Elements of Urban Design Portfolio by shobitha ramalingasamy

ELEMENTS OF URBAN DESIGN

PORTFOLIO SHOB ITHA R | PUD21333

ELEMENTS OF URBAN DESIGN 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.

CONTENTS

01 02 03 04

Representing Building Types & Streets Calle Mayor | Madrid West Masi Street | Madurai

Representing Urban Blocks & Open Spaces Washington Square Park East | New York Piazza Navona | Rome

Analysis and Design of Street Sola Road | Ahmedabad

Key Learnings

Representing Building types & Streets

1. Calle Mayor | Madrid 2. West Masi Street | Madurai

BRIEF

This exercise is designed to develop an understanding of various attributes of building types and streets and their representation. The exercise requires students to analyze the parameters that shape the physical form of streets and understand their relationship with the surrounding context. Through this exercise, the students are required to identify, categorize and represent the building types and develop their skills to draw building footprint and its three-dimensional form that abstract the architectural language along with its relationship to the ground.

Calle Mayor | Madrid

Demarcated cycle lane

Uniform facade and continuous built structure

pedestrian priority

demarcated, porous and commercial ground floor

Plaza with a central focal element Spill out spaces from restuarant

Vertical Mix Heavy commercial activity on ground floor increases the sense of walkability

Porosity The highly commercial porous built edge improves eyes on the Newer buildng that merges with the existing

Uniform Sloped Roofing

street and hence safety

Universal Access Inclusive pedestrian system with seamless transition across levels

Super Blocks Large blocks create continuous built edge in the central street Clear demarcation of ROW

Seamless movement to plazas Clear demarcation on road allows smooth pedestrian movement

Edge Condition Partially Porous 73%

Porous 27%

The Calle Mayor, Madrid is one of the central streets in the city and hence attracts a number of tourists everyday, The built edge along the street has almost 20 entry points per 100m which increases the porosity and makes the street more walkable. Residential 7.8%

Ground Floor Building Use

Retail 56.8%

Instituitional 35.4%

The predominantly partially porous street has commercial activities across the ground floors. Commercial activities which compose a major proportion of 56.8% in the ground floor use also contribute to walkability.

Distribution of Public Right of Way Cycle Track 20%

Footpath 20%

Carriage way 60%

The street is well designed with designated carriageway and cycle tracks. The demarcated cycling track has a width of 2.4m and the footpath each with an average width of 1.2m

Residential

Office

20 0

80 40

Office of Advocate Generals, Madrid Ground Coverage : 411 sqmt Total Built-up area : 3288 sqmt

160 m

La Amarilla, Madrid Ground Coverage : 241 sqmt Total Built-up area : 1446 sqmt

The Calle Mayor is the central Street of Madrid that lies axial to the Palace. The street is flanked by continous built structure which rise upto 15m thus providing a sense of enclosure. The buildings have a distinct facade character which is followed along the street thus creating an identity for the street.

West Masi Street | Madurai

terrace appropriated by people

signage as a distinct element

Continuous built structure

Mix of vehicular and pedestrian movement

Khadi Building as landmark

Around the year

completely pedestrianised street

Vertical Mix Heavy commercial activity on ground floor increases the sense of walkability

Porosity Porous edge that leads to active streets

Continuous Built Edge Building use has been adaptively reused over the years

Appropriation of Spaces Appropriation of facades for signages and spillover that deter the streetscape. The terrace of the buildings are appropriated during

Chitihrai

Thiruvizha

for

visual access.

Demarcation of Internal Streets The internal streets which diverge

During Chithirai Festival

from Masi street are covered with paver blocks indicating higher pedestrianization

Edge Condition Partially Porous 88%

Porous 12%

The West Masi Street consisting of a continuous built edge had a majority of partially porous edge. These are easily accessible and improve the interaction with the street as the stores are open throughout the day.

