Studio Saar has designed a new park in Udaipur, India, as part of the city’s green transformation. Set on the banks of the artificial lake Swaroop Sagar, ‘Udaan’ is the first park to be revamped in Udaipur.
The city of Udaipur in India is undergoing a green transformation. Udaan park, located in west Udaipur is the first park to be revitalised as part of the initiative to revamp the city’s green spaces, and has been given a new lease of live by, Bath and Udaipur-based studio Saar, who designed the park for not-profit Rajasthan-based client, Dharohar.
Due to increasing urban sprawl, Udaipur’s green spaces have diminished to a mere two-metres-squared public green space per capita a stark contrast to the to a standard of nine-metres-squared prescribed by the WHO. A community-led city greening initiative, known as ’10 lakh Vriksh’, aims to revive gardens and parks across the city to create more breathable, green spaces in the city. (‘Vriksh’ stands for trees in Hindi, hence as suggested the initiative will plant 10 lakh trees all around Udaipur.)
Aerial view of Udaan and Swaroop Sagar lake.
Prior to the redevelopment, Udaan park lacked easy access to the rich scenic wildlife its surroundings had to offer. Studio Saar has reimagined the space with an integrated landscape that offers an interactive adventure and community space.
In collaboration with structural engineers, (Ami Engineers) Studio Saar reused locally available materials on site, reclaimed tyres being used for planters, swings, play tunnels, and an entrance maze. Non-structural metalwork detailing such as gates, fences, balustrades, and even parts of the canopy, were made using repurposed steel reinforced bars.
“By reusing existing materials on site, the studio helped us in reducing our environmental footprint. We are excited for the people of Udaipur to visit the park and discover that it offers something for everyone,” said Shivani Singhal of Dharohar.
The choice of plants is also empathetic to its context; they are locally sourced from south Rajasthan. “We looked for plants and trees that were often overlooked as they were not considered ‘fine’ plants. So we chose trees and plants such as the Gum Arabic Tree, Madras Thorn, Indian Elm etc. These trees serve as havens for bird life as the fruits they bear are favourites during the dry, drought season,” said Ananya Singhal, Design Lead at Studio Saar.
Studio Saar’s design ensures a connection between the public realm and the lakeside, keeping in mind the accessibility to the park. The park’s rough, rocky outcrop, meanwhile, creates a series of interactive landscapes for all age groups that run down from the street down to the lake.
The concept for the canopy is based on the migrant birds which are regular visitors to the site. “Aside from starlings, we have seen 6 species of ducks, 4 species of geese, pipits, sandpipers, kingfishers, egrets, cormorants etc. There is also an increase in the local bird life, with lapwings, flycatchers, rollers, cuckoos, mynas etc nesting in the foliage and trees,” adds Ananya.
The truss is made of painted structural tubular mild steel and a mesh of steel cables.
“With the city at a severe risk of depleting its green cover, our ongoing work with Dharohar can ignite a movement to reshape the city of Udaipur with open green spaces, developed for and maintained by the community,” concluded Ananya.
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