THE CASCADING HILLS

In the midst of the eternal hills

Where thousands throng

Where the spirit is undying

The trek arduous and long

In tribute to this relentless faith

Emerges a structure that stands

As a reminder of that journey

Across the steep and vertical lands

Cascading terraces, the structures rise

Water coursing, nourishing, in between

A landmark that inspires and assures

Its majestic, yet humble and green”

DESIGN BRIEF:

The project is to create an inter modal facility for the town of Katra. The terminal acts as an entrance gateway to the town and sets
the premise for an arduous trek toward the Vaishno Devi temple.

AIM:

- To create a sustainable design of an inter modal bus terminal which responds to the surrounding context, resolves the movement
of vehicles and pedestrians and is a pro-climatic design.

OBJECTIVES:

1. A complex that is integrated and connected at various levels

2. A design that responds to the backdrop of the mountains and hills

3. To isolate the pedestrian movement and vehicular movement

4. To isolate the movement of buses and other vehicles

5. To preserve the integrity of the site with respect to its topography and water body

6. To maximise the views towards the surroundings and the nala

7. To have spaces that capture the sunlight especially during the winters

8. To have dynamic facades that vary due to the changing weather.

9. To have a scale that works as a landmark structure

10. To have multiple access points for at different levels to streamline the traffic movement

CONCEPT:

The design aims to create a landmark that stands humbly as a tribute to the spiritual setting and as a homage to the faith and the
relentless energy of the pilgrims

The building form is inspired by the surroundings and the cascading levels of the trekking path towards Vaishno Devi temple. The
structure mimics the stepped profile of the hills in the background and the pilgrims get subtle glimpses of the same between the
rising and falling towers.

This form has three distinct advantages

1- Views are not completely obstructed

2- The stepping back allows more sunlight to percolate into the terraces

3. Ensures a steady wind flow in all the blocks.

The form has been broken down as a podium tower structure with the podium being the main lobbies, retail areas and multiplex.
The tower is used mainly for the offices, vertical parking and the hotel rooms.

The layout is evolved by retaining the water body as a central green spine and the buildings surround it in a continuous curve that
step back gracefully and allow a good amount of sunlight.

The buildings are all linked at the upper level to offer a seamless connectivity between lobbies, the bus terminal, the helipad and
the cable car lobby.
VERTICAL vs HORIZONTAL:

Based on the information gathered, we worked out that with a 35% coverage the minimum number of floors needed ranges from
8-10 floors as the bus terminal building has a huge footprint.

However, we felt that stepping the building back would offer us a better potential for views and bring in more sunlight. Due to this
we have taken the maximum height of the building as 48 meters or 16 floors organised on the south and the shortest structure is
the bus terminal building which has a 26-meter height organised on the north. This ensures that even if the structure on the south
level is at the lowest point, due to its height the views are not obstructed.

DESIGN STRATEGY

1. To maximise the stunning views

2. To maximise the percolation of sunlight

3. To retain the integrity of the site by responding to the slope.

4. To retain the water in the nala as a perennial source

5. To locate the Bus terminal on the north which is more or less a flat land and is easily accessible to the highway and the city

6. To locate the cable car tower and the helipad at the highest point in the site.

7. To locate the 5 star hotel in the south west corner which responds to the road junction. This structure has the best possible
views towards the green spine on the south. It also has the potential to view towards the trekking path and the

8. The retail zone and the remaining hotels are organised along the east towards the south to maximise heat gain as well as the
views towards the hills and the central green.

9. The central green has a cultural centre along with informal commercial activities that are organised along the water body

10. The entries and exits have been carefully located such that there is no criss-crossing of the vehicular and pedestrian traffic. The
bus movement is completely isolated from the rest of the traffic movement.

BUS TERMINAL

The terminal has been organised such that the bus movement is seamless and isolated from the other vehicles.

It is a radial plan where the fingers of the bus bays radiate outwards from the central lobby.

The orientation of the bus terminal is towards the north and west such that the summer winds are encouraged and winter winds
are blocked as most spaces here will not be air conditioned.

