University Institute of Architecture

Architectural Design VI, 20ARP-370

2022-2023

Design Problem 1
Affordable Housing, Balomajra village, Distt. Mohali

Course Objectives:
1. The objective of the course is to focus on energy efficiency as an important design
determinant.

2. To introduce the challenges and skills of designing simple industrial buildings involving
circulation of men and materials as well as construction in steel.

3. To introduce the challenges and skills of designing form-oriented buildings using creative
shapes and structure systems.

Affordable Housing: The Rise and Current Scenario in India

Introduction
The economic development of cities in India has led to upsurge in migration, with a large
number of people moving to cities, which in turn has put a lot of pressure on the existing land
resources of these cities. A number of housing clusters have mushroomed in and around various
metropolitan centers in haphazard and unplanned manner, without a proper layout and devoid of
service lines and other essential facilities. Due to growing numbers of urban residents living in
slums and squatter/informal settlements, the master plans of these cities have now made adequate
provision for the homeless, slum dwellers, economically weaker and low-income section of the
society. In the backdrop of impending large-scale urbanization in India, it is imperative to
identify, evaluate and address the challenges faced by the affordable housing consumer. One of
such examples is the Affordable Housing in Balomajra village, Distt. Mohali proposed by
GMADA.

Affordable housing refers to the housing units that are affordable for those sections of the society
who have income below the average household income. In India affordable housing is provided
for LIG and EWS as well as MIG who have considerably low levels of income.

Housing is “affordable” if a family spends no more than 30% of their income on living
there.
Houses with a carpet area upto 60 square meters (approx. 645 square feet) in metro cities and 90
square meters (approx. 960 square feet) in non-metro cities having value upto INR 45,00,000/-
price bracket (both for metro and non-metro cities) are considered affordable housing in India.

Need: Magnitude of Problem

The total housing shortage at the end of tenth plan has officially been assessed as 24.71 million
dwelling units for 67.4 million Households, where 98% of this shortage was in the Low
Income and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) segment. The situation even at the end of
11th Plan, despite efforts envisaged to be implemented, is also not projected to improve, but
rather this shortage is expected to escalate to 26.53 million houses for 75.01 million households.

The Brief: Housing that is Affordable and Contextual

The purpose of this Design Problem is to present concepts that could make concrete
improvements to the urban setting at the neighborhood scale to the chosen Intervention Site.
Mainly devoted to a Residential program, this is also an opportunity to generate models for wider
application, answering to a growing generalized shortage of homes in the city felt in cities like
NCR, Mumbai, Tokyo and many others.
Design affordable housing for the given site. Use neighborhood and city data to inform your
design decisions and present a physical model for an affordable G+2 storey housing complex that
serves 600 families of four. Your design must identify a specific audience in need of housing
(families, elderly, etc), make sense in context with the other buildings in the area, and show
evidence of your data research (Collect Information- Brainstorm ideas- Develop solutions-
Final Design). In writing and visuals, you will need to make a case for why and how your final
design "works" as an affordable housing solution for your chosen location.
The Aims and Objectives of good Housing includes the following:

 Design strategies that attempt to take advantage of local climatic conditions to leverage
occupant comfort will be given credit, i.e climate responsive planning (Composite
climatic region)
1. Designing the buildings with proper orientation taking account of the climate
2. Ventilation
3. Maximum utilization of natural day lights
4. Proper insulation for heat retention for winter
5. Rain water harvesting

 It must incorporate suitable technology for sustainability and building economy in the use
of material and energy.
 The building should allow for ease of circulation and universal access.
 The design must display clear understanding and interpretation of context.
 The design should promote the Futuristic image of the residential area in sub urban city.
 To provide quality accommodation and associated services, design should be sensitive to
requirements of the residents and should have integrated community areas as well.
 Site planning should include well composed built up spaces and landscape areas
(hardscape and softscape), ample open spaces for different activities like children parks,
tot-lots, community gathering and recreational activities and sufficient circulation area
for movement of material.
 Social Infrastructure: Design Community spaces for the comfort and convenience of
residents.
 Neighborhood context needs to be studied and incorporated well in the design.

The key to keeping cost down and housing affordable is proper planning therefore
emphasis should be laid on:
1. Good site planning
2. Efficient floor plans
3. Simple house design
4. Cost effective material and simple detailing.
Site Details:
1. Location: As per the attached plan, the site is located in sector 118, Balomajra village,
Distt. Mohali on the outskirts of Chandigarh. The site is surrounded by residential
apartments and commercial centre, a park and a proposed site. It is a flat site.
2. Area: 5.02 acres
3. Building Rules: As per the attached document/ Punjab Urban Planning Development
Building Rules, 2022 and NBC 2016.

Design Challenges: The biggest challenge in volume housing, is the planning of the dwelling
which is often problematic, with ill-conceived open space relationships, inadequate orientation
and poor interior spatial planning. This lack of design quality can be attributable to a number of
causes. The sector, characterized by risk aversion and conservatism, operates in a highly
constrained financial context with strict bottom lines. Therefore, the design should adapt to its
context and stress should be laid on developing strategies to:
1. Reduce construction costs (material and labour)
2. Lower operating (monthly utility bills) and maintenance (repairs, replacements) costs
3. To apply cost saving measures and still achieve the goal.
4. To design as per the context.

