AJC Botanical Gardens

AJC Botanical Gardens as a New Mixed-Use Hub Introduction to Urban Design + Digital Techniques in Urban Design Architecture and Urban Design Academy B10 Group 5 Ilhanelly Hernandez | Universidad Iberoamericana de Torreón - Professor | Mexico Khalid Alemadi | Florida International University | Qatar Sonia Muhammad | Politecnico di Milano | Italy

INDEX

CONTEXT - Virtual Site Exploration SWOT Analysis CONCEPT - Lines to a Multi-Use Riverfront MASTERPLAN - AJC Botanical Garden as a New Mixed Use Hub INTERVENTIONS IIEST - Permanent Housing Hub Commercial - Workshopping Hub Riverfront - Tourist Hub STAKEHOLDERS + PROJECT PHASES

CONTEXT - Virtual Site Exploration

*video attached*

SWOT Analysis Strengths

Opportunities

green infrastructure

potential placemaking

proposed port development

key intervention area

Hooghly River land cover

meeting point new gate design new ferry route

park main route ferry route key attraction ferry ghat

Weaknesses isolated buildings / non-relationships congested areas / encampments AJC Boundary

Threats major traffic

CONCEPT - Lines to a Multi-Use Riverfront The AJC Botanical Garden Area can become a new mixed use hub by usnig what was once a hard boundary, as linear pathways guiding differnt users to a multi-purpose riverfront.

Active areas -- commerical, tourist, leisure for students, and placemaking for residents -- are supported by new pathways.

Points along pathways become meeting points for diverse users and also provide access to new areas once cut off.

MASTER PLAN - Botanical Garden as a Mixed-Use Hub

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11 14 13

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Redesign gate entrance and public transportation stops

2

Provide permanent housing and workshop space for encampment residents

3

Reopen IEEST and AJC BC connection and create pedestrian path for public acess to water front

4

Redeign boundary wall to create residential - botanical garden interface as leisure area.

5

Add urban element and cleaner landscaping along path leading to Roxburgh House

6

Create circulation area at Nursery 1, the Officer’s Quarter, and Curator’s Office

7

Push back boundary wall with new gate in the center of the river front

8

Create circulation area at the Large Palm House, Orchid House, and Officer’s Quarter

9

Create circulation area at the Central National Herbarium, Superintendent’s Office, and Roxburgh HouseW

10

Open ground floor of Roxburgh House to public as a restaurant or coffee shop

11

Create pedestrian and 2 wheeler road leading to new parking area for 2-wheelers

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6 12

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3

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12 Open Western Gate 13 Open waterfront space for market activites 14

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Point Intervention

AJC Botanical Garden

Gate

2

Area Intervention

Intervention Area

Ferry Ghat

3

Line Intervention

Bamboo Workshops External Connection 2 Wheeler Parking

AJC Building Existing boundary wall

Create access road for utility vehichles and bamboo transport

New Boundary Wall New Pedestrian Path Focus Path - Existing New Utility Road

IIEST - PERMANENT HOUSING HUB The Lower Forshore Road currently is encroached with homeless encampments by people who depend on the location for well being and a sense of identity with the place. The proposed design reconstructs the homes as two story buildings: The first story contains markets where the residents can sell their goods. Some of these goods are the product of a cultivation program between AJC Botanical Garden and the residents.

Through the cultivation program the homeless persons learn how to cultivate products affiliated with the garden, such as tea, and sell them on the road leading up to the garden. The second story serves as permanent housing for the current homeless residents. By removing the encroachment, the IIEST gate can reopen to serve IIEST students and other visitors from Lower Forshore Road.

1

Redesign gate entrance and public transportation stops

2

Provide permanent housing and workshop space for encampment residents

Public Access Path

3

Reopen IIEST and AJC BC connection and create pedestrian path for public acess to water front

4

Redeign boundary wall to create residential - botanical garden interface as leisure area.

Safer Lower Foreshore Road

Housing Workshopping

Permanent Public Housing

COMMERCIAL HUB The Nazirgunge Ferry Ghat is currently overcrowded with passengers, bamboo workers, market sellers, and 2-wheeler parking. The new proposal creates a sepaarate dock for the bamboo products, allowing Nazirgunge Ferry Ghat to solely serve market sellers, leisure visitors, and everyday travelers reaching Kolkata. By creating designated 2-wheeler parking closest to the Nazirgunge Gate, more space is available for leisure and market activity. Hopefully, this will eliminate heavy traffic flow to the area, creating a safer port. *interventions with a brown circle are shown in the after image*

11

Create pedestrian and 2 wheeler road leading to new parking area for 2-wheelers

12 Open Western Gate

Bamboo Route

14

Create access road for utility vehichles and bamboo transport

13 Open waterfront space for market activites Mixed-Use Center

Market

Ferry Ghat

Promenade

2-Wheeler Parking

RIVERFRONT-TOURIST HUB The current condition of the riverfront includes gates that limit views of the Hooghly River. By pushing back the boundary wall and opening the eastern and western sides of the Botanical Garden to the public, the riverfront becomes a new centrality for multiple users: students of IIEST, market sellers, residents, and tourists.

*interventions with a brown circle are shown in the after image*

6

Create circulation area at Nursery 1, the Officer’s Quarter, and Curator’s Office

7

Push back boundary wall with new gate in the center of the river front

5

Add urban element and cleaner landscaping along path leading to Roxburgh House

10

Open ground floor of Roxburgh House to public as a restaurant or coffee shop

Public Access Path

Vegetative Boundary Wall

Reactivate area for Picnic and Leisure

RIVERFRONT-TOURIST HUB 6

Create circulation area at Nursery 1, the Officer’s Quarter, and Curator’s Office

7

Push back boundary wall with new gate in the center of the river front

5

Add urban element and cleaner landscaping along path leading to Roxburgh House

10

Open ground floor of Roxburgh House to public as a restaurant or coffee shop

Proposed Multi- New Proposed use Centers Ferry Ghat

New Proposed Vegetative Boundary Gate Wall

Public Access Path

Boardwalk

RIVERFRONT-TOURIST HUB

By adding urban elements such as a boardwalk and lighting the riverfront can be expereinced safely at night. The after photo shows how the botanical boundary wall can interface with the public in a softer way with interactive lights that light up as users approach and walk past the wall.

*interventions with a brown circle are shown in the after image*

6

Create circulation area at Nursery 1, the Officer’s Quarter, and Curator’s Office

7

Push back boundary wall with new gate in the center of the river front

5

Add urban element and cleaner landscaping along path leading to Roxburgh House

10

Open ground floor of Roxburgh House to public as a restaurant or coffee shop

Vegetative Boundary Wall

Public Access Path

New Proposed Ferry Ghat

STAKEHOLDERS + PROJECT PHASES Phase 1 - Redesign of streets around the

park, creating permanent supportive housing, redefining the boundary of the park, opening public open spaces, redesigning the gates, adding a new bamboo route.

Community Members Howrah & Kolkata population Phase 2 - Renovating the landscaping of

the park, Redesigning and repurposing the existing buildings within the park, renovating the utilities within park

Experts Tourist Phase 3 - Redesigning the waterfront,

adding a public promenade, opening an new Ferry Ghat, Redesign of new ferry ghat with new open space for local markets

Howrah Municipal Co. Tourist

THANK YOU