Saturday 29 August 2020

 Fun and Games : Street Elements throughout PDA Projects

__________________________________

The Street has been designed considering safety for all age groups varying from 8 to 80. Design elements such as floor mounted games have been planned according to the adjacent street activity or commercial activity which contributes to the liveability of the street, for example: snake and ladder developed in front of the toy shop. The compound wall rebuilt for the residential complexes would be narrating stories of the street design process and characteristics of the streets with the help of caricatures, paintings and murals. This would make the walls interesting and at the same time an interactive edge would be created.

__________________________________
Image Source: PDA Team






Saturday 22 August 2020

 Work in progress

__________________________________

Site visit to one of our projects with Ar. Prasanna Desai as the work on site resumes gradually post lockdown. This project aims to revive the space under flyovers and add value to the space. One of the public spaces that have usually been use by people is the space under a flyover/bridge. Although public spaces are often designed for certain activities, existence of unplanned spaces including under flyovers and bridges could be useful for other purposes.

__________________________________
Image Source: PDA Team








Friday 21 August 2020

 Parallel Parking: Street Elements throughout PDA projects

__________________________________

A 2 m wide parking is proposed which is exactly sufficient for a parallelly parked vehicle. Optimum parking space have been provided on the street for vehicles and the surface is finished with paver blocks. The turning buffers at the property entrances define the parking bays. These soft areas have the demarcations for two wheeler and four wheeler parking bays. Parallel parking is one of the best pedestrian- friendly solution. Parallel parking enables the driver to park a vehicle in a smaller space than would be true of forward parking. Also it’s safe than angular parking in various aspects.

__________________________________
Image Source: PDA Team






Friday 14 August 2020

 Universal Accessibility: Street Elements throughout PDA projects

__________________________________

Tactile paths for the visually impaired and wheel chair accessibility through bollards are part of the design paradigm that have been successfully implemented. Also people can be seen rolling their luggage trollies along the road with ease and parents are seen on the street with their babies in prams. Hence, universal design is a way of planning that extends beyond accessibility requirements, considering elements that will have the greatest use for the greatest numbers of users. Planning for streets that is used by people should also take into account people with disabilities.

__________________________________
Image Source: PDA Team







Friday 7 August 2020

 Speed Calming Measures: Street Elements throughput PDA projects

__________________________________

The prime intervention has been done in the design of the speed breakers. The conventional speed breakers have a bad design and contribute to more accidents than prevention. A ‘one level’ pedestrian crossing was proposed with a long cobbled surface prior to it. As a result, a car is alerted and automatically slows down, enabling the pedestrians to cross first. Pedestrian crossings have been designed and executed on one level, allowing pedestrians safe and convenient passage. Black basalt stones have been used with concrete and mortar to make the cobbled surface. Implementation of traffic calming measures can reduce traffic speed, reduce motor-vehicle collisions, and improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists. These measures can also increase pedestrian and bicycling activity.

__________________________________
Image Source: PDA Team










Saturday 1 August 2020

Painted Cycle Lane: Street Elements throughout PDA Projects
__________________________________

The Aundh DP Road is characterized by slow movement of vehicles. The pedestrian crossings act as speed tables that regulate the speed of vehicles on the stretch. This makes it possible to include a painted cycle lane on the street. The cold painted cycle lane has been proposed as a part of the M.V lane on both sides. It encourages safety of cyclists by defining their right of way, equivalent to the concept of a Zebra crossing. The drivers are expected to give priority to the cyclists using the cycle lane. A buffer space has been provided with the parking to tackle the conflict between parking of cars and cyclists. It is the area on a public road that is designated purely to cyclists. These lanes are designed to ensure the safety of nearby cyclists as well as pedestrians and motorists. This allows local cyclists to have a safe and secure way to travel on busy areas that otherwise may have been dangerous for them.

__________________________________
Image source: PDA Team