Ground Floor Building Use

Religious Retail 4.25% 56.8%

Retail 95.75%

This is an important commercial street in the city. With 95.75% ground floor area dedicated to commercial use. The street also houses a few religious buildings that add value to the commercial activity

Distribution of Public Right of Way Cycle Track 20%

Carriage way 80%

Footpath 20%

The 12m wide street is a part of the old city of Madurai and hence the width is planned initially to cater to the temple festivals. At present, the streets have been developed with designated footpaths and paver blocks in internal roads

Commercial

15 0

60 30

Khadi Kraft, Madurai Ground Coverage : 162 sqmt Total Built-up area : 324 sqmt

120 m

Chandran Electricals , Madurai Ground Coverage : 63.6 sqmt Total Built-up area : 254.4 sqmt

Masi street is one of the core streets of thhe city which forms a part of the ritualistic path. The shopping street is active throughout the year while the street is flooded with people during the iconic Chithirai festival. The continuous built structure struggles to maintain its identity due to the presence of new buildings

Representing Urban Blocks & Open Spaces

1. Washington Square Park East | New York 2. Piazza Navona | Rome

BRIEF

This exercise is designed to develop strategic understanding of various attributes regarding Urban Blocks and their components – Building Types, Streets and Open Spaces. The exercise requires the students to identify and analyze the parameters that shape the physical form of urban blocks and open spaces to understand their role in the surrounding context. Through this exercise, the students are required to explore various techniques of representation and develop their skills to draw the urban blocks and open spaces to abstract their character.

Washigton Square Park East | New York

signs of gentrification latest high rise mixed use structures

WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

ASTOR PLACE PLAZA COOPER UNION PLAZA

Active Edge

The pedestrian only zone enhances the student movement across the park which is the common public space in the education district

Plazas on the edge of residential district

Residential and Commercial district Education District

The Urban block has its districts clear. While the edge along the park is flanked by education district the outer edges are residential and commercial that adds value to the university

Built- Open Private open space 6%

INFERECENCES

Public open space 48%

Built space 46%

Built- Open Mixed- Use 10%

Utilities 3%

Commercial 22%

Residential 23%

Street Network Block Perimeter Range 5700m - 33478 m Link Node Ratio 1.625 Blocks Nodes Primary Street Secondary Street Tertiary Street

Institution 42%

Pedestrian Only Zone The street edge along the Washington square park is a no vehicle zone which enhances the walkability for the primary users to the educational district i.e., students

Unusual Grid Size While the usual Manhattan hrid size is 80 x 274m the chosen block has a grid size of 278 x 508m. This is due to the historic significance of the Greenwich village in the city.

Active Open Spaces The Plazas along the edge of the residential district act as breathing spaces as well as activity generators and magnets

Density Gentrification and commercialization has led the place to adapt to high density structures.

The predominantly instituitional Washington Square Park East district is flanked by the iconic park on one edge with a pedestrian only street. This instituitional character creates a difference in the density and grain pattern of the urban block. The typical grid iron pattern is slightly modified along the Broadway to as per the historical routes. The pedestrian plazas along the residential district improves walkability in the locality

Piazza Navona | Rome

Spill over spaces overseeing the plaza Sense of Enclusure from the built form

Sant’Agnese in Agone Church

Embassy of Brazil

Fountain as Magnet

Annual Christmas Market

Famous and Active Night Market

Partia edges

ally porous s

Monumental Scale Landmark Church as an activity generator

Street Artists activate the plaza during a regular day

Edge Type Access to Street

Porous 5%

Entry Point Total Building Edge= 605m Total no. of Entrances= 79 No. of Entrances/100m= 13 Legend Visually Physically Opaque

Partially porous 95%

Partially Porous

Building Use Religious 20%

Residential 10%

Commercial 35%

Institution 35%

Peak Hour Activity The Piazza is most active during the weekends just like any other public space. The mondays record the least visitors during the standard peak hour 5pm

COUNT

INFERECENCES

Porous

MON TUE

WED

THU

FRI

SAT

SUN MON

X axis - DAYS Y axis -COUNT

Time is Constant

Linearity The open space built on a stadium is unique and the plaza is linear and visually doubles up as a street

Porous Built Edge The partiaally porous ground floor filled with commercial activities activates the plaza throughout the year

Monumental Scale The heritage structures of the plaza provides a sense of monumental scale enclosure to the users.

