BHOPAL UPPER LAKE REVITALISATION
State Government of Madhya Pradesh
Bhopal , Madhya Pradesh
2012
500000 + sqft
Urbanism​
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PRESS:
The Bhoj Wetland comprises of two lakes - the lower lake and the much older upper lake. The upper lake is only a small part of a vast man-made lake, an engineering marvel that was built in the 11th century. We wanted our intervention to be in continuum with this story and hence we delved deeply into the history of the place and the role of the lake in shaping the lifestyle and culture of Bhopal. Our proposal sought to firstly protect the ecological aspect of the lake by introducing infiltration gardens, bio swales and biodiversity parks, secondly contribute to the cultural and social life of Bhopal and lastly preempt future developmental aspects associated with city expansion.
The lake suffered from issues of encroachment due to ambiguous boundaries, destruction of riparian areas and an overall degradation of water quality. Hence we sought to promote development of environmental friendly activities such as aquaponics, organic farming etc. that may constitute a parallel economic lifeline of the city. We also proposed iconic structures along the lake edge that may contribute to the ‘place making‘ of the precinct.
Undefined connectivity with the Lower lake negates the possibility of a seamless integration with the city on the other equally important side.