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People, Place, Identity and Change Muskaan Mansuri | UG180370 | BUD | L2 Studio | Spring 2020

SAKRIYA Meaning Active Ambli village is located in Dhandhuka Tehsil of Ahmadabad district in Gujarat, India. This village has both traditional as well as modern characteristics in it’s architecture. With a lake on the edge of the village, this village has significant temples, in and around its periphery. Surrounded by areas like Bopal and Vikramnagar, the village has great potential for growth and even acquiring more commercial role . Surrounding Ambli, there are existing and upcoming small and medium scale commercial complexes. My vision for Ambli focuses on reviving it’s economy and banks on it’s strategic central location in the area. I believe Ambli’s identity can change into a market space, attracting costumers from the area and even wider surroundings. The vendors and shopkeepers of Ambli and the ones who come to Ambli offer variety of products: food, clothing, footwear, vegetables. The existing vendors visit on particular days and spend the whole day in Ambli, they have fixed timing and days of week. Once I identified potentials of vendors and both their needs and needs of the whole village, I decided my proposal would intervene by creating a market street with strong village character. This intervention would help the village generate revenue as well as create opportunities for profits by making it a business model.

Contents

1. 2.

Knowing Site and its People Ex. 1

Sense of Place

. . . . . XX

Ex. 2

Inside - Outside

. . . . . YY

Ex. 3

Mapping with People . . . . . ZZ

Understand attachments of a User with Village Space Ex. 5

3. 4.

Perception Mapping and User groups Analysis . . . . . XX

Forming Vision with Community Ex. 6

Vision and Strategy

Development

. . . . . XX

Ex. 7

Revising Strategy

. . . . . YY

Designing with People Ex. 8

Imagining Intervention . . . . . XX

Ex. 9

Design with People

Ex. 10 Stakeholder Analysis

. . . . . YY . . . . . ZZ

Step I Knowing site and its people Through passive observation and active engagement Process and Planning:

Forming first impression of site through transect walk and recognising major conditions. Through observation, understanding transition between inside (private) and outside (public) of a building type, the elements and notions involved. Through actively involving community in the act of mapping, learning movement and gathering patterns. Developing a visual narration of Ambli easily understood by it’s people.

TOOLS Flashcards Use: These are cards to communicate ideas in simple, abstract manner. These could be printed or hand-drawn. Making: In this step we used them to communicate site conditions. Made using 10x10 cm square card with the abstract graphic on one side and a statement describing the condition on the other.

Intercative Map Use: To record patterns of movement and gathering through interaction with residents, we developed a map easily readable to residents. Making: We hand drew buildings in 3D, highlighted landmarks and labled in Gujarati. This was mounted on an easel, moved around in the village for people to mark using markers, sticky notes, and bindis.

Questionnaire Use: To record intangible aspects of spaces like safety/security, noise, smell, etc, we prepared a questionnaire. Making: These accompanied interactive mapping of everyday Ambli. We prepared spreadsheets and charts to record resident’s answers.

Sense of Place First Impressions This village has both modern as well as unmodern characteristics. The doors, the roofs, the flooring of the streets, all gave ambli a modern as well as unmodern identity. the flooring being old kota stone and the rest being RCC. How the doors of a house and it having a otla gave it an old character. And the chabutra which is the main identity of the Ambli village.

Mordern-unmordern characteristics via architecture

The khatlas in the open otlas create more gathering space.

there are storage spaces under the stairs or on the roof and maximum use of space has been done in these houses

the road seperates the village and the lake

Sense of Place Site Conditions Looking at the site conditions, these were the five flashcards representing each conitions:

The flooring and terrace define modern and unmodern

there is more transitional space with the old houses due to the the otlas rather than mordern houses

Ganesh Temple

The shops infront of it

Inside - Outside Transition and Types SITE: The Ganesh temple right on the edge of the village near the chabutra, besudes the post office. It had a row of shops right in front of it.

Site Representation

Sections

The edges of the streets are being used as a parking space for the people visiting the temple and to buy things from the shops infront. This temple brings a better revnue to the shopkeepers, since it attracts people who visit the temple to stop by for tea, etc. the temple has levels, which defines its hierarchy of access as well as notional spaces. The diagrams show us how the futher you climb up the levels, the more private a space gets. And the more private the space, the lesser the access to it. Hence, plinths and stairs, define a notional hierarchy for a particular space. 14

Movement Patterns Map

Community Movement map

Mapping with People Visualisation of the Village We carried out a little activity where we told the people to map themselves on the 3d axonometric map. This activity helped us in acquainting with the people of the village as well as in understanding the movement patterns.