Anchor Points The fountains on the plaza and the Church act as important magnets due to the Boroque character

Active Open Space While the street artist activate the space in the days over the year, the annual Christmas market nights attracts a large crowd thus creating an identity to the place

Constructed over a stadium, Piazza Navona is unique in terms of the form due to the linearity. This along with monumental streetscape provides the user with a sense of enclosure. The ground floor commercial activity adds to the porosity of the edge and the spill over activities along the footpaths. The urban space adapts itself according to the functional use. While during the year it is a space for street artist and musicians, the Christmas Market is vibrant with stalls and other activities.

Analysis & Design of Street

Sola Road | Ahmedabad

BRIEF

This exercise is designed to develop strategic understanding of various attributes regarding Urban Blocks and their components – Building Types, Streets and Open Spaces.The exercise requires the students to identify and analyze the parameters that shape the physical form of urban blocks and open spaces to understand their role in the surrounding context. Through this exercise, the students are required to explore various techniques of representation and develop their skills to draw the urban blocks and open spaces to abstract their character.

AY IGHW

SO RO

SG H

LA AD

GHATLODIA Ghatlodia lies along the north western part of Ahmedabad. This TOD locality acts as a transit zone between the peripheral and inner areas of the city. The Sola Bridge BRT in the locality is an important junction in the city as it connects to the peripheral areas. Sola Road is the transit and commercial spine of this predominantly residential locality. This 30m wide road houses the BRT station, evening street market, etc, thus making it an active place.

GULAB TOWER ROAD

1.SOLA BRIDGE BRTS 2. GULAB TOWER JUNCTION 3. SATTADHAR CHAR RASTHA

Stakeholders

THE STRETCH 490m

Local Residents

Vendors

Students & Workers

BRT Users

Activities 1 2 3 BRT Station

Commercial

Food Joints

RAV

ISH AN

KAR

RAJ

Street Market

Existing Zones of the Street Based on Division of Row

Sola Bridge

Hospital

Zone 1 Sola Bridge to BRT junction This zone is the entry point from the periphery – the street also houses the vendors with shops along the edge. The other side has the hospital and few residences

Sola Bridge BRT Station

Zone 2

Carriageway with BRT

These are the zones which contain the BRT station a

and with residences along one edge and comme

road bifurcates the 2 ch

T Station

and the priority becomes the station

ercial complexes along the other the

haracters.

Gulab Tower

Sattadhar Char Rastha

Zone 3 Carriageway with BRT Lane This acts like a passby space which holds the traffic from the Sola Road and the Gulab Tower road thus creating taffic bottleneck

Zone 4 Carriageway with BRT Station This zone is same as Zone 2 as it further down houses the Sattadhar Char Rastha BRT Station

Ground Floor Use

Commercial predominant character The transit spine houses a number of commercial activities that range from street market to huge commercial complexes thus making it a highly commercial zone.

Edge Condition

16 Entry points per 100m ZONE 3

ZONE 1

ZONE 2

BRIDGE TO BRT

CARRIAGEWAY WITH BRT STATION

ZONE 4

WITH with JUNCTION The road bifurcatesCARRIAGEWAY the edges distinct AND BRT LANE REPETITION OF character. While one side has huge commercial ZONE 2 complexes, the other edge is residential thus increasing the number of entry points.

Activity and movement pattern Working Class people movement Youngster movement Activity generating points The Sola Road BRT act as an important magnet to activate the street with stakeholders predominantly being students or from working class who travel either to or from the other parts of the city.