The entrance/ exit lobby itself is at two separate levels

1. The ±0.0m level which acts as the departure lobby with upper-level mezzanine which has commercial activities and waiting areas

2. The -4.0m level which is the arrival lobby to streamline the movement of passengers to avoid any clashes

The lobbies itself are connected visually by atriums that run over three floors

The upper levels of the bus terminal have 2 floors of parking and office spaces and above that 4 more levels of offices which step
back ensuring an isolation of noise from the buses below. This also offers them a view toward the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi trekking
path as a reminder of the onward journey and the one that was accomplished.
 AIM & OBJECTIVES CLIMATE ACCESSIBILITY TOPOGRAPHY
Predominant
AIM OBJECTIVES Winter Winds

To create a sustainable design of 1. A complex that is integrated and connected at Towards

the city
a inter modal bus terminal which various levels
responds to the surrounding 2. A design that responds to the backdrop of the
context, resolves the movement of mountains and hills

A N A LY S I S
vehicles and pedestrians , and is a 3. To isolate the pedestrian movement and vehicular
pro-climatic design. movement.
4. To isolate the movement of buses and other
vehicles.
5. To preserve the integrity of the site with respect to
its topography and water body Towards
Highway
6. To maximise the views towards the surroundings as
well as the internal pedestrian spaces
7. To have spaces that capture the sunlight especially Towards
Railway
during the winters. Station
8. To have dynamic facades that vary during the
summers and winters.
9. To have a scale that works as a landmark structure.
10. To have multiple access points for the various
Inter city Buses Slope 1:2-1:5 Slope 1:16-1:25
spaces at different levels to streamline the traffic Predominant Intra city Buses
Summer Winds Private Vehicles Slope 1:10-1:15 Flat land
movement

INFERENCE
- The temperature ranges from lowest of 4°C during - The roads on the north and west are suitable for - The nala needs to be isolated to ensure water flow
winters to 31°C during summers. heavy vehicles as they are connected to the highway. and water catchment areas.

VIEWS & VISTAS - The predominant winds varies from time to time - The roads on the north and south are suitable for - As the site slopes by more than 15 meters from
in Katra , with Summer winds from the West and private vehicles as they are connected to the city of one end to another, the buildings should respond
Winter winds from East. Katra and is closer from the railway station as well. accordingly.
INFERENCE - The structures could ideally be oriented towards - The flatter portions on the north of the site is
the South considering the heat gain, which is suitable for activities that need to be on the same
- Views towards the north, east and appropriate for the colder weather conditions of level.
south side surround the site with Katra.
the mountains and city , which
makes it suitable for buildings to be 1 Structures placed could 1 To have accessibilty for 1 To create a water
oriented in these directions. act as wind barriers to Buses and Taxis from canal with a potential
cut down the direct north, south and west for water retention
impact of the winds in side for better entry and and ground water
the winters and allow exit routes towards the recharge.
View towards the flow of air during the city and the highway. To also have a perineal
GUIDELINES - Tarakote Marg Track summers. The facades To ensure that within water front for the
(Treking point towards Vaishno Devi Temple & Bhairon Mandir) need to be designed the site their movement central greens which
dynamically to respond paths do not cross each can have informal
to the changing climate other activities and a green
View towards belt.
- Sailanjan View towards the
GUIDELINES

- Pharthal city
2 To have taller structures 2 To have access points 2 To have buildings
placed at the west from north, west step down along the
side of the site to alter and south side for contours with water
the winds for smaller private vehicles as it body as the front yard.
structures . As the is connected to the The water body would
bus terminal is not a city and to the railway be re-aligned with
conditioned space the station. embankments and
orientation should be To ensure that within stepped down ghats,
such that it protects the the site the private that could be used by
waiting areas from the vehicles do not cross the users as informal
View towards cold winds the public vehicles and commercial
- To have 2 and 3 star hotels, malls - Arli Hansali activity spaces
placed on the east and south side - Jourian
of the site to have view extending
towards the mountains and the city. 3 To orient the building 3 To have pedestrian 3 To have taller structures
more towards the south connectivity at the site placed at the lower
- To have 5 star hotel placed on the and east to maximise level and along the level of the site and
west side of the site to have the view the heat gain during water body and also at
extending towards the mountains the shorter structures
winters . the shopping arcade. on the higher levels ,
To also have to not block the view
- The have bus terminal placed on To also have stepped connectivity at upper
the north side to have the view towards the mountains
View towards : back structures in both levels across the mall
extending towards the trek path as well as the Vaishno
leading to Vaishno Devi Temple
- Railway station directions to allow more and the bus terminal Devi trek path, that
View towards - Sumdrani of sunlight in spaces which connects to the gets lit up in the night
- Talen - Mutal that could function like hotel lobbies
- Bhagta sun soaked terraces

THE CASCADING HILLS COAIDC-IMSK-2022-2599

 C O N C E P T U A L E V O L U T I O N
E
1 . AXI S 2 .VI EWS 3 .WAT E R B O DY X
P
L
O
R
A
T
I
O
N

O
F

M
A
S
T
E
R
The site provides multiple vantage points especially in the corners Orienting the built form in order to maximise views from the site. The water body acts as a spine providing an opportunity for green P
where the building could respond to the axis through the form The Hotels could be organised towards the East and South and spaces around it along with informal, commercial activity and L
organised along the slope. the bus terminal towards the North and West seating areas cascading down A
N

4.SLOPE 5.SUN 6 .WI N D FORM EVOLUTION

ZONING
The building form is inspired by the
surroundings and the cascading levels of
the trekking path towards Vaishno Devi Public Vehicular Bay
Temple.

