Thesis Synopsis

Reviving the Eco-tourism in Pichavaram

(A symboitic equilibrium of man and nature)
“Any tourism activity that is not providing and ensuring
direct financial benefit to communities from where tourism
money is being generated is not sustainable tourism.”- Agha
Iqrar Haroon

Background:
Eco-tourism is one such activities which provide a solution by
creating awareness and concern for the environment among both the
tourist and local people of the region.Also, the local skills could be
developed and explored. The traditional and indigenous knowledge,
along with scientific development can be explored.Eco tourism Hub by
itself, which talks about the tourism aspects of the context, creating a
cultural Hub point which gives a platform for the villagers as well as the
essence of the vernacular for the tourist.

Motivation/Intent/Interest:

The mangrove chosen - pichavaram is out of my own personal

experience in that place.The much excited 4hr travel was rewarded with
the most memorable boating amongst the mangroves.But apart from
that the place with such natural resource did not have any intervention
to aid me enjoy the nature.In addition to the wet lands, the dry land has
a wider scope for ecotourism that is not highlighted enough.This gave
me a motivation to revive the place to its max potential.

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Aim:
 Use the principles of ecotourism and “sustainable architecture” to
create a seamless intervention that will guide the development of
ecotourism endeavors with the aim of improving local environmental,
economic and sociocultural conditions.

Objectives:
•To create an opportunity to the local people as well as for the
tourist to get the essence of the context, keeping alive the essence of
the context.
•To design a better vision for tomorrow by keeping the Essence of
the local regional context.
•To make the space a centre of public interaction and activities that
reflects the people of the region.
•To engage the people by creating a hub in the place where they can
learn, educate and understand each other.

Scope of the Project:

•This project provides a scope to increasing the capital of the local
people and employment.
•It doesn’t affect the present ecology of the context.
•It also provide lot scope to landscaping and site planning.

Methodology:
•Studying and analysing the background of the specific site
selected.
•Studying local resources,culture and traditions and building
materials.

Challenge:
The main challenges are certainly the preservation of cultural
resources; the built environment and social interaction of the local
population and visitors.How can design make ecotourism even better ?
How architecture sustainably connect with nature and human?

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Outline of Requirement:
Dry land - 1. Children park
2. Sea food Restaurant
3. Administration office
4. Ecology survey centre
Wet land- 1. Eco-friendly resorts
2. Shops,Restaurants
3. Watch Tower
4. Walking trail
5. Cafeteria
6. Museum
7. Boat jetty
8. Boat house
Programmes shall be designed based on the site study.
Site:
This is one of the second largest Mangrove forest in india
spread across 1100 hectare. Mangrove forest play a major role with
more valuable ecological services, scientific management of the same is
the need of the hour not only for the well being of the mankind but also
for coastal biodiversity.Pichavaram Village is located near Chidambaram
in Cuddalore District,TamilNadu,India.

Case study:
1. Alappuzha Blackwater Eco-Tourism,Kerala
2. Mangrove Tourism in Indonesia
3. Eco-tourism sarawak the iban longhouse , malaysia.

References:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/215730164_Identification_of
_hot_spots_and_well_managed_areas_of_Pichavaram_mangrove_using
_Landsat_TM_and_Resourcesat-1_LISS_IV_An_example_
https://lbb.in/chennai/pichavaram-mangrove-forest-cuddalore-chennai/
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/215730164_Identifi
cation_of_hot_spots_and_well_managed_areas_of_Pichavara
m_mangrove_using_Landsat_TM_and_Resourcesat-
1_LISS_IV_An_example_
https://www.sarahbeekmans.com/mangrove-tourism-in-
indonesia/#:~:text=Mangrove%20tourism%20in%20Indonesia
%20is,as%20well%20as%20water%20tourism.&text=Mangrove
%20forests%20are%20also%20known,the%20edge%20of
%20sea%20water.

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