THESIS SYNOPSIS

Maria Paul
HIAREBC022
IES College of Architecture

Bio- Urban Hub

Reconnect Nature into Urban Ecology

INTRODUCTION
Explores the negative impacts that spending time in urban environments has on wellbeing and
proposes a new typology of public amenity that utilizes the concept of biophilia and third places.
This design aims to explore a more unified, mixed, and interlinked architectural solution to mixed-
use development in the urban areas creating a bio-urban mixed-use hub.

Mixed-use developments are a combination of multiple distinct yet symbiotic functions that are
placed in physical proximity to each other. The idea stems out of the concept that doing this reduces
the load transport puts on land, infrastructure, and resources.

To facilitate this all project components should be interlinked by pedestrian links although this
integration can take multiple physical forms.

Projects can be mixed horizontally, vertically, or a combination of both.

World-wide the UN projects that by year 2050, 68% of world population will be living in urban spaces.
In India by 2031, around 600 million people will reside in urban spaces. Reports says that since 2011,
51% increase in population is identified. When population increases, many of the open green spaces
are turned down for construction purposes. Cities in India is now being densely populated taking
off all the open spaces.

The current disconnect of urban people from nature, and the role this loss of connection plays is
becoming a larger problem in India.

Hence incorporating practices of biophilic design into a publically accessible building complex
creates a positive psychological and social impacts to a wider population.
In India Delhi is one of the most densely populated cities. Creating breathing spaces along with
public amenities in a new typology of building style creates a healthy, relaxed spaces with wide
variety of uses and activities.

The site selected is located in a dense residential zone with easily accessible transport modes

Design consists of different uses – Commercial, Retail, Offices, Recreational, Residential

Design components –
1.Offices – publically owned, government owned
2.Office supports – banks, stationary shops, transportation services etc
3.Hospitality – Restaurants, food courts, small cafes, outdoor kiosks
4.Administrative and management supports – administrative office spaces, security, maintenance
and housekeeping, emergency medical aid, staff facilities
5.Retail – Departmental stores, large shops, medium shops, small shops, boutique stores, market,
etc.
6.Recreational – gym, public plazas, small –medium-large parks/open spaces, clubhouse

Special Topic :

1. HYDROPONICS might as well be the most sustainable way to feed the growing communities in
moving forward. It is most efficient to grow leafy vegetables in vertical farms. Compared to
traditional farms, vertical farms use 90% less land, gives 90% more fruit, and uses 90-98% less water
with no soil.
Urbanization – rapid growth of population in urban centres – shortage of arable land for agriculture
– Introduction to vertical farm concept – Maximization of land use through incorporation of farms to
mixed use developments.
A solution to those problems by merging food production and consumption in one place, with the
vertical farm being suitable for urban areas where available land is limited and expensive. This high-
tech systems represent a paradigm shift in farming and food production and offer suitable and
efficient methods for city farming by minimizing maintenance and maximizing yield.

2. TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT

AIM

To design a bio urban mixed use hub which creates a new typology of green amenity as a building
type that promote positive experiences with nature within a controlled environment and rethink
types of activities that can take place in green spaces integrated to a mixed use development.

OBJECTIVES

•To understand different concepts of mixed-use developments to create a group of buildings that is
a hybrid mixture of nature and third places.
•To examine various design aspects that ensure walkable neighbourhoods, increased accessibility
via transit, both resulting in reduced transportation costs.
•To understand importance of including transit oriented development in mixed use developments
which ensure easy accessibility to all the different everyday amenities at footstep.
•To explore different ways to reconnect humans to nature in urban settings, in an effort to gain the
psychological benefits that corresponds.
•To explore different bio concepts which transforms different spaces/ activities to a lively
atmosphere that develop a people and nature oriented development.

SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

•In a very elementary sense Mixed use developments are just practical. It places the day to day
things we need to do in an immediate proximity to each other.
•Less transportation requirement for daily life, thus the massive consumption associated with
transport is minimized. Thus the resultant cost amenities like road, parking lots reduces.
•The site location in residential area along with walkability and the accessibility of retail,
restaurants and entertainment- driven concepts attracts people as they have everything at their
footstep.
•The site has a metro station which makes the importance of transit oriented development.
•Nature connection is deprived in urban areas and hence introducing an environment friendly bio
urban hub might change the value of the space by creating a people and nature oriented
development.

LIMITATIONS
● The design is limited to office, retail, hospitality and recreational uses.
● Only 12-15 acres of total 25 acre site is intended to use for designing the mixed use
development.
SITE SELECTION

Selection of site for mixed use developments usually be made in rich commercial zones or in densely
populated residential cum commercial zones.
Location - Site near Sanjay lake, Mayur Vihar, Connaught Place , Delhi

Surrounded with dense residential zone. Residents travel long distance to work, shopping and leisure.

The site is under community Center land use.

Social Infrastructure – 1. there are 3 hospitals within radius of 1km from site . 2. There is 1 government
school and one ITI in this radius.

The site is one of the few commercial zones in the area. Thus it holds potential to become the commercial
hub of the area because of lack of other commercial zones.
•Predominent access route to site from NH24 is along Sanjay Lake , through Chand Cinema Road.

•Presence of Trilokpuri Metro station and a wide vehicular road divides the site into 2 halves creating
an edge within the site.
• A scope for Transit Oriented Development is identified here which further maximize access to
public transport and encourage the pedestrian trend.
• It also allow for reduction in travel time which is a big concern for the residents.
•TOD often creates highly connected and experience driven
environments that allow retailers in mixed use development to maximize
resident spend.

DESIGN PROGRAMME STATEMENT

CHOICE OF CASE STUDIES

Live Case Studies
•Spire Edge, Manesar, Noida
- Site area – 10 acres
- Commercial and offices
- Known for its green infrastructure
- spaces – offices, cafes, meeting pods, Executive suites, business centers, restaurants, club,
health spa, bar, anchor store, retail shopping, food court,
auditorium, exhibition hall, sky courts.
- Total built up area – 1,48,645sqm
Literature Case Studies
•Shanghai Greenland Centre , Shanghai Shi , China
- Retail, Offices, and service apartments
- Known for the 20,000 m2 green valley complex, designed with the URBAN FARM concept of
merging nature and human space, weaves its way into the daily life of city dwellers through the
intelligent roof geometry.
- Transit Oriented Development
- Total built up area – 3,04,910sq.m

REFERENCES

1.Delhi Master plan

2.NBC
3.Delhi TOD policy manual
4.Model building byelaws
5.URDPFI guidelines