Issues Identified Undefined, Untarred zone with haphazard parking

UNDEFINED SPACES AND HAPHAZARD PARKING UNDEFINED SPACES AND HAPHAZARD PARKING

Vendors - Vehicle - Pedestrian Conflict

VENDORS AT AT JUNCTION VENDORS JUNCTION

Obstruc Footpat

ctions in th

Large chaotic Junctions

Traffic bottleneck and congestion - conflict zone

UNDEFINED SPACES AND HAPHAZARD PARKING UNDEFINED SPACES AND HAPHAZARD PARKING

Large junction with vehicular importance

VENDORS JUNCTION VENDORS ATAT JUNCTION

CHAOTIC GULAB TOWER JUNCTION DUE TOTO LACK OFOF CHAOTIC GULAB TOWER JUNCTION DUE LACK OBSTRUCTIONS IN IN FOOTPATH OBSTRUCTIONS FOOTPATH

DEMARCATION DEMARCATION

Design Strategies 1 buffer between pedestrian and vehicular movement

2 Provide demarcated parking spac

4 Compact Junctions

5 Provide continuous footpaths

ces

3 Provide Shaded seating spaces

6 Provide demarcated vendor zone

Proposed Zones of the Street Based on Division of Row

Zone 1 Sola Bridge to BRT junction The zone has been treated as a pedestrian priority zone - the ROW is optimized to accomodate 6 lane road with sufficient sidewalk which enhances walkability and movement on the street

Zone 2

Carriageway with BRT

The active edge of the plazas which w demarcated woth kerbs and planter b left undisturbed and the pedestrian c using tabletop cros

T Station

were used for parking are boxes. The BRT station is connections are made ssing

Zone 3 Carriageway with BRT Lane The pedestrian activity is kept to minimal by avoiding pause points - outdoor seatings provided near restaurants

Zone 4 Carriageway with BRT Station The junction is compacted by reducing the turning radius and optimising the lane widths

Zone 1 Detailed Part Plan Pedestrian priority zone

The stretch between the Sola Bridge and the junction before BRT is the transitional zone where the vehicles from the periphery through the bridge land and respite. Better pedestrian environment is achieved by optimizing the Right of way by providing 18.6m carriageway. The 0.6m median separates the carriageway with 3 lane each way. Rest of the ROW is used for pedestrian walkway with sufficient spaces for parking, vending and social interaction zones.

Drop off zone outside Nursing home

Demarcated parking for retail stores

Vendor Zone

Shaded seating space

ZONE 1 - Section Existing

Key Plan - Zone 1

ROW optimization Existing

Encroachment 7.7% Footpath 4.7%

Carriageway 72.7%

Proposed

Footpath 23.7%

Undefined 15%

Seating 6%

Vendors 6% Landscape 2.3%

Carriageway 62%

Proposed

FOOTPATH 2.7M

Vendor Plaza

Zone 2 Detailed Part Plan BRT Station Zone

The part of the road which lies between the junction before the BRT station prioritizes the pedestrian connect with the BRT station. The carriageway splits as multi vehicle lane and BRT lane which is abutted by the BRT station in the centre. This part also consists of a large open active edge along one side which is considered to be a part of the public realm, The existing haphazard parking is suggested to be organized and the edges are demarcated with kerb seaating nad planters in order to hinder undesirable vehicular entrances.

Kerb seating that demarcates the active edge and prevents unwanted vehicular entry

Bollards and Ramp at Property entrance

Table top crossing for pedestrian priority zone

Green buffer to isolate pedestrian and vehicular traffic

Outdoor Seating of Restuarant

ZONE 2 - Section Existing

Key Plan - Zone 2

ROW optimization Existing

Active Edge 24.1% BRTS 29.9% Footpath 6.6%

Carriageway 39.5%

Proposed

Seating 5.1%

Carriageway 30.4%

Active Edge 24.1%

Footpath 10.6

BRTS 29.9%

Proposed

FOOTPATH

ACTIVE EDGE

FOOTPATH

9.6m

3.2m

CARRIAGEWAY

BRT

CARRIAGEWAY

11.8m

CARRIAGEWAY

FOOTPATH

ACTIVE EDGE 9.6m

BRT

CARRIAGEWAY

FOOTPATH

11.8m

3.2m

Zone 3 Detailed Part Plan BRT Lane Zone

The third distinct part of the street is with the BRT lane. The carriageway is divided into BRT only lane and mized traffic lane which is being highlighted with signages. As this part carries a heavy vehicular load, buffer zones are introduced to reduce the vehicular and pedestrian conflict. This further extends to the Sattadhar Char Rastha which ocnnects the main roads of the city. The Gulab tower junction creates an identity to the street Gulab Tower Junction

