SANRAKSHAN
A Marine & Coastal Biodiversity Centre in Mumbai
Project Media
SANRAKSHAN
A marine and coastal biodiversity museum in Mumbai
THE DEAD WHALE
From the year 2014- 2018, the city of Mumbai started witnessing a rare sight of endangered Whales beaching on the shores of the sea. These giant marine mammals were found dead on the beaches of Mumbai and it raised alarming concern about the protection of environment. This was the inspiration of this project sanrakshan to create awareness to such issues.
MUMBAI
PROJECT PROPOSAL AREA AND PROGRAM BRIEF
SITE ANALYSIS I Thane creek
Proposed Site location, surroundings, proximity of schools, easily accessible, major road connecting the two zones providing a strategic location for the project.
DESIGN INSPIRATION I INDIAN ARCHITECTURE
Many of the ancient cultures tell us how communities lived in harmony with nature drawing their sustenance from nature at the same time protecting it. Today as the world is facing degradation of environment and its consequences, traditional ethics of nature preservation could be looked upon as a source of inspiration and guidance for future.
THEMATIC SPACES INDIAN ARCHITECTURE
Here we have important thematic spaces in Indian Architecture found in different parts of the country. They all have similar purpose but are different in the design character. We focused on the most important and common spaces which interacts with nature and human.
DESIGN DERIVATION I Mangrove pathway & Museum
Nodes were placed at strategic points offered by the site. The path is generated by connecting these nodes. The spaces are zoned according to access, views, and surroundings. The thematic modules are placed at the intersection of these spaces. Each point on the path is placed on a strategic location offered by the site itself.
MASTERPLAN The Mangrove walkway & Museum
This the masterplan where we access our site from the main mulund airoli bridge. On the right of the site, we have few residential buildings and the site is surrounded with a thick belt of mangroves.It lies along the thane creek.
SITE PHYSICAL MODEL
Each point on the path is placed on strategic location offered by the site itself. For example, this is an existing flamingo point to which the path extends and then turns into the mangrove zone from there goes out again touching the shores where crabs and molluscs are found in abundance and culminates with a boating point.
MANGROVE PATHWAY & ITS ELEMENTS
The first point towards the mangrove zone is the boating point, where the visitors have an option of choosing their informative journey. They can either take a guided boat trip or turn towards the walking trail into the mangroves for a long informative walking experience.
DESIGN DERIVATION I Sanrakshan the Museum
The designed path enters the site and generates the main axis for the museum. Then we have the 3 axis which derives the massing. The blocks were envisioned as sculptural forms on an open landscape inspired by the Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
MUSEUM MASTERPLAN
The masses offer spaces for green and blue elements to form intimate landscapes within the centre, For example the central path is accentuated by water on two sides to evoke the feeling of entering a sacred space often used as an element in the Indian temples.
FORM DEVELOPMENT
The blocks are connected by semi-covered corridors lined with columns sides defining the paths inspired by the Indian verandas. We have the roofs provided with skylights for natural light and ventilation. The sloping roofs are inspired by the traditional roofs of Indian architecture and also work extremely well for a rainy humid climate like Mumbai.
SANRAKSHAN THE MUSEUM
The pavilions are created as nodes on the paths to break monotony and provide spaces for rest and reflection inspired from the mandapams. Then we have the east side which is characterized by the Ghat system inspired by the Indian architecture along water edges.
MUSEUM EXHIBITION STRATERGY
The museum has three entrances. one for cars and buses, other for cycles and small one only for pedestrians. We have 8 blocks. Three of the blocks accommodate informative spaces of three major biodiversity groups. We have a block for mangroves, for migratory birds and for the marine creatures with the whales.
MUSEUM SPACES
The first space is the Chaura (Entrance) which is an open resting and socialising waiting space next to the reception. Then we have the reception and souvenir shop. Then they enter the lobby area and locker room. Then we have the open deck for café and seating. This space connects to the path and surrounding waterbodies.
MUSEUM SPACES
Before entering the mangrove information we have a small connecting path through mangrove plantations. Then the visitors step into an open deck landscape and then walk into the migratory bird section. From this block, we have a corridor along the mangroves which connects to the whale exhibits. Next to it we have workshops, Amphitheatre & Temporary exhibits
SUSTAINABILITY & CONSTRUCTION ASPECTS.
The building focus on natural light and ventilation system along with rain water harvesting. The materials used are baked brick and terracotta blocks which is one of the traditional characters of Maharashtra. The pathway is designed with used seasoned wooden planks with friction pile foundation for wetland construction.
SHIKHAR I The Observation Tower
One of the main attractions to the park is the tall observatory tower for enjoying the scenic beauty of mangroves and the bird watching of seasonal flamingo visits during the months of May to December in thane creek.
SANRAKSHAN
A marine and coastal biodiversity museum in Mumbai
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Comments (13)
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Really appreciate the great analysis done to bring up this project concept of preservation of coastal regions.
It's really great subject to raise concern about Mumbai's coastal protection
Looks wonderful! I'd like to see this come up in Mumbai :)
Really, different idea
Superb it will change Mumbai look.
It's really great subject for Mumbai
It's really helpful for Mumbai
Concern for the environment is need of the hour.It will certainly help amchi Mumbai.All the best!
Absolutely a perfect choice for the Thesis, living in psync with Nature is the need of the hour !! Very well done !
It's really wonderful great project