking and seating spaces.

40

Pedestrian 8.8 m

MUZ 2.3 m

EFFECTIVE CARRIAGEW 7m

WAY

Widened Footpath Widened footpath flanked by line of vendors. On the road side, vending space is shared with parking and seating spaces.

EFFECTIVE CARRIAGEWAY 7m

MUZ 2.5 m

PEDESTRIAN 2.5 m

VENDORS 2m

Street Parking

Isometric View

2-Wheeler parking clubbed together with drop off/pickup points.

42

Shaded Walkway Widened colanneded pathway opening onto seating areas at strategic interval.

Pedestrian Crossing Pedestrian crossing placed at college openings.

Plaza Plaza in front of the shopping center with seating and vendors. Plaza designed for food vending at the existing location of the vendors.

Food Plaza Food plaza created at the existing location of food vendors.

Conclusion The studio was very helpful in developing a sense of representation technique for urban design projects and understanding building, streets, urban blocks and open space with its numerous parameters. The street design exercise was immensely helpful in understanding and analysing streets and understanding the process of designing a street.

Acknowledgment I express my immense gratitude to the program chair Brijesh Bhatha and my tutor Vipuja Parmar for insightful guidance. I am also thankful for TA Shradha Gupta for co-ordinating studio works. I am also deeply grateful for visting lecturors and jurors during mid and end-term. I am also indebted to my friends at college and hostel. Last but not the least, profoundly thankful for the support from folks back home and The God Almighty.

FACULTY OF PLANNING | CEPT UNIVERSITY