Design Concepts & Concerns: Water Harvesting

Showing posts with label Water Harvesting. Show all posts

Saturday, April 19, 2008

More Design Opportunities Visualised: DCC 2008 scenarios

Image: Thumbnails of several water based scenarios prepared by the DCC2008 class at NID. They are shown below individually at the links listed here below.

Image: Six pages from a 20 page manual prepared by the Desert Rajasthan team as part of their group assignment The group work Design Opportunity Manuals are now available at this site. You can download the PDF files at the links below:
Desert Rajasthan Manual: 20 page pdf 6.1 mb size.
Kerala Rainforest Manual: 26 pages pdf 4.8 mb size.
Northeast Hills Manual: 12 pages pdf 3.5 mb size

More Design Opportunities: DCC 2008
Here is the second batch of scenarios that emerged from the students of the five regional groups, all working on water based design opportunities for the five assigned geographic regions of India, namely, Northeast Hills, Kerala Rainforest, Himalayan Foothills, Desert Rajasthan and Coastal Maharashtra. They are listed below and hyperlinked to the image and email text that was provided by each of the students selected here.

<Items 1 to 5 can be accessed from this link here.

Pragya Singh : Design Opportunities Water (Team – Northeast Hills)

Pragya Singh : Design Opportunities Water (Team – Northeast Hills)

During heavy rainfalls in NORTH EASTERN hills faces flash floods in urban upstream n soil erosion in rural downstream. Winters are dry which leads to lesser cultivation. Since both the rural and the urban areas are dependent hydrologically, I conceptualized integrated management system.

This system consists of many interlinked small watersheds (partly underground) at different levels of the hill to collect rainwater. Grooves are dug along the contours at different levels, which are open and directed towards respective community tanks (every individual house has its own simple rain water harvesting system comprising of a small above ground tank which collects clean roof water for drinking).

During heavy rains we can capture a large amount of water, which can be useful during dry winters for irrigation and domestic uses. During winters water can be pumped up during winters, since the tanks are interlinked....

Planned n thick cultivation (specially above the grooves) to help control soil erosion...
SINCE it’s a complicated n huge system plan, there will be many important considerations and required procedures to make it practically possible.

Firstly, I myself need to be well acquainted with knowledge of north east India n water structure over there...this can b done by research n social interactions.

Secondly, this is not a one man task ...it will need support n direction from experienced n enthusiastic people...to work it up as a team...

Thirdly, field study, environmental perception by directly going to the field is very important ...to identify the problems n find the best possible solutions. By interacting with the field...

Fourthly, proper planning.problem solving, plan considering all minute aspects of design ... like cost effectivness. Resource access, needs n mental build up of people there ...etc.

Fifthly, once we r ready with the plan.we need funds in addition to engineers, transport facilities, labour force, etc to actually make it possible...this could be done by approaching n convincing big influencial people in governmental n non govt. organisation.s.

Sixthly, spreading awareness by promotion, education, n proper expression.... so that we can properly convince the local populations to accept this system ...n its application

This could be done with the help of common awareness methods like internet, television, comic books, poster s... news channel, targeting students ... etc....

AFTER 15 YEARS I see a huge green hill (which is green even in winters).... and a flood free Northeast India..., which doesn’t need to go 1 mile downstream to get water...!!

Pragya Singh : Design Opportunities Water (Team – Northeast Hills)

Abu Basim : Design Opportunities Water (Team – Northeast Hills)

Abu Basim : Design Opportunities Water (Team – Northeast Hills)

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Abu Basim : Design Opportunities Water (Team – Northeast Hills)

Rohit Goyal : Design Opportunities Water (Team – Northeast Hills)

Rohit Goyal : Design Opportunities Water (Team – Northeast Hills)

NORTH-EASTERN HILLS
DESIGN OPPORTUNITY OF MANUFACTURING WATERPROOF ACCESSORIES.

