INDUBHAI PAREKH SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, RAJKOT
STUDIO V - 2014
COMMUNITY
CENTRE AT RAMNATHPARA, RAJKOT
Context:
India is a country with rich and diverse cultural heritage with a
potent combination of several ways of life. Across the country, there is a backdrop of
strong cultural attributes which governs an individual’s life. Even an entirely
uneducated and illiterate carry a sense of history, tradition, and skills with
him. Though being culturally vibrant, poverty marks another side of reality.
Poverty as seen in the lives of rural people and urban poor leads to a
continuous lack of basic requirements of their lives. Almost half of the
world’s population lack access to basic sanitation and in India this situation
is aggravating. The people falling under this category have taken this as a
fact of their lives and have started accepting things as they are.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India,
mentions in his book The Discovery of India in 1946;
The modern mind is, … , practical and pragmatic,
ethical and social, altruistic and humanitarian. It is governed by practical
idealism for social betterment… Humanity is its god and social service is its
religion.
Today, in 2014, many organizations in India
operate with this humanitarian ideology and works for the social upliftment of
the people living under this circumstances. From the many organizations working
on these lines, Environmental Sanitation Institute is a Non-Governmental
Organization (established in 1985) that strives to provide a better quality of
life to rural people and the urban poor through improved sanitation. This
organization intends to bring a phenomenal change in the lifestyle of Indians
by bringing the changes from the micro level. Hence, it operates from micro to
macro level in the society.
One of such NGOs in Rajkot works on improving
the quality of life through generating awareness amongst people regarding the
issues of sanitation, health and hygiene, and educating people at the community
level. They operate in the different slums area of the city. One of such area
is Ramnathpara in the old city of Rajkot which is a mix use are where informal
housing consisting of families from different lower income communities
following different religion stay. The site is located on the edge of Aji River near Ramnath Mahadev
Mandir. On a close introspection of the site and its context, it was observed
that:
· Sanitation: access to basic sanitary facilities is real
issue. Unsafe drinking water and unhygienic condition leads to poor health
issues in neighbourhood.
· Many activities related to rituals of different people
belonging to different religions happen at the riverbank and due to lack of
management system for disposal of solid waste, it creates unhygienic living
environment.
· People residing are predominantly are sanitary workers,
rag-pickers, kabadiwala, etc. They require be oriented and trained on
sanitation issues.
· Preprimary and primary school going children needs to be
engaged and educated from environmental and sanitation point of view.
Hence, there is a great potential of a community centre that
focuses on sanitation awareness in addition to other activities specific to the
community residing in the immediate context. Hence, a Programme was generated
for a Community Centre that will educate, motivate and allow participation different
age group of people and many sections of urban population in improving quality
of life.
Areas including
circulation @1700 sqm.
1.0
Sanitation
Awareness Unit 600 sqm.
1.1
Multipurpose Hall (75-80 people) 150
sqm.
1.2
Discussion cum Seminar Room (30 people) 50
sqm.
1.3
Demonstration Yard * 300
sqm.
1.4
Storage for Demonstration yard 40 sqm.
1.5
Toilets (2 nos.) 10
sqm.
1.6
Outdoor
Meeting Area (150 people) **
1.7
Public Toilets with urinals (4 each for males and
females = 8) 50 sqm.
*Bio-gas plant,
Rainwater Harvesting Tank, Soak pits, waste water recycling.
**could be rented
at the time of community functions and awareness programs.
2.0
Vocational Unit 200 sqm.
2.1
Activity Rooms (2 nos. – 50 sqm. each) 100 sqm
2.2
Display area 25 sqm.
2.3
Storage 50 sqm
2.4
Shop (2 nos.)
25 sqm.
3.0
Education Unit 200 sqm.
3.1 Workshops
(2 nos. each 50 sqm.) 100
sqm.
3.2 Common
Reading Area 100 sqm.
4.0
Health Unit 100 sqm.
4.1 Check-up
area 50 sqm.
4.2 Waiting 20 sqm.
4.3 Storage 20 sqm.
4.4 Toilets 10 sqm.
5.0
Administration 100
sqm.
5.1 General
Administration / reception area 25 sqm.
5.2 Administrator's
Office (Head + Accountant)
15 sqm.
5.3 Room
for Teachers & Trainers 30 sqm.
5.4 Toilets
(Male & Female) 10 sqm.
5.5 Store
Room 20 sqm.
6.0
Parking
4 four wheelers and 20 two wheelers
Total
1200 sqm.
The Area occupied by structure and circulation
shall not be greater than 50 % of program area. Judicious use
of space and floor area is encouraged resulting in reduction of floor area
without compromising on basic functionality.
The architectural objective is to explore the nature of
institutional manifestation that catalyzes and houses such varied activities.
Understanding the landform and existing built context would be crucial for
arriving at a specific architectural response.
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