Ropeway

Cuts for sunlight Bus Depot/

penetration and Services
open views

Built form taking shape from the profile of the slope such that
it could step down towards the water front. It also creates an
opportunityformaximisingtheviewsandtocreateaninteresting
play of spaces at different levels
To bring in heat, major openings to be placed on the South,East
and West. There should also be sufficient gap between blocks
and they could step away from each other to maximise access to
sunlight
The built form ensures the movement of wind from the South
Helipad
West during the summers and compresses the air from the North
East in the winters. However the bus terminal is organised to
maximise the summer breeze and minimise the winter breeze

Bus Terminal
7.VE H I C U L A R 8.PEDESTRIAN 9.VE G E TAT I O N
ACCESS ACCESS 2 Star Hotel

Services

Cultural
Center
BUSES LOWER LEVEL

PRIVATE VEHICLES UPPER LEVEL

This form evolution has 3 advantages :
TAXIS

1.Views are not completely obstructed

2.The stepping back allows more sunlight
to percolate.
3. Ensures a steady wind flow in all the
blocks

The form has been broken down as a 5 Star Hotel

The obejective would be to isolate the bus movement from the
movement of other vehicles as the North West portion is the
flattest zone , The bus movement is apt for this location
The central green core of the site is completely pedestrianised The central spine effectively becomes the green zone around podium tower structure with the podium
with clear pathways which also function as fire engine access. 3 Star Hotel Services
which multiple activities can be organised. The vegetation should being the main lobbies, retail areas and
The Pedestrians coming from Railway station can enter the block be as suchthat they respond to the climate such that they shed multiplex.
directly at a height of 8m above the road level and can access all their leaves during winter to bring in more sunlight The tower is used mainly for the offices, Inter city Private Intra city
hotel lobbies as well as bus terminal. vertical parking and the hotel rooms. buses vehicles buses

THE CASCADING HILLS COAIDC-IMSK-2022-2599

 MASTER PLAN DESIGN STRATEGY
1. To maximise the stunning views
2. To maximise the percolation of sunlight
3. To retain the integrity of the site by responding to
In the midst of the eternal hills In tribute to this relentless faith Cascading terraces, the structures rise
Where thousands throng Emerges a structure that stands Water coursing, nourishing, in between
Where the spirit is undying As a reminder of that journey A landmark that inspires and assures
The trek arduous and long Across the steep and vertical lands Its majestic, yet humble and green”

the slope.
4. To retain the water in the nala as a perennial source
5. To locate the Bus terminal on the north which is
LEGEND more or less a flat land and is easily accessible to the
A. Bus Terminal highway and the city
1. Intracity Bays
6. To locate the cable car tower and the helipad at the
2. Intercity Bays
highest point in the site.
3. Ropeway Tower
7. To locate the 5 star hotel in the south west corner
4. Arrival/Departure points

5. Offices
which responds to the road junction. This structure
6. Helipad
has the best possible
7. Foot Over Bridge views towards the green spine on the south. It also
B. Bus Depot
has the potential to view towards the trekking path
8. Idle Bus Parking
and the
9. Gas filling station 8. The retail zone and the remaining hotels are
10. Buses service point organised along the east towards the south to
C. 2 & 3 Star Hotel
maximise heat gain as well as the
11. Entry/Exit
views towards the hills and the central green.
12. 2 Star Hotel 9. The central green has a cultural centre along with
13. 3 Star Hotel informal commercial activities that are organised CLI MAT E & VI EWS MOVEMENT
D. 5 Star Hotel
along the water body
14. Entry/Exit 10. The entries and exits have been carefully located
15. 5 Star Hotel such that there is no criss-crossing of the vehicular
and pedestrian traffic. The
E. Cultural Center
bus movement is completely isolated from the rest of
16. Auditorium

