HYPER MAIDAN
Integrating Water, Ecology and Social Infrastructure
PeiJou Shih, Zilu He, Donghanyu An
What if natural and social infrastructure systems are integrated in time and scale?
The hyper maidan is a system of interlocking systems and occupancies in space. It builds on the idea of the maidan, a common ground in Indian cities where everyone and everything is welcome. We use the concept of the hyper maidan as a resilient strategy for Pune, a city that is currently implementing a plan for the Mula-Mutha River that promotes fragmentation of land uses, isolated systems, and mono-occupancy of land and river. Our proposal blends land and river in a hyper maidan that interlocks systems, encourages temporal occupancies, promotes multiple uses, and operates at multiple scales toward the equitability of water, people, fauna and flora.
Project Introduction Video
Current Fragmented Systems Sabotage the Fullness of the Maidan
Development in Pune has fragmented land into small pieces for easier control, resulting in the loss of the city’s ability to accommodate the monsoon rains and the increase in population. The consequences can be catastrophic. On July 12, 1961, the Panshet dam built on the upstream of the Mutha river burst and the flood resulted in more than 10,000 families becoming homeless. But the consequences can also have an everyday impact such as on the sewage treatment system that is overwhelmed and underperforms.
It is necessary to learn from history and carefully rethink current infrastructure projects to make them as resilient and multi-functional as possible. We also see the need to consider ecological infrastructure alongside hard infrastructure.
We see ten systems operating in isolated and inefficient ways in Pune—Informal Settlement, River/rain, Ecology, Playground, Sewage Treatment, education, city-level transportation, regional rail, agriculture, and ritual.
Fragmented infrastructure is inefficient.
Hyper Maidan Introduction Video
Translating the Maidan Concept
into the Interlocking Systems Infrastructure - Hyper Maidan
Systems Interlocking in Time and Scale We design for four stakeholders of the city of Pune: water, people, fauna, and flora. Each stakeholder is a seasonal occupier of the hyper maidan. We maximize efficiency by negotiating each of their occupations on a timely basis.
Temporal Occupancy by Four Stakeholders
Systems Interlocking in Time and Scale We design at four scales: XS, S, M, L, and XL. Each scale accommodates a system in a different mutually supportive way.
The Design of the Interlocking Systems Infrastructure
At the extra small and small scale, the household unit separates solid and liquid waste, collects rainwater in the monsoon season, and uses dry land for common activities in the dry season.
At a medium scale, ponds are used to hold rain and prevent flood in the city, treat wastewater, and grow plants including mosquito repellent plants, and animals, especially fish. In the dry season, festival and events can be accommodated.
At a large scale, we design a Bio-Park that gives room to the river, rain, and plants in the monsoon season while giving the room people and animals in the dry season.
Implementing Hyper Maidan in Different Scales on Site
Hyper Maidan Application XS and S scale in the informal settlement, M scale in open common ground. And L in the riverfront.
Site Plan in the Dry and Monsoon Season
Strategy Design in Scale at the small and extra small scale, people collect rainwater from the roof and separate solid waste for composting. They use the community size wetland to hold water in monsoon season and the land to gather in the dry season.
At the medium scale, during the monsoon season, the ground is used for growing crops and the pond is ready for fish when there is enough water. When the water goes down in the dry season, the land can be used for people and animals again.
The elements in a hyper maidan are worked together harmonious and efficient manner. The water full of the ponds and plants flourishing. while in the dry season, human and animal occupied the site.
Master Plan V.S. Space Temporal Occupancy
In the Hyper Maidan, the land is no longer segregated by the land use. Instead, it is redefined by the dynamic occupancy of people, flora, fauna, and water.
Space Temporal Occupancy
Space Temporal Occupancy
Hyper Maidan Network Implementation
The entire city can be a hyper Maidan over time, apply the time and scale strategy based on the analysis of topography and water flow.
Based on Topography and Water flow
Infrastructure Network on Site
Infrastructure Network Implement to Entire City
Conclusion
The Hyper Maidan integrates systems in time and scale with infrastructure that provides more opportunities for not just people, but also plants, animals and water. We believe that Hyper Maidan is a paradigm for the resilient city of the future.
