Toyota Ecozone Bidadi, Bangalore

Toyota Ecozone is an environmental education initiative by Toyota Kirloskar Motors inside their 400 acre campus at Bidadi, Bangalore. Spread in 25 acres, the ecozone is being developed in the 25 acre derelict land in the campus. The Ecozone houses extensive theme gardens – Wetland Diversity, Climate Change, Underground Ecology, and Pollination Meadows surrounded by a restoration forest of native species. More than hundred local schools take part in Toyota’s green curriculum with its experiential learning.

The project featured below is one part of this large ecological restoration project, which is a timeline park. Walking through this Evolution Timeline Garden one absorbs striking images – the snowflake crystalline form of a single celled bacteria, the spiraling shell of an ammonite, the first appearance of earth’s flowering plants against the massive head of a T-Rex, and then in the final steps of the timeline, the rise of the Himalayas and the emergence of Hominids. These large artworks sprawl over thick granite pillars and soar across the path as steel silhouettes. Parallel to this walkway, the accompanying plants rise up through the garden beds as ancient echoes to the fossil record. Horsetails in a sheet of water, ferns, cycads, auracaria trees, palms and grasses rise up among the paintings and sculptures. The further one explores this walkway the more one is entangled with time, deep time.

Ecological Retrofit of Wipro EC4, Bangalore

Wipro Electronic City Campuses of EC3 and EC4 used to have a manicured garden with large lawns and exotic plants. However the management thought that the campus needs to be more ecofriendly and sustainable and started many initiatives to bring in eco-sensitive solutions in all aspects. Idea Design worked on the landscape and redesigned them to bring in elements of the Deccan ecosystem, in land formation, geology, hydrology and soil conservation. The retrofitted landscape was sculpted to create a fresh composition of indigenous plant communities annotated with ecological information as eco-art in local stone slabs. The central courtyard which was developed as a butterfly garden, now witnesses thousands of blue-tigers and other species nesting during the season.

The project won W-ELITE Best Sustainability Partner Award in 2014

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Greenfield, Yercaud

This environment friendly project office of Greenfield Shelters is perched on the exotic location on the eastern ghats overlooking the enchanting valley view. Built with reused steel frames, silver oak wood, bamboo, stone, mud and thatch it is a structure built to capture the nature surrounding it. A zero energy building which is off the grid, uses biogas based generator, wind power and solar power for all its requirements. The landscape incorporates big boulders of the site in its contours interspaced with a collage of mountain grass species and ground covers. The waterbody which penetrates the building and culminates in a vertical garden wall becomes the central feature. The Vertical garden itself is made of reused mineral water-bottles, stalked on metal frames and wrapped with geotextile. Organic vegetable garden, waterless toilets, mud-floor, bamboo floor, bamboo furniture and several other elements which exhibit strong commitment to ecological design principles.

The project was shortlisted finalist for the Indian Institute of Architects National Award 2015 for Excellence in Architecture

Wetland Park, Wipro EC5, Bangalore

Idea Design has worked on the Wipro Electronic City Campuses of EC3 and EC4 in ecologically retrofitting their campuses with indigenous landscape bringing in elements of Deccan ecosystem in these urban campuses. As a continuation, a detailed ecological regenerative landscape is proposed which will rejuvenate and enliven huge amount of recycled water from STPs of Wipro’s electronic city campuses, taking them through root zones, aeration, flow-forms through a large constructed wetland system, which also becomes a public space, to make the water more lively and making the campus more sustainable.

ATREE, Bangalore

ATREE – Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment is a well known NGO and national research organisation with head office in Bangalore. Their new office building is designed by Good Earth. We developed the landscape design for the ATREE campus concentrating on the narrow strips of building’s yards and courtyards, with indigenous flora. Deccan’s geological specimens add an ecological interest and artistic value to the landscape. Natural stones and bricks are used for creating unique paving patterns. A shade-loving dry garden is designed for the inner courtyard.

Science Centre, IUCAA, Pune

IUCAA – Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune is a campus that is designed by the master architect Charles Correa. IDLA was asked to do the landscape for the science centre at IUCAA. The science centre is engaged in scientific experiments and outreach education, which involves school children. IDLA came up with the concept of the solar system, in which all planets will be symbolically part of the landscape in relative scale. The inner planets are represented by spheres made by different natural stones, the astroid belt is represented by a storm water drain that cuts the site in two and the outer planets are represented by large mounds. A dome-theatre is included inside the jupiter mound, where children can enter, lie down and watch spherical projection of the sky and learn about stars and constellations.