LITERATURE CASE STUDY

ARANYA LOW COST HOUSING

LOCATION:INDORE,MADYAPRADESH

CLIENT:INDORE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

ARCHITECT :B.V DHOSHI

Aranya, 6 kilometres from Indore, will eventually house a total

population of 60,000 in 6500 dwellings, on a net planning area of 85 hectares. The master
plan, prepared by the Vastu-Shilpa Foundation in 1983, is designed around a central spine
comprising the business district, and an agglomeration of six self-contained neighborhoods.
Their size and organization incorporates all the neighborhood facilities in appropriate
quantities to sustain community life.

 Vitality – development to support socio-economic aspirations of the community.

 Imageability – builtform to impart identity and inculcate a sense of belonging amongst the
inhabitants.
 Equity – to create equitable balanced community with satisfactory level of environmental
qualities and opportunities for all.
 Efficiency – to realize development that optimizes natural, material as well as human
resources to the advantage of the user group.
 Flexibility – to evolve framework that absorbs with ease the progressive change and growth
as a part of natural development process.
 Feasibility – to ensure development within given legal, fiscal and organizational milieu
SITE
Topography of the site was important determinant in planning roads, and other service networks to
maximize use of gravity flow and minimize the cut and fill of land: Introduction of open slot around service
core combines twice as many toilets per manhole and cuts down pipe lengths to half, achieving economic
efficiency without affecting its performance. The service slot has been integrated as design element
helping break the continuous built mass and becoming useful play area for children with platform for
neighborly interaction.

CONCEPT:INSPIRATION FROM EXISTING SLUM SETTLEMENTS IN INDORE

The formal street network draws the vehicular traffic outward to the perimeter road while pedestrian
traffic on informal pathways and open space network flows in the opposite direction achieving clear and
safe segregation of slow and fast moving traffic. Non-rectilinear alignment of streets with varying widths,
bends and widening are provided to accommodate range of spontaneous human activities. The hierarchy
of commercial activities coincides with street hierarchy. Formal commercial outlets are along major arterial
roads while informal shopping areas occur along narrow streets and open spaces throughout the
settlement.
THE NEIGHBERHOOD CONCEPT

Mixed and multiple land use

Formation of small neighbourhoods and houses extending to the outdoors.

Small shopes operating within congested areas.

Trees planted in public places.

Streets accommodating social,economic and domestic activities.

ZONING

ZONING 1
CLIMATE RESPONSIVE FEATURES

 Most of the plots small in size and clusterd in low rise block
 Longer side facade oriented in the north –south axis to reduce thge solar radiation on the building.
 Each house has minimum exposure to wall surface and a common wall.

N-S orientation of clusters streets are shaded except when the sun is overhead

 The 2 openings on the north and south permit light and cross ventilation.
 Courtyard within the houses,cul de sacs,public squres and small activity areas shaded adequately by
adjacent buildings.
 Topography used for orientation of major infrastructure network and spatial organization.

SITE SERVICE AND SCHEME

 In the scheme services like water taps,toilets and street lights and a plinth are provided around
which houses can ahve different configuration.
 Longer side of block of row houses was oriented north south to reduce solar radiation
 Houses were clustered in groups of 10
 Septic tank provided for every 2 clusters.
 Water drawn from 3 local reservoirs.
 To economize,20 toilets are connected to 1 manhole
 One service line serves four rows of houses.


Interesting facts:

1) The building height to street width ratio is such that streets are shaded except when the sun is
overhead.

2) The courtyards within the houses, public squares and small activity areas are shaded adequately by
adjacent buildings.

3) Back in 1989, each plot was provided with a water tank, sewerage connection, paved access with
street lights, stormwater drainage.

4) For landscaping the area, trees that require little maintenance were planted including casuarinas,
bottle brush and eucalyptus.

5) For clear segregation of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, informal interlinked open spaces were
created that were only used for pedestrians. Vehicular access was limited to rectilinear and formal roads
which were 15-meter wide.