Parking and Planters as buffers between vehicular and pedestrian traffic

Compacted junction

Outdoor seaating for restuarants

ZONE 3 - Section Existing

Key Plan - Zone 3

ROW optimization Existing

Active Edge 12.3% Footpath 12%

3.7m

Proposed

Carriageway 75.7%

Proposed

Footpath 13.3%

Active Edge 12.3% Landscape 3.3% Seating 11%

Carriageway 60% 3.7m

3.7m

FOOTPATH

CARRIAGEWAY

BRT LANE

2.7m

9.8m

8.3m

CARRIAGEWAY

BRT

CARRIAGEWAY

7.5m

7.2m

7.5m

SEATING

7.6m

PLANTER

CARRIAGEWAY

FOOTPATH

4.4m

Drop off zone

Tabletop crossing aids in pedestrian movement and improves connectivity to BRTS - Traffic Claming element

Kerb seating along plaza edge

Vendor Plaza

Visualization ofofthe Visualization theProposed ProposedSola SolaRoad Road

On Street parking

Interactive Spaces

Materiality Plan 200 X 100 X 80MM GREY PAVER BLOCK IN HERRINGBONE PATTERN 200 X 100 X 80MM RED PAVER BLOCK IN HERRINGBONE PATTERN

CONCRETE FLOORING WITH YELLOW PAINT

PROPOSED PHELTOFORUM TREE

30MM DIA 50MM TALL RCC BOLLARD

45 X 120X 75MM RCC BENCH

ROAD IN ASPHALT

Material Palette

Concrete flooring

grey paver

red paver

asphalt

Neem

Pheltoforum

Plumeira Frangipane

ROW DISTRIBUTION Footpath

Landscape

BRT

Parking Footpath 8%

Proposed

carriageway

Carriageway

Existing

Carriageway 63% Footpath 27%

Existing

Footpath

Undefined 5% BRT 2%

Undefined area

Carriageway 85% Landscape 1%

BRT 2%

Parking 7%

Proposed

BRT

TREES

Existing

Proposed

The vision of the design was to create better pedestrian network by optimizing the Right of Way. The undefined and underutilized spaces are reclaimed in the ROW. Compact junctions and levelled crossing ensure safe pedestrian movement.

creating micro urban publlic spaces at neighborhood level enhances the liveability. Streets act as a public realm that can function as a neighborhood public space and thus creating comfort and identity

04 Key Learnings

Representation of Streets The streets exercise helped to understand the relationship between the builtform and the street. Physical elements such as signages, facade, etc., help to shape the identity of the street. Streets with functional role are designed accordingly , if not users appropriate the available spaces to suit their needs.

Representation of Urban Blocks & Open Spaces The built open interaction and the significance of an open space in an urban block was the important factor that defines the character of the block. The built that encloses the open space is the physical element that creates an identity and experience to the open space. Functional role at open spaces are very dynamic

Analysis & Design of Streets Analysis of streets helps to understand the various tangible and intangible factors that affect the state of the street. Optimizing ROW and organizing the informal activities is one of the initial strategies that can be utilized. Other site specific

01 02 03

solutions should include the needs of the local community and proposals are to be based on it

Representation methods Representation of urban elements is always to be strategic, highlighting only three to five key points that are to be noted. This can only be done with a series of trial and error. Uses of minimal annotations that do not distract are necessary.

mail @ shobithar.pud21333@cept.ac.in