DEVELOPING MAJNU KA TILLA AS AN URBAN ASSET TO THE CITY

Majnu Ka Tilla, a settlement that is left stranded on the banks of the River Yamuna, is cut off from the others owing to the manner it sits in the urban landscape in Delhi. It is held between the River Yamuna and the Grand Trunk bypass which is further isolated from the neighboring enclaves as a result of the infrastructural barrier that is posed by the Metro depot that engulfs the site. It is situated three kilometers to the north of the Kashmere gate bus terminal.

Introduction

Maj

nu K

a Ti

lla in

Its

Prec

inct

Location of Majnu Ka Tilla in the context of Delhi

Forming an island of its own.

Background

•In 1959 after Tibet was captured by China, many Tibetans fled from china including their spiritual leader Dalai Lama.

• Tibetans flee to India where Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru allots them land to various corners of the Indian subcontinent.

•Majnu Ka Tilla, is one such place that has paid refuge to this community • Today Majnu ka Tilla has become a talking point because of the manner in which it has gone out place marketing itself by making a commodity of its land.

About the site

Building Pattern across Majnu Ka Tilla

In its neighborhood the refugee camp has developed a mutual bond with Punjabi Basti. The two settlements are connected via iron bridge.

Public face that Majnu Ka Tilla shows

Space concealed within the settlement of Majnu ka Tilla

Ideas behind Choosing the topic

Proposal

• After having studied the settlement through the perspective of the people it gives me an opportunity as a student of Urban Design, Architecture to dwell into the affairs of Majnu Ka Tilla with the same zeal as the refugees.

• On studying this settlement I have seen how Majnu Ka Tilla shares a Symbiotic relationship with Delhi and I would be looking to strengthen this bond . •Through this Thesis I see a great potential in this ethnic minority whose integration with the city would work towards the healing of the city specially in its zone of influence .

• The Master Plan of Delhi 2021 is working towards the goal of achieving a global city status and my efforts will be at making Majnu Ka Tilla contribute towards this goal by making it a destination through place making, instances that this camp already shows.

Field of Exploration How Majnu Ka Tilla an Ethnic minority can become and Urban Asset to the city

Area of Architectural InterestCharging the precinct where the goal will be at integrating Majnu Ka Tilla by utilizing the vacant land

Make the project a destinationCreate A Module for Ethnic Minorities

Limit of EnquiryLimiting myself to this Ethnic Minority and see how it can make contribution to the city instead of being left deserted on a island

Point I am making through my ThesisMajnu Ka Tilla an Ethnic Minority is not a parasite but in fact it shares a Symbiotic relationship with Delhi. It is a positive entity and can contribute towards the image making of the city.

Proposal

Hypothesis

- Majnu Ka Tilla, an ethnic minority shares a symbiotic relationship with Delhi as opposed to how

the city perceives it as a parasite, a negative entity and can be developed into an Urban Asset to the City

Proposal

Project Agenda

• Making Majnu Ka Tilla a destination by introduction of recreational and cultural activities

•Utilization of vacant land to integrate Majnu Ka Tilla to the city.

• Recycling the settlement of Majnu Ka Tilla to improve the quality of life

•Utilizing tools like the Urban Square (temple square) and edge conditions for place making

• Activation of the river front (Yamuna) in the site’s zone of influence.

Proposal

ZONE OF INFLUENCE

Visualizing the end Product….

Proposal

Area of NCT = 148300 Ha

Healing spot Activating a Precinct of 770 Ha

(1 out of 91 urbanized area)

Representation of the Healing Spot

Proposal

Proposal

METHODOLOGY – THE WAY AHEAD

• Documenting the site for a deeper understanding of its characteristics at four different levels – city , precinct, neighborhood and the site . This documentation will help me analyze the constraints and opportunities for the site and ultimately help me in identifying the points of interventions . • To devise an Architectural program, case studies of ethnic minorities will be looked at to see a common pattern in the functions amongst these places that reflects there culture and Identity.

• A case study of Dharamshala , Mcleodganj will be done to understand the image making of the Tibetan Community

• A quantitative and a qualitative analysis will be done of the functions to analyze the space that can be later translated to Architecture at various points of intervention.

• Application of the information obtained from above to recycle the settlement and typing it up in a more efficient manner.

Proposal

Characteristics of the site

Site Analysis

Existing Networks: Roads

Site Analysis

Site Analysis

Site Analysis

Existing Networks : Metro

Site Analysis

Existing networks: Water Bodies

Site Analysis

Site Analysis

Site Analysis

Existing networks: Open Spaces

Site Analysis

How space is Utilized - LANDUSE

Site Analysis

Ownership use and Management of Land PatternsSITE SPECIFIC

Site Analysis

Edge conditions play to the fortunes of the Landlord

Division of the land

Site Analysis

Building Typology

Site Analysis

Regularities

MAJNU KA TILLA, the Tibetan Refugee Camp is not accounted for in Delhi’s Master plan and therefore it does not follow any guidelines for :

•Setbacks •Ground Coverage•FAR• Permissible heights

Therefore we See Majnu Ka Tilla without any release in the Built Fabric

However there is standard Height that is seen throughout the settlement that makes it address to the human scale.

Site Analysis

Site Analysis

Site Analysis

Site Analysis

Thank you