Tag: Ecological Restoration

Posted on

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.

Posted on

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

Watch Video

Posted on

Adyar Ecopark, Chennai

Adyar wetland reserve and the Tholkappia Poonga Ecopark is an environmentally significant project in the city of Chennai. Idea Design worked on this project as landscape architecture and urban design consultants with Mr. Joss Brooks, renowned ecological restoration specialist of Pitchandikulam Forest Consultants, Auroville. A combined fresh-water / salt-water ecosystem has been revived to make it an ecologically rich and diverse system for migratory birds and estuarine ecosystems along with coastal vegetation being the significant link to tie them together.

Environmentally sensitive approach is given for the water and waste management. The sewage and waste water which flows from the city to this creek is treated using ecological planning techniques. Each aspect of the park demonstrates a strong commitment to the environment. An ecoforum is proposed where man can interact and interpret different ecosystems of the park. The park will also become a center for education and environmental awareness. Demonstration of working models of sustainable technologies for human habitation is another important feature of the park. Idea Design worked as part of the team who prepared the Ecological Restoration Master Plan. The Project was implemented by Pitchandikulam Forest Consulatnts and Idea Design provided detailed design services working together with ecologists from PFC.

Once a garbage and debris dumpsite, the park has recently recorded more than 100 species of birds, 100 different species of fish, 56 species of butterflies and 25 species of reptiles. The white-bellied sea eagle for the first time in these parts a month ago. Flamingos and painted stork have also returned here. This richness in biodiversity is in itself an indicator of the success of our restoration efforts.  A total of one-and-a-half lakh saplings of 400 indigenous species of plants have been planted in the restored area. Being a brackish water ecosystem, seven different varieties of mangroves and associates were planted on the site, and was able to successfully restore the estuarine wetland ecosystem.

The Project won the Indian Institute of Architects National Award 2020 for Excellence in Architecture

Posted on

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.