AS WE KNOW THAT WATER IS AN IMPORTANAT RESOURCE OF LIFE AND NEED TO PRESERVE IT CAREFULL, WE STUDIED THE DIFFERENT METHODS AND APPLICATION OF WATER HARVESTING IN NORTH EASTERN HILLS. AFTER A LONG JOURNEY OF STUDYING WATER FROM DIFFERENT PESPECTIVE AND COMING UP WITH DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR AREA IN LAST ASSIGNMENT I DECIDED TO STUDY MY DESIGN OPPORTUNITY OF MAKING SCHOOL BAGES WITH INFORMATIVE GRAPHIC RELATED TO WATER ISSUE I MEET AND TALKED TO LOT OF EXPERTS AND CONSUMERS. WHEN I TOOK MY PRODUCT TO MARKET THE FEEDBACK, WHICH I GOT, WAS GOOD THAN EXPECTATIONS. SO I THOUGHT WHY NOT THE PRODUCT SHOULD BE CARRIED FURTHER.

SO I DREAMED OF OPENING A FACTORY OF WATERPROOF ACCESSORIES LIKE SCHOOL, OFFICE, COLLEGE BAGS, RAIN COATS JACKETS, CAR ACCESSORIES ETC IN INDUSTRIAL AREA OF GUWAHATI, ASSAM MAY BE AFTER 15YEARS FROM NOW.
I STUDIED IN DETAIL OF OPENING A FACTORY AND CAME UP WITH FUTHURE ME BOARD.

EXPLANING ABOUT ME BOARD, ON EXTREM RIGHT OF SHEET WE CAN SEE THE MAP OF CHINA FROM WHERE THE RAW MATERIAL LIKE NYLON SHEETS, PVC SHEETS, REXGINE SHEETS ETC WOULD BE IMPORTING BY FACTORY BECAUSE OF CHEAP RATES AND GOOD QUALITY.NEXT TO IT IS THE PICTURE OF FACTORY WHERE RECYCLING PLANT OF FACTORY USED WATER IS ALSO SHOWN BY WHICH WATER CAN BE REUSED BY KEEPING ENVORNIMENT CLEAN. ON THE ROOF OF FACTORY WE CAN SEE SOLAR PANELS WHICH CAN BE USED FOR GENRATING HOT WATER AND ELECTRCITY WHICH IS USED ON LARGE SCALE IN INDUSTRY FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSE. BELOW INDUSTRY THERE IS A PICTURE OF INSTUTIONS FROM WHERE THE BEST DESIGNER AND EMPLOYERS WOULD BE TAKEN. ON RIGHT OF IT WE CAN SEE A PICTURE OF MULTI-NATIONAL BUILDING, WHICH WOULD BE THE OFFICE OF FACTORY IN COMMERCIAL AREA OF GUWAHATI OR DELHI. THE PICTURE OF TRUCK SHOWS THAT THE PRODUCTS WILL NOT ONLY TARGETED TO NORTH EASTERN ZONE BUT HOLE OF COUNTRY TO THE NEBIOURING COUNTRIES.

ON THE LEFT SIDE OF SHEET THERE IS WHOLE BUSSINESS MODEL REQUIRED TO SET UP INDUSTRY, WHICH WAS INSPIRED BY THE BUSSINESS MODEL OF ANDAWALA.

BESIDE THIS FACTS I THOUGHT OF NAMING INDUSTRY HAS GOYAL INDUSTRY PVT. LTD. GUWAHATI. ASSAM. AND ALSO OPENING OF EXCLUSIVE SHOWROOM OF INDUSTRIAL MADE WATERPROOF ACCESSORIES IN MAJOR CITIES OF INDIA.

Rohit Goyal : (Team – Northeast Hills)

Kabini Amin : Design Opportunities Water (Team – Kerala Rainforest)

Kabini Amin : Design Opportunities Water (Team – Kerala Rainforest)

My visualisation, 15 years from now :

I imagine having started a magazine for youth that deals with issues like water, environmental degradation etc. Teen-targeted publications normally deal with film stars and random gossip. Also a large section of people are moving towards urban areas, where life is seemingly comfortable, and are thus unaware of the rural realities.

