Ahmedabad, Gujarat  |  2023

Chharodi lake sits at the urban periphery, poised for rapid urbanisation. Unconnected to urban systems yet surrounded by piecemeal development, it caught untreated sewage and supported rural animal systems simultaneously. The revival strategies for the lake involved careful assessment of multiple factors like ownerships, encroachments and edge conditions in order to define the scope of development.

The proposal defines a new lake edge while retaining the natural slopes for surface water run off, retains all natural species of plants that form a wetland shoreline offset around it for natural filtration and a soft landscape scheme is planned further to aid this entire system of natural filtration. This activated edge is then further developed to draw people in with various amenities of public life: gardens, café, toilets, and a stepped access into the lake. Areas around the anchoring village are opened and connected to support robust public use, and an open maidan hosts large and dispersed activity.