The success of the Project would depend on the capacity of student to design an integrated
housing for the required set of people. To cater to their these needs the space and program should
be flexible enough and keep in account the changing needs. You need to design spaces whose
character changes with time and occasion.

Area Requirements:

Apportionment of Plotted Area

10% of effective site area (at least one park
Minimum area under
1 shall be of 50% of total park area). No park
parks
shall be less than 50'-O" wide.
2 Minimum internal roads 9.14m (30’-0”)
Maximum total saleable
3 62% of effective site area
area
Maximum Saleable
commercial component
upto 5% of effective site area excluding
4 (SCO's /Shops / Booths)
parking area.
within overall total
saleable area.
5 Services As per NBC norms
Parking
6. As per norms
Plot Sizes (Clubbing of plots will not be allowed)
7. Maximum Plot size 150 sq.yd (125.42 sq.m)
Plot dimensions: -
8. Minimum Frontage 4.48m (16'-0")
Minimum Depth 13.71m (45'-0")
 Apportionment of Plotted Area
Maximum Ground
9. 70%
Coverage
10. Maximum FAR 1:2.1
Maximum Height of 11 meters (excluding Mumty and Parapet
11.
Building wall)
Maximum No. of Floors G +2 Floors (Basement allowed as per
12.
building rules)
Minimum setback:
13. Front 2.28m (7'-6")
Rear 2.28m (7'-6")
Maximum width of
balconies (balconies on
backside will be
14. 4’
constructed within
building line i.e., after
7'-6" open to sky)
Boundary Wall The front boundary wall of plots shall be
15. optional for providing easy access for parking
in front setback.
For any additional area/structure Building Bye Laws to be followed.

The Deliverables:
Final Design submission must consist of:

1) Site study/ analysis

2) Literature study
3) Case study (At least 3 {2 live and 1 literature})
4) Area analysis/formulation w.r.t building rules
5) Concept
6) Site plan, site sections and site elevations with site levels, permissible and required
FAR, ground coverage, parking details, prototype/unit area ratio.
7) Unit plans, floor plans, sections and elevations
8) Cluster plans, typical plans, sections and elevations, terrace, Stilt/basement
9) Plan, sections and elevations of extra structures if any
10) 3D views
11) Model

Site Plan: 1:500

All Floor Plans: 1:100

Sections: 1: 100

Elevations 1:100

Views: Exterior and Interior to appropriate scale

Model: To an appropriate scale

 Schedule of Submissions:

Date of
Mode of Study
Module Activity Details of Activity Submission
Submission Period
Introduction to the Design Problem
and Analysis of Student’s A1 Sheet/
1 Stage 1 14.2.23
understanding regarding Housing. Manual
Literature Study
A1 Sheet/
2 Case Study
Manual
Module 1

3 Stage 2 Site Analysis A1 Sheet/Manual 21.2.23

4 Area Analysis A1 Sheet/Manual

Internal Jury – 1 (Marks – 20)

Concept Development/ Complete

5 A1 Manual
Zoning
Module 2 Stage 3 28.2.23

Refined Area Programming and

6 single line sketch development/Unit A1 Manual
wise layout
Internal Jury – 2 (Marks – 20)

7 Unit wise Layouts/Double Line A1 Manual 7.3.23

Module 3 Stage 4

Block Layouts on Site with detailed

8 Site Planning and detailed Unit A1 Computerized 14.3.23
Layout along with a study Model

Internal Jury (Marks – 20)

Pre-Final Submission with all the

Stage 5 A1 Computerized/
9 PFS details and Architectural Drawings, 21.3.23
Model
Views and study Model

Internal Jury (Marks – 20)

Final Final Submission with all the details

Stage 6 A1 Computerized/
10 Submissio and Architectural Drawings, Views 28.3.23
Model
n and Model

Final Jury (Marks – 100)

Site for Affordable housing:
Site Plan (Google earth image):

Sector 118, Balomajra village, Distt. Mohali

CO’s Mapped:

1. Students should be able to demonstrate through their design, their understanding of

energy efficient systems, structural systems, services and construction systems in the
design of a modern medium to high rise building in the urban context.
2. Multi storied design considerations with the understanding and designing of frame
structures.
3. Enhancement of the skills of designing form-oriented buildings using creative shapes and
structure systems.
 4. Students will get well versed with the various physical factors of architecture design and
get equipped with the norms of barrier free design, to create large span column free
structures.
5. Students will be able to analyse the nuances of commercial and public buildings, to
design and develop ability to yield sustainable solutions to augment architectural designs.

Relevant Books:
1. Neufert, P., “Architects Data”, 3rd Ed., Blackwell Science
2. National Building Code 2016
3. Francis D.K. Ching, Architecture Form, Space and Order, Van Nostrand Reinhold
Company, New York, 1979.
4. Time Saver Standards for Architectural Design Data

Marking Criteria:
Creativity/development of ideas: 40% of the total grade
Synthesis: 30% of the total grade
Knowledge and understanding: 20% of the total grade
Presentation: 10% of the total grade