I personally think the youth is the strongest asset a country has. Unfortunately in our country, people aren’t considered capable of making decisions until they are well into their 30’s, an age at which they are so part of this larger system that all creative thinking has been suppressed. The youth in the country (in this case Kerala) should be mobilised and sensitised towards making some kind of change. With the magazine I hope to create a new system.

I would begin this by studying the functioning’s of popular youth magazines, by targeting readers, advertising and increasing popularity.

I remember always wanting to act proactively in the society and wanting to help resolve environmental issues, but never knowing how. I wish to inform like-minded people about steps they could take in this direction.

After weighing out all the possibilities, I found that this design opportunity was the most feasible and at the same time the most powerful. When the state/country has an empowered and informed youth, then it is truly a rich land.

This idea may not be exclusive to Kerala, but has the advantage of being flexible so that it can be adapted to any place.

Kabini Amin : (Team – Kerala Rainforest)
P.S. all this would apply if 15 years from now the state of Kerala still exists even after the effects of climate change.

Abhijit K R: Design Opportunities Water (Team – Kerala Rainforest)

Abhijit K R: Design Opportunities Water (Team – Kerala Rainforest)

Buddha, ‘Brand Water' and creative commons

Design scenario visualisation

Buddha is the sign of knowledge dissemination without bounds. In a way Buddha paved the way for creative commons and the idea of sharing as a whole.

After 15 years, once brand 'keyaar' is established, I believe I’ll be able to do the things with very few constraints of time and money.

My idea of design intervention in water related design opportunities and opportunities as a whole, is to create an online learning/knowledge sharing platform. I call it school’e’ for now. I will choose Internet as it's (I hope so) a medium where there is the least discrimination. And in the case of kerala, we have seen the spread of telecom revolution at a never-before-seen rate, and so when we project this to the net scenario, it’s right to believe that by 2023,most, if not every, household will have a computer and Internet access. The access to the site and its activities will be idea-centric unlike the skill centric institutions of these days. The site will hold discussions on society, ecology, design and logic. The principle will be that of 'practice what you preach' and outcomes will be held for peer-group evaluation. As a part of the program, there will be a water portal, both in Malayalam and English (which is a concept I had during the design opportunity mapping) so that in sync with the basic ideology, information will be open and experiential to all.

Besides these I’ll host an online community, wherein the various aspects mentioned above in school'e' concept will be discussed between activists, designers and artists of all sorts. This community and the school’e’ people will be responsible for the product and / or other ideas which the people of kerala will be able to put into practice. One approach will be to tap local resources like the coconut tree and local wisdom, which will be shared online or on the field.
The financial backup will be provided by my design activities, freelance writing and paintings and shares. As for infrastructure, the resources will be minimal, as a computer and a domain name will be enough for he purpose.
As for the strategy, I will be adopting the Adjusters strategy wherein I will use the normal branding procedure used by high paying brands and the Planman type of promoting one brand with another's activities.
On discussion with my peer group I found that the strategy appealed to all, with someone expressing concern over the classless nature of the Internet and the widespread use of the same. The feasibility aspect of this idea was also appreciated.
I have tried to present the idea in a straightforward manner and is based on the business model study we had in dcc, while the information gathered during the process of earlier brainstorms is used as a base.

Abhijit K R: (Team – Kerala Rainforest)

Aakash G V: Design Opportunities Water (Team – Kerala Rainforest)

Aakash G V: Design Opportunities Water (Team – Kerala Rainforest)

Me, Aakhash GV after convocating from NID, might pursue Masters In design (related to PD), then start earning (say after 5-6 Yrs.) The whole idea of establishing an industry that Manufactures Water management systems for various other industries in Kerala and other water related products using the then latest technology is what I dream of in reality. 15 years from now is a reallygood quality time to think upon its establishment,& feasabilty. Coming from an industrial background, my major financial aid will be my dad and my uncle + max. bank loans + my 6-7 years of savings + my bank accounts and policies. Investing such a huge amount, that also after 15 yr. in Kerala, one of the best places to located it would be COCHIN-Industial Zone.

