The project had political, economic, social and ecological concerns. The challenge was to integrate a system within the existing conditions of an impoverished artisan neighborhood in the district of Kalighat in Kolkata. Introducing a design for a new campus in the neighborhood to attract travelers to embrace a new culture and people. The eco-cultural retreat serves as a base for many people in the community to find more ways to increase their income, while educating the mass about the importance of a healthy ecosystem. The intent of the project was to make a local change in order to make a regional and even global impact.
The design intended to integrate people and their environment and create a platform where the existing culture could be celebrated and preserved.
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| context map |
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| circulation map |
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| planting plan |
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| water diagram |
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| The community center as well as the cultural retreat mimic an existing cultural icon, the ghat. The ghat signifies the connection people have to the water or the Adi Ghanga, the Great Ghangis River. It is the source of life and the place where all things go after life. A powerful symbol of the people's dependence on the great natural resources in India. |
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| retreat community ghat |
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| wetland |