3D Axonometric of ythe village. 3D axonometric map

Trigger Points in Ambli

How does movement affect the gathering space

Step II Discovering People’s Attachments with Place Processes and Planning

Selecting a user group and interviewing them to understand their issues, needs, concerns, and attachments. Mapping their perceptions of common spaces in Ambli. Analysing these through various tools and drawing inferences that will help in forming a vision & strategy.

TOOLS Physical Model Use: We used 1:500 physical model of village to communicate and record user group’s perceptions and discussed strategy plan. Making: Sticky notes, threads, stickers and bindis were used.

User Group Matrix Use: This matrix classified our knowledge of issues, concerns, potentials, identity, social connections and interdependencies between user groups in order to understand their associations and attachments with village.

CNP Analysis

C|N|P

Use: This analysis tool is an alternative to SWOT, and used to identify Concerns, Needs and Potential of the selected user group.

Problem Tree Use: To conclude and analyse major issues faced by user group, trace the roots and understand effects of them. Making: It staged arriving at a holistic strategy that responds to identity issues and concerns or potentials of the user group. 20

Interaction with Saree seller, near thakore chauk

Grocery selling on the edge of the village

Perception Mapping Mapping and User Group Analysis of Vendors Initially the user group chosen was only vendors but later it evolved towards shopkeepers as well. Since the entire edge of ambli has a number of shops because of the main road as well as the BRTS bus station, vending and selling happen together. There are many vendors in and out of ambli and they sell different goods, like food, clothing, footwear. Their main aim is to make profits. Some used to come on a daily basis wereas some used to come omce every week, but their routines and timings are fixed throughout the day.

Kid Clothing

Matrix Analysis of Vendors

TYPES OF SHOPS Kashvi Soni UG180268

Perception Mapping Concerns, Needs, Potentials Interacting with these vendors, there were some major concerns, like, the commuting to bring the goods to the place was expensive, the customer attraction, lack of shade, the lack of proper space for putting the commodities, the climate, etc. these concerns led to certain needs of a place with proper space and shade.

Step III Forming a Vision with the Community Processes and Planning

Forming a vision and long term strategy to strengthen user group’s attachment with Ambli. De-coding the strategy into elements of location, connections, activities, and spatial qualities to share with community using visual methods Revising the strategy to reflect on community’s feedback

TOOLS Flashcards Use: In this step we used them as a communication tool with people: an abstract representation of criteria on which strategy is based and possible activites. We recorded user group’s choices and priorities using flash cards.

Photomontage Use: To communicate results of the strategy implementation to residents. Making: Visualising intervention within selected locations, the connections between these locations, spatial qualities to support suggested activities and programs was communicated through digital montages and collages.

Interactive Model

Use: To communicate intervention’s spatial placement in it’s context, the scale and volume. Making: The blocks of the model could be added or removed by the people. Material to use: Paper, coloured card, thermocol to mount on the base map or model.

Vision and Strategy Development Vision Statement Promoting Ambli as a potential market space for reviving economy as well as creating a new identity.

Problem Tree

This is the street right before thakore chauk, and here both the walls are dead walls, making it a spot potential space for vending.

Photo montage of the Thakore chauk.

Talking Strategy with People Revising Strategy

The dead walls make the space inactive, and how these locations form a route in the village. Also, the benefit of the intervention being close to their doorstep and how every location is connected to a main road.

These locations form a route in the village.

every location is connected to a main

The dead walls make the space inactive

the benefit of the intervention being close to their doorstep 34

Layers to Site

Evaluating Sites and Strategy Plan

Strategy Plan 1

Strategy Plan 2 37

Genis nitibus, quodit inctasperum laborrum ipsunt evolved rem fuga. As per aliquam, the heirarchy of the streets in ambli, the intervention Itatio. Nequatus ideni conecta estiam in cus, omnis eum ratecul latium quas and changed to a market street which runs along ambli. It is connected apedConeceaquias facepellaut tenditi asition seditatas to the main roaduton both thelaccus sidesvolupta and has newly-built shops near the

chabutra and cart vending area right infront of it, as well as a foldable module for the dead walls and a plaza in the thakore chauk. This market street would also incorporate the existing shops with a parking space at both the ends.

Strategy And Site Evaluation Site Analysis

The first site criteria was thakore chauk, there is sunlight thoughout the day and it is connected to the main roads. The red path represents the vehicular movement and the blue represents the pedestrian movement. The yellow area is classified to be a vending area for clothing and the green is for the food. Hence, being a space for highly interactive activites, it also needs shade and a proper space for people to sit and gather around and also, for the children to play.

The second site criteria was the street before thakore chauk, this included the newly built shops as well as the cart vending and the dead wall module vending. These streets being narrow there is shade almost throughout the day the movement of vehicals and pedestrian are the same way and the access is same as well.