Kerala, basically is abundant of rich raw materials, and resources. Im targetting at industries herethat consume water at a large scale, 15 years frm now. By then, 1000s of industries will be flourishing(if the ecosystem survives, especially water).Kerala also has a favourable, tropical humid climate, high literacy rate---->so good skilled employment and enough raw water supply and rain.These factors influence industries to enter Kerala.

Me and my industry [Aakhash Water Maagement Systems] will plan, design and manufacture products that are cost effective, sustainable, incororating the then best suitable technology and eco-friendly such as :

Various RO systems for industrial waste water purification
UV, Ozonization, Ion exchange process, activated water treatment,
various filter systems and other future technology for effective water purification.
Backwater de-salination by structured RO systems for industrial raw water supply(without affecting the aquatic and the surrounding water systems ) --power for the system driven by wind mills --a very high budget project ( say done later )
Ultra water purifiers for domestic purposes
Other water treatment processes for industries internally.
Permanent Water sprinklers around every industry that maintains greenery/gardens around it to reduce noise pollution and increase rainfall + oxygen.......Plants like grass, flowering plants, coconut grooves, banana plantations, mangrooves, etc.

Awareness :

Once the industry is well set up, then we will invite and offer industrial visits to school students and college students and educate them about the need and significance of the industry and hoe to manage water in the future.

Website designed to educate users on water management by presentations and motion graphics, along with the industrial profile.

Conduct contests regarding water systems at school and college levels and give away prizes.

Employment :

By establishing this industry , I will be providing employment to a lot of skilled and hard-working people related to the field. Major industrial directors, managers and members who mamane the smooth functioning of the industry will also comprise IIT, IIM, and NID graduates who will pave the future of the industry and Kerala.

Aakash G V (Team – Kerala Rainforest)

DIPTI KHOSLA: Design Opportunities Water (Team - HIMALAYAN FOOTHILLS)

DIPTI KHOSLA: Design Opportunities Water (Team - HIMALAYAN FOOTHILLS)

Where I see myself in the next fifteen years working in the Himalayan Foothills:

As I’m aware about the problems in the Himalayan regions quite thoroughly now... I realised that fifteen years from now the people in the upper regions of the country including the Himalayas shall suffer from serious floods as global warming at that time shall be at its peak... and its results shall be evident. In such a situation I wanted to come up with something that can serve as a quick solution to save them from drowning... and also when they are in a relatively drier region they should have a shelter over their heads to save them from the weather conditions considering their houses would have all been wrecked.

So, I thought about a bamboo boat that can be dismantled to make a shelter/roof.

YEAR 1: Having some idea in my mind about the form should help me put it down on paper some how.... but I shall still need a bamboo expert and an engineer, preferably a friend of mine (this is because he/she shall not charge me or charge nominal. it will be more interest based rather than money based) who is well versed with boats to tell me about d construction of a boat. We shall work together on making the boat. The finance for all this shall be funded by me. I wish to see how the idea works and help the people in the Himalayas. This shall not be a way to earn from them.

YEAR 2: Then I shall shortlist about 4-5 cities/villages in these regions and head towards it along with my engineer friend and shall interact with d locals there. We intend to educate them about the growing possibilities of more and more flash floods and also educate them regarding water conservation which shall be greatly in need during floods. We work with them and understand their approach towards making boats and dealing with bamboo. We enhance our own skills by learning from them and attempt at coming up with a good, workable design for " dismantlable bamboo boats ". We make several protypes and test them till we decide finally on one.

YEAR 3-4 : The locals learn our design and test it for themselves. They keep it as it helps them in the time of need and is made from bamboo, which is easily available around them. I'm sure the boats shall not be very difficult to make and they would need only basic tools to make them hence it shall be easy for the locals to multiply them and spread it in their neighbouring regions. Once my engineer friend and I see that the design is being put to good use... we leave from the himalayas to our own cities.