17. Gallery
the traffic movement.
18. Museum

F. Outdoor Commercial

19. Plaza

20. Commercial Street

G. Services

21. Taxi Stand/Transformer

yard/Elec.Substation,etc

LAND USE
Component Site Bus 2/3 5 Outdoor Greens Cultural Road Water
Public
Services
Terminal Star / Mall Star Retail Center Transportation
Sunlight Views Intracity Taxi Arrival Pedestrian:
Area 98000 14235 14290 1675 1200 14915 1256 35310 8210 3094 3980 Buses On Upper
Intercity Pedestrian: levelsa
% 100% 14.5% 14.58% 1.70% 1.24% 15.22% 1.23% 36.0% 8.38% 3.15% 4.0% Summer Winds Winter Winds Departure
Buses On ground

THE CASCADING HILLS COAIDC-IMSK-2022-2599

ARRIVAL LEVEL FLOOR PL AN -4M

6TH
Offices
Vertical Services

5TH
Offices

Vertical Services

Lobby Vertical services Parking Arrival road

4TH
Courtyard Retail areas Driveway
Offices
Vertical Services
DEPARTURE LEVEL FLOOR PL AN ±0M
A Intercity buses
Intercity buses ENTRY
EXIT 3RD
Offices

Intracity buses Courtyards

ENTRY/EXIT

2ND
Parking
View towards Arrival and Departure from View towards Bus terminal with the vertical
Offices Informal commercial zone parking levels and offices on the top

1ST
Parking
Offices

A
Intracity buses Intercity buses Vertical services Adminstration MEZANINE
Courtyards
Courtyard Retail areas Retail areas Vehicular ramps
Retail Areas
MEZZANINE LEVEL FLOOR PLAN +4M
View towards foot-over bridge connecting SECTIONAL VIEW OF BUS TERMINAL
the mall to the terminal

DEPARTURE
Adminstration
Retail Areas

The terminal has been organised such that the bus movement is
seamless and isolated from the other vehicles.
It is radial plan where the fingers of the bus bays radiate outwards BUS
BAY FOOT OVER BRIDGE
from the central lobby. DEPARTURE

The orientation of the bus terminal is towards the north and west ARRIVAL

such that the summer winds are encouraged and winter winds are PEDESTRIAN TO NALA

blocked as most spaces here will not be air conditioned

Retail areas Ropeway tower Vertical services Vehicular ramps

Courtyard Waiting areas Footover bridge

SECTION - A A’ Parking

OFFICE FLOOR PLAN +8M Courtyard

Terminal building

Office areas Mezzanine KEY PLAN

Footover bridge Footover Bridge

Departure

Arrival

Office areas Driveway Vertical services Courtyard

Vehicular ramps Ropeway tower Parking

THE CASCADING HILLS COAIDC-IMSK-2022-2599

 2 STAR HOTEL WITH MALL 3 STAR HOTEL WITH MALL 5 STAR HOTEL
A’ Rooms Rooms Rooms

Corridor Corridor Corridor

Cores B’ Cores
C
Cores

C’

A
B

SECTION-AA’ Rooms
SECTION-BB’ SECTION-CC’
Retail
Banquet
Lobby

The building form is inspired by the surroundings The form has been broken down as a podium tower
and the cascading levels of the trekking path structure with the podium being the main lobbies, retail AREA PROGRAM AREAS 3 STAR & 2 STAR HOTEL KEY PLAN

towards Vaishnodevi temple. The structure areas and multiplex.The tower is used mainly for retail, RETAIL + ENTERTAINMENT 37,000 SQM
BUS TERMINAL
mimics the stepped profile of the hills in the vertical parking and hotel rooms. VERTICAL PARKING (560 CARS) 18,520 SQM
background and the piligrims get subtle glimpses ADMINSTRATION 24,000 SQ.M
of the same between the rising and falling towers. The layout is evolved by retaining the water BASEMENT PARKING (610CARS) 20,120 SQM
RETAIL AREAS 1,800 SQ.M
body as a central green spine and the buildings ROOMS 47,700 SQM
surround it in a continuous curve that step back OFFICES 21,500 SQ.M
This form has three distinct advantages
gracefully and allow a good amount of sunlight. PARKING 24,000 SQ.M 5 STAR HOTEL
1- Views are not completely obstructed The buildings are all linked at the upper level to offer a
2- The stepping back allows more sunlight to seamless connectivity between lobbies, the bus terminal, RETAIL ZONE 2700 SQM
percolate into the terraces the helipad and the cable car lobby. ENTERTAINMENT+AMENITIES 4300 SQM
3. Ensures a steady wind flow in all the blocks. CULTURAL CENTRE 1256 SQM
ROOMS 6800 SQM

THE CASCADING HILLS COAIDC-IMSK-2022-2599