1. Natural Processes in Settlement Design Alka Palrecha 1 2. Not just beck only, Not just the water- The stones flow also, Wide cataracts of rock Pour off the fellside, Throw up a spume Of gravel and scree To eddy and sink. 2 3. As the growth of coral, is the climb of a column. The falling water Hangs steady as stone, But the solid rock is a whirlpool of motion. - Adapted from Poetry of Norman Nicholson, 1981 3 4. Global Continental Shelf 4 5. Indian Continental Shelf 5 6. stalagmite and stalactites 6 7. Icicle 7 8. Nature and Process Nature is a process, it has to abide by laws, interact with its environment, and changed whenever it is demanded too. But nature is not without its problems. Sometimes nature presents its own problems that we as human beings must over come. Example - in coastal areas is to hold back the sea storms that humans have to do. 8 9. Flexible Dunes Dunes and dikes hold back the storm from a laden wave. The Dutch, dont completely stop the waves, but try to lesson them. They try to reduce the amount of damage they can inflict by absorbing some of that energy. They do this by creating flexible dunes that flex at the force of a wave, using grass and masonry. 9 10. Flexible Dunes Existing Design with Nature 10 11. MCHARGS METHOD OF ECOLOGICAL INVENTORY McHargs method involved superimposing layers of geographical data (e.g. environmental and social factors) so that their spatial intersection (relationships) can be used in making decisions. This core idea, McHargs planning methodology, lead to the development of Geographic Information System (GIS) software tools. 11 12. Overlay Method 12 13. Stream Overlay 13 14. Soil Overlay 14 15. Relief Overlay 15 16. Vegetation Overlay 16 17. Geology Overlay 17 18. Landslides Vulnerable Area 18 19. Fault Line 19 20. Constrain Map 20 21. Opportunity Map 21 22. Suitability Map 22 23. Suitability Map 23 24. Overlay List for Natural Dimensions Geology (including rock type and geological formations) Relief (Hypsography - the height of land) Slope (areas of different gradient) Pedology (different soil types, such as podsols, krasnosems, paddy soils, etc) Natural hydrological features on Surface (features such as streams, rivers, ponds and lakes) Vegetation types (including all types of vegetation from grassland, scrub, forest and afforest plantations); Ecological habitats (areas of different ecological type and value) Wildlife habitats; Tidal Inundation; and Water Table (groundwater levels) 24 25. 25 26. Mimicking Nature - Bio mimicry Vortex Spirals - Conical geometry of snail shells, or the funnel shape of cyclones. Drain the water out of bath tub, the water spirals. Austrian forest warden and researcher Viktor Schauberger to discover that vortexes in water lead to self-purification 26 27. Vortex Wastewater Treatment System 27 28. Dimensions of Settlement (Landscape) Visual/ Aesthetic Natural/Ecological Political/Economical Cultural/Social In addition there is also a dimension that is a product of the above influences. This is termed "genius loci", or what may be termed "sense of place" or "landscape character" 28 29. Striving for Sense of Place The correlation of following features lead to character of place or sense of place Landform elevation Diversity of land-use Presence of water Degree of naturalness Quite what causes specific places to possess a specific character is not entirely clear and is that which we designers aim for. 29