YEAR 5-15 : As the technique of making a boat-cum-shelter spreads across the Himalayas, I keep in touch with the villagers and get to know about some more of their problems so that I could once again try my level best along with other professionals to be able to bring design to their aid.

DIPTI KHOSLA: (Team - HIMALAYAN FOOTHILLS)

Prachi Choudhari: Design Opportunities Water (Team - HIMALAYAN FOOTHILLS)

Prachi Choudhari: Design Opportunities Water (Team - HIMALAYAN FOOTHILLS)

The Himalayan Foothills

Design opportunities 15 years from now

As the global warming problem is predicted to be the biggest problem in the coming years. All the advancements, science and technology will work to solve the problem; the best of technology will be used to solve the weather and global warming problem. Like years ago when the world wars were happening then, all the technology and science was directed to advance and work for that,

Hence according to the present situation and statistics global warming is going to be one of the biggest problems in the coming years.

The effect of global warming on the Himalayas currently is melting of the snow, leading to flooding this may just increase to a major extent in the coming years

If current warming rates are maintained, Himalayan glaciers could decay at very rapid rates, shrinking from the present 500,000 square kilometers to 100,000 square kilometers by 2030s," according to a draft technical summary.

In its report, the international panel predicted that as these glaciers melt, they would increase the likelihood of flooding over the next three decades and then, as they recede, dry up the rivers that they feed. "In the course of the century," it warned darkly, "water supply stored in glaciers and snow cover are projected to decline, reducing water availability in regions supplied by melt water from major mountain ranges, where more than one-sixth of the world population currently lives."

So the major problem in the coming 15 years in the Himalayan foothills is flooding due to melting of glaciers.

Flooding would create problems for farming and availability of drinking water.

According to the technological advancements today we have seen making of artificial glaciers. This, done at a very large scale could be very beneficial to the entire place that is the foothills and the increasing decline of the glaciers.

The melting glaciers could be collected in tanks and could be restored during winter months or it could be artificially frozen.

These tanks and artificial glaciers would be places on the mountains and hilly areas so even the water running down could be collected and hence saved from getting contaminated while running down,

Separate pipes could be provided which provide good clean water for drinking purposes to the settlement areas,

As floods will still be a problem like the existing rain water harvesting plants a flood water harvesting plant can be placed at each house this will solve the problem of floods to some extent if this these plants are covering a large area and water purified from that could be then stored and used later for some selected purposes like irrigation,

Bigger versions of these could be placed near farms

For the flood water collection, as the floods pose as a big threat to the farms and as most of the farming in the Himalayas is step/ terrace farming a tank or a water collector leading to a tank nearby, this could stop excess water running down the farm and ruining the crops.

This water could be re used for the farm in times of summer.

I, after 15 years working on this issue will try and influence the organizations and the parts of the government who work in relation to this issue by my ideas,

I will talk and research with experts about the ideas and will further build on them

And to influence the people to implement the various water conservation techniques and I would make effective posters to convey the message to the public

One main thing I would really want to do 15 years from now is to communicate to the public through posters brochures etc to make them aware about the situation, the gravity of the problem, and available solutions.

Prachi Choudhari: (Team - HIMALAYAN FOOTHILLS)

Amol Singh Tomar: Design Opportunities Water (Team - HIMALAYAN FOOTHILLS)

Amol Singh Tomar: Design Opportunities Water (Team - HIMALAYAN FOOTHILLS)

Himalayan range, a paradise to rest of the world but surely not for the people living there, especially the rural women who have to walk for more than 10 kms every day to fetch water. In my dreams, the Himalayas in coming 15 years will have a network of “cable buckets” transporting water from the river flowing below to either the peaks or to the sub stations finally reaching the peak. The river flowing below is generally the source of water and the women have to travel for kilometers to fetch water. There will be stations situated at the base, which will be collecting water from the river and sending it up through the cable system. The empty buckets would be coming down through an adjoining cable system.

