bssa-iaac_GROUP TWO: January 2010

PROJECT BRIEF

This workshop concentrates on Land-Water edge condition as city fringe. The coast of Mumbai has been selected as the edge condition. On the basis of study and analysis of different conditions, a site program is to be invented for the structure.

SITE ANALYSIS

Marine Drive_NCPA

Marine drive is a long “C” shaped promenade along the Arabian Sea. This particular land-water edge condition is a very rigid edge. The change from land to water is very abrupt. The idea was to blur this edge by adding an intermediate layer that dilutes the sudden change from land to water. The edge is exposed to the harsh tidal waves and thus the wave breakers become a very crucial part of the edge. These wave breakers and the promenade create a very rigid edge between the sea and land making the sea inaccessible. An effort to break this fringe and to enhance the experience of being near the sea was the start point of the project.

ACTIVITIES AT MARINE DRIVE

The promenade is accessed by various people for recreational activities like jogging,walking. It’s a gathering place for people, the place is such that it marks different intensity of people at different time.

INSERT

Initially sketches were made to show various connections between the land and water. The installation proposed to blur the rigid edge but still being very porous and not obstructing the panoramic view of the city scape.

Buoyancy-the edge being exposed to various conditions the installation was proposed to float,to avoid damage due to the waves. Taking the force of wind and wave into consideration the component were designed to be streamlined,to endure the severe waves.

Anchorage-components of the structure are designed to be fixed either to the edge or the sea floor, but still being free to move.

The structure seems to waft around the site with a network of “ORBS “and it opens up extending and blurring the boundary between the land and sea. It is anticipated to change the ground plane

and activate the unapproached path. The project responds to the density of people at different times.

Each orb is connected with a segmented tube which contracts and retracts with the sense of density of people around it. These sensory tubes create different patterns according to the no. of people accessing it. The contraction and retraction of the tubes morph’s the size of the installation and blur’s the existing fringe.

The orbs would reduce the intensity of the waves striking the promenade and serve as mid sea FLOOD RETAINERS

The installation is very flexible and free floating and the orbs arrange themselves in various PATTERNS-FORMED DUE TO EFFECT OF WAVES AND WINDS

PROPOSED PROGRAM

The promenade is mainly used for recreational activities and sightseeing. The installation will enhance the same but on the surface of water. Few of the orbs will be accessible and serve as MID SEA LOUNGE. The remaining orbs will serve as advertising boards under water as well as above the water.

The networking between few orbs will be weaved with a mesh which would serve as a TRASH COLLECTOR during low tides.

The orbs will be equipped with led lights of different colors and will GLOW at night. This will add an additional feature to the promenade. The scape will be lit with floating and submerged orbs. This will attract more visitors at night and will help establish a different relation with the land and sea.

Also the orbs forming the network will reduce the intensity of waves gushing to the shore. They will provide a buffering as well as serves as WAVE BREAKERS.