UNDERSTANDING THE SITE - Site analysis!

Delineated site plan 

SITE CONTEXT AND SURROUNDINGS

The site is located in the outskirts of Ooty (Muthanadu), Udagamandalam district, Nilgiri plateau, Tamil Nadu. The area of the site is approximately 17 acres.

                      The site is approached by NH67 which then passes through the main town of Ooty. Contextually, the site is a small hillock that is surrounded by the thick Nilgiri vegetation which gives the entire environment a private enclosure (essential for a private community who strongly worship nature). The site also acts as an urban get-away, specific zones of the site have beautiful valley views – making the area perfect for a tranquil experience filled with bold cultural and privacy. The major amenities for this area are available in Thalaikundha – which is 1 km away from the site area. The site attains all its attention because of Ooty, the hub for tourism.

TOPOGRAPHY

Site gradation 

The shaded regions show the slope gradient within the site, which further determines the buildable and the non-buildable spaces within the site.

A region with slope gradient less than 1:3 is not eligible for construction.

The site is a typical hillock with the highest point at the centre.

The natural terrain of the site permits visual staggering of spaces.

Site section

CLIMATIC ANALYSIS

Temperature analysis

The diagram shows the temperature distribution within the site. Due to the hilly nature of the site, the highest region – the centre – is the warmest zone and the periphery of the site becomes coolest due to the vegetation that envelopes the site.

The regional climate of this zone is the SUB-TROPICAL HIGHLAND CLIMATE. It is referred to as highland climate because of its location on the Nilgiri hills. The weather in this region is mostly cooler and wetter. Receives both south-west and north-east monsoon.

·        Winter temperature – 20^oC (maximum) and 0^oC (minimum)

·        Summer temperature – 25^oC (maximum) and 10^oC (minimum)

The suns radiations, in this region doesn’t have much intensity due to the over-all cold weather. High speed velocity is a common problem, hence design elements are made accordingly to control the entry of wind into a space.

VEGETATION

Trees found in and around the site:

·        SAL

·        PINE

·        EUCALYPTUS

·        TEAK

The site does not have much vegetation within but it is enveloped with dense vegetation around it.

The air funnelling effect creates a temperature drop at the periphery of the site. Not much shaded region on the site due to the absence of vegetation.

EVOLUTION OF SITE

Cultural landmarks like the buffalo pen, Dairy temple and Conical temple are the only elements of the site that have remained constant over time. Pathways and road networks have disappeared. The forest area has been cleared to make space for agriculture as civilization developed.

VIEWS TO AND FROM THE SITE

Due to its high altitude, the site caters to a large window of views around the site. The central region of the site is the highest point and can offer an overall view of the entire complex if exaggerated. Views of the valley, the Thalaikundha town and the forest area around is essential in all directions.