Abstract:
The project “Mixed-use Development, Hyderabad: Exploring Water-Conscious
Building Design” is an attempt to design a mixed use building with residential and
commercial (office and retail) uses in a densely built urban environment which is in
immediate surrounding of a large and iconic urban water body. This project aims to
design a well-functioning building that integrates diverse types of users and their
requirement, while being water efficient and contributing to the health of the
environment in context. The background study explored the multiple ways in which
the design of a building and its service-related infrastructure can be driven to be
water conscious. It included studies, reports and case studies exploring the various
ways to make the building more efficient. The case studies analysed the built
structure and circulation of various mixed-use buildings that have the same structural
framework and vertical integration of services. The inferences drawn from both these
studies are used to develop a design for the thesis proposal, which is elaborated
upon in the report and the sheets. Finally, there are calculations that demonstrate
the water efficiency in the project proposal and how it leads to a better quality of
life, increasing the users’ interaction with and consciousness about water.
