SPONGE CITY: BELAPUR

The published work is done by Sponge City group as part of SEM9 Urban design Studio. The design intervention was culminated after weeks of rigorous documentation and research that attempted to re-imagine the storm water drainage of Belapur.

Montage curated by Belapur, Sponge City Group | Urban design Studio Sem9

Belapur is planned as the Central Business District that is situated in the heart of Navi Mumbai. Intended to be developed as a city to decongest Mumbai, large tracts of green land were acquired for the said purpose. This planned corridor of CBD is set between the Parsik hills on the northern side and its southwestern extents are limited by Panvel Creek thus topographically marking a descent southward. Topographical character of the larger city was essentially considered to divert the storm water that could have largely run down the hills and clogged the roads when the monsoon's hit. To cater to this, the storm water drainage mainly based on the DUTCH METHOD was planned by CIDCO.

The Dutch method utilizes the difference between the high and low tides of Sea to curb the seawater ingress as well as to allow the disposal of wastewater and rainwater. To facilitate this system there are well defined rivulets across the city that channel wastewater and additionally Holding ponds were provided to store wastewater and allow seepage without clogging the city. Albeit the system of networks the scope of additional percolation was identified since 80% of rainwater ended up as surface run off and only 20% recharged groundwater. This conclusively led to incorporate higher percolation surface at the city level to combat the low infiltration in urban corridors thus envisaging a Sponge City. Furthermore, the existing drain system was found to be alienated from the public realm and eventually neglected from urban life becoming deserted spots around the city. For the design to work as a whole it was important to understand the journey of water from Parsik Hill to the Pnavel Creek.

Stormwater management of existing system, documented by Sponge City Group | Urban design Studio Sem9

Conceptively this looked into managing the stormwater through a system of Delay, Restore, Filter and Release that could channelize the high surface run off to infiltrate groundwater. The system was to be redefined at three levels. Firstly, the urban precinct where the toolkit was designed considering local biodiversity. Additionally, Bioswales, dynamic curb bulbouts and Reed bed planters are proposed to maximize percolation. Apart from interventions on the urban precinct the toolkit focused on the existing rivulets and urban streams and maximize their potential. Thirdly, for the open space around Belapur, in order to optimize percolation, Biofiltration Basins and Rain Gardens are proposed. The open spaces around the city were identified which can be utilized as non-perennial sponge interventions such that they can be accessed in non-monsoon months but would otherwise be used for storing the excess water. Utilizing these elements of the toolkit the design intervention depended on the area available and the land use of the plot with the large aim of maximizing the potential of existing land.

Toolkit designed by Sponge City Group | Urban design Studio Sem9

Employing these elements of the toolkit site was chosen to detail out the elements of Sponge city.

Toolkit employed in section designed by Sponge City Group | Urban design Studio Sem9

Toolkit employed in at a chosen site, designed by Sponge City Group | Urban design Studio Sem9

Sponge city, a novel concept asks for more such speculative concepts that think of future demand by maximizing the existing.

Designed and researched by Sponge City Group| Urban Design Studio| Sem9 Sponge City group students: Ananya Nayak, Sandesh Jadhav, Sarvesh Kambli, Samruddhi Shinde, Rashi Bhanushali, Anchal Virulkar Edited by editorial team