Step IV Designing with Community Process and Planning

Developing the inserts: concept, space planning, analysing selected sites within strategy plan. Visualising interventions within their immediate context according to strategy plan Developing options of design to share with community and prioritise with them Elaborating one intervention Understanding the staekholders in the project and analysing their roles, alignment and conflicts, power and interests.

TOOLS 3D Visualisation Photomontage/ Collage and Axonometric diagram Use: We used it to communicate the intervention to the community. Making: These are eye-level photomontages or view of the intervention showing proposed activities, spaces and their interrelationship.

Adjacency Diagram Use: A recording tool to inform the design with user group’s preferences about programs and spaces. Making: The diagram illustrates priorities in the proximity of spaces.

Stakeholder Analysis Use: To analyse stakeholders role and involvements, how they will react to each other and interact with the design Making: A chart listing stakeholders and criteria of interaction/reaction, their influence and interest in project. Understanding of social construct and decision making structure is required.

23. This adjacency diagram shows how this market street is interdependent on the other user gr to work, and how they go via the main road. The kids play in the chauks and the chauk is also could help evolve this intervention.

Adjacency Diagram

roups. Women and men going to dropping their kids for school or going to the temple, or going o a gathering space for all the user groups. This diagram helps recognizing the activities which

Imagining Intervention As per the site criteria for the thakore chauk a built plaza with levels and seatings for the people to gather around and also there has been quite a space left for movement of vehicals and children to play. The dead wall, will have the display and vending right in front of the wall.The idea was to make use of the dead wall of the thakore chauk and creating a multipurpose space which is benefial to both the people and the user group.

The dead walls, this part has the foldable vending, these modules can be folded to use as a vending area.

Program & Design Development Program Development and Concept This section shows the view of when Entering via chabutra, seeing a row of shops which include pooja, clothing, and a chai shop. And a cart vending area right in front of the shops. The entire market street has a particular flooring so as to identify the pathway.

Final Design Intervention 32. This section shows the food vending as well as other activities around it, like people walking, children running and playing in the chauk.

Caption for the Diagrams

AMC

MANAGEMENT

NEIGHBOURS

BUILDING OWNERS

LAND OWNERS

SHOPKEEPERS

VENDORS

ALIGNMENT

CONFLICT POWER

INTEREST

Stakeholder Analysis Inter-relationships between the stakeholders, contextually Stakeholders in a program play the most important role. In this intervention the vendors and shopkeepers have the most power and interest, followed by the land owners of the newly built shops and the building owners of the walls used. Followed by AMC (ahmd municipal corporation) and the management.

Business Module This market street will be controlled by the committee which includes the shopkeepers as well as vendors, they also control the right to have a business setup on that street, whether it is a new vendor who wants to join or selling or renting of shops etc. they would also decide the types of business carried out in a particular place, also there could be timing assigned to vendors so as to accommodate more vendors and also at their highest selling point. The rent collected from the shops could be used in maintainance of the street, also adding and repairing street furniture, like, light,flooring and also for upgrading the building structures and street infrastructures.

Phasing the Intervention 1. Phase 1: Creating the committee The first phase is creating the committee of the commercial union, including vendors and the shopkeepers and the people of interest, like the shop owners, the land owners, and also the AMC. All these people schedule meetings to move further with the plan. 2. Phase 2: Improving the built structures: The second phase includes starting with the look of the place, the flooring, the colour of the walls, the lighting(electricity), the water and waste. It also includes building the new shops near the chabutra. 3. Phase 3: Allocations The shops and places decided for vending are allocated to vendors and the new shops are rented to the new shopkeepers. This decision involves the kind of shops, the rent of the shops as well as the need of the vending at a particular place. 4. Phase 4: Maintenance The fourth phase and which stays throughout is maintenance of the market street, every place requires maintenance, and as mentioned before the rent would help with the finance and maintaining the place and its safety.

Character Of the Street Since the village has been a blend of both modern and unmodern characteristics and architecture, the market would have the same essence. The shops would be including a plinth and a counter right after and the flooring would be different from the rest of the village. The market would bring a new identity to the village but not change its characteristics as a village.

Challanges, Learning and Outcome During site visits and interactions with residents, the problems I faced was interacting with men of the village. They refused to talk to the girls or just have a very minimal talk. And since the head of the family is also the men, talking to the women of the same household was difficult as well. In this studio I invested time in the process of designing with people in a community. I learnt to respond to their needs and problems and producing a better intervention design became possible with the inputs I received from the community. The design should be for the people but also by the people. Involving them is a great part of the design intervention as it allows their full interest in the proposal.

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