DESIGN WITH NATURE

TUTORIAL 2
GAURIKA GROVER
M.ARCH RECREATION - 2nd SEM
11 MARCH 2020

WHAT IS AN ECO RESORT?

An eco-resort is the destination where the traveller experiences the local culture and landscape. The
“eco-resort” means a friendly environment development of the area and has assumed the figure of a
concept of resorts whose localizations and destinations offer a set of products, services and animation
related to the environmental questions.

The three main principles of eco-tourism that an eco-resort should embody are:

1. The conservation and protection of the site

2. Local community must benefit through educational programmes.

3. Educating the guests and locals on the surrounding environment and its cultural heritage.

An eco resort, is a lodging facility that takes steps to reduce its carbon footprint while giving back to
its local community.

Vaansa Eco Resort at Amgarhi.

BRIEF OF THE PROJECT

Category: Hospitality
Location: Jim Corbett, Uttarakhand
Completed: March 2013 Covered Area: 5350 sqm
Various strategies for soil stabilisation, waste/water management and bio-diversification for the
reclamation and rejuvenation of forest-fire prone land have been deployed in this resort, situated in
the Himalayan foothills, near Jim Corbett National Park. The project is located at the edge of the Jim
Corbett National Park on the foothills of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand, India. An eco-tourism
destination, presently, every season more than 70,000 visitors come to the park from India and other
countries.

 Our project is one of the finest project in all over Northen region.
 The total built up area of the porject is about 6000 sq.m
 One of the first kind of swimming pool which is inside the man made lake.
 Highly praised & acclaimed project infrastructure.
 Project constructed as per green building norms.
 3 sides of the project touching the forest reserves.
 Constructed as per LEED certified gold.
 Overlooking Nanital hills
DESIGN PARAMETERS

Their design strategy has been reconfiguring the existing agricultural terraces on site to slow down
the rainwater run-off, reduce the erosion of the top soil and regenerate the local vegetation. This has
influenced an open design of the individual residential units as well.

The architects see the resort as an area where one is building a smaller volume in proportion to the
size of the entire site, opening up a huge opportunity to create larger cycles of waste-consumption
management as well as for exploring passive and holistic strategies for interacting with ecology. They
feel that this can “create a more resilient and sustainable relationship between the building and the
site”.

It is intended to be a high-end green development for tourists. The delicate warm temperate ecology
of the region is threatened by two types of natural calamities-landslides and forest fires. Both these
ravages are further exacerbated due to uncontrolled erosion during the wet seasons, seasonal
denudation of foliage during the hot and dry seasons and anthropogenic deforestation and
environmental degradation. As a model development for green resorts, the project makes use of
various strategies for soil stabilization, waste and water management and bio-diversification like bio
swales, etc.

Biological reclamation: Large scale plantation of native species is planned in order restore the natural
flora and fauna of the site. Deciduous plantations are strategically located to enhance shade on paths
and living units during the summer while ensuring penetration of the winter sun. A detailed plan has
been developed for promoting undergrowth and aromatic plants and herbs to attract pollinator birds
and insects

The ecological master planning followed a 3-step approach.

First, suitable water catchment points were located on site. These were developed with peripheral
reed-bed plantations and sedimentation tanks for grey water, runoff and harvested rainwater
treatment.

Second, the terraces of this erstwhile agricultural land were remediated through curving
topographical manipulations so as to feed the catchment ponds and to drastically reduce the runoff
velocity and erosion of topsoil. The design also ensures controllable intake and overflow into the two
seasonal streams on site through check-dams and flues at various points on site.

In third step, large scale plantation of native species is planned in order restore the natural flora and
fauna of the site. Deciduous plantations are strategically located to enhance shade on paths and living
units during the summer while ensuring penetration of the winter sun. A detailed plan has been
developed for promoting undergrowth and aromatic plants and herbs to attract pollinating birds and
insects. The dwelling units are designed on the basic idea of creating personal envelops which not only
provide a private space but also a sense of security. A continuous green roof over the single rooms is
designed to provide large multi utility space. The rainwater captured through the rain catcher
umbrellas is stored and utilized for irrigation and as grey water in toilets.

Today, as eco-tourism is gaining in popularity, vaansa eco-resort is all set to entice nature lovers!

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABLE ASPECTS

The fact is the act of building (anything) has deep environmental, economic and socio-cultural
ramifications. Theory is that a project must be viewed through a combination of all these lenses in
order for its architecture to be sustainable.

Combinations of active and passive systems have been employed for the conservation and reuse of
natural resources. Maximum use of solar powered equipment’s, coupled with insulating materials
brings down the energy dependency of the structure while efficiently controlling the inside
environments. They are further oriented intelligently so as to allow the pleasant morning and evening
sun to enter the units while blocking the harsh afternoon sun. Also most of the construction materials
have been procured from the near vicinity like wood that comes from the state forest department.

Furthermore, the key target issue for the project was the sustainable development of the overall
village area and not just the site. For this, only local labour has been employed in construction and
they have been educated in new techniques of construction. They are encouraged to grow vegetables
and maintain dairy farms commercially. Most of it shall be directly consumed by the resort thus
providing them with a captive market. On completion, the local people shall also be engaged in the
functioning of the resort.

ARCHITETCURAL STRATEGIES
The units are designed on the basic idea of creating personal envelopes which not only provide a
private space but also a sense of security. They are further clustered to derive a common open spaces
for the users. The continuous green roof over the single rooms is designed to provide a larger
multiutility space and a constant green skyline merging with the surrounding. The extensive use of
local bamboo and excavated stone re-use reinforces the ecological essence of the design. Apart from
the aforementioned, there are various active and passive systems employed for the conservation and
reuse of natural resources in this project

Orientation of the dwelling units is such that pleasant morning and evening sun penetrates through,
avoiding the harsh afternoon sun. Additionally, the resort intends to rejuvenate the local culture and
economy by employing local labour for construction and using locally grown products.

ANALYTICAL FINDINGS – REVIEWS

 Place where you get Refreshed and Rejuvenated, a place where we only serve a Healthy
Organic or Vegetarian delicious Cuisine as we care for you, for your Health and for your
Rejuvenation.
 Various strategies for soil stabilisation, waste and water management and bio-diversification
have been deployed.