The water sent from the transmitting stations is received on receiving stations situated either on a low peak or somewhere in between according to population distribution. People might have to pay for each bucket, if it is required to be purified at the transmitting level or if the cable system is operating through power. The buckets are designed so that they are easy to carry to their near by home on their heads by using leather straps and giving a cavity to fit the bucket properly on once back. Receiving stations would be build according to the population distribution example one for three or four near by villages.

In this way the problem of water transportation will be solved The Himalayan rural women then will then be able to make themselves and their surrounding socially and culturally strong. It might have disadvantages like it spoiling the natural beauty of Himalayas.

Amol Singh Tomar: (Team - HIMALAYAN FOOTHILLS)

Anoushka Garg : Design Opportunities Water (Team – Desert Rajasthan)

Anoushka Garg : Design Opportunities Water (Team – Desert Rajasthan)

Hi. Typing a scenario than illustrating it seems little easy a task because that’s what I’m trying to do. I wouldn’t assure that after 15 years I would be working in the field of water conservation but certainly would be a more aware individual. I do not see myself making rain water harvesting systems for Rajasthan but what I chose relates to Rajasthan because I have been born and brought up in Jaipur and this is what I did in school, plant a tree on my birthday. So this opportunity has a personal twist to it.

THE BIRTHDAY SAPLING, a small packet containing seeds. I think in the next 15 years it can be something every school can adopt not only in Rajasthan but everywhere. It would require some minimal investment of paper, seeds, sketch pens and can be first handmade and tested in schools. I believe it would catch up coz it is something every child would love to do and can emotionally relate to it.

It can further grow with it becoming a brand; these packets can be manufactured and sold to schools in the city and other places via online sales. I want to make this a culture where people have a B.S. club, online community etc. It is a far-fetched idea but imagine a simple thing like a tree can solve a lot of problems man has created for himself and partly the water problem. It is not directly related to water but a thought such as this imbibed in the child will certainly make the child more aware of his surroundings.

With regards
Anoushka Garg : (Team – Desert Rajasthan)

Akanksha : Design Opportunities Water (Team – Desert Rajasthan)

Akanksha : Design Opportunities Water (Team – Desert Rajasthan)

Rajasthan is a place where you will come across vivid, colourful images of the Indian culture and traditions yet when you turn the picture around, you see the disturbing truth of life of the people there. A life with a dearth of water.

Rajasthan already has a lot of means to conserve water and to use it efficiently, but the problem is that these means are not utilized to the fullest. 'Tankas' or underground tanks exist in a large number of houses there but they are not used because people get their water supply form the municipality.

I see myself getting the tanka owners together and setting up a co-operative of these people. This co-operative will revive the tankas and bottle the tanka water for sale. This will be a low budget system because the tanka water doesn't need to pass through an elaborate purification system before bottling. Thus the water can be sold at low prices to people in times of drought. Bottling the tanka water will give the tanka owners a financial incentive to revive the tankas and thus save the ground water, which is being depleted at a very alarming rate. This is a system, which uses the rain water effectively.

I also plan to spread the message of the 'Tanka Owners Co-operative' by designing brochures and advertisements that explain the system and it's purpose.

Contacting NGO'S through the period of this course will prove helpful later to derive financial assistance to setup this and make it run in the early stages. I realize that this process will require me to talk to people and convince them to join such a co-operative.

But I will make them realize the condition of water and the sorry state our resources are in. Also 15 years from now I expect the condition to be even worse than now. Hence the need to revive old systems of conserving water would be much higher.

Akanksha : (Team – Desert Rajasthan)

Lavanya Naidu: Design Opportunities Water (Team – Desert Rajasthan)

Lavanya Naidu: Design Opportunities Water (Team – Desert Rajasthan)

Spilt mercury from a broken thermometer. The mercury is spilt and collects on the floor. Try and grasp it between your fingers and it seems to slip away. Water is like mercury.

Fifteen years hence, as I sit on a dune and look over the canal, I see the sand lift, fly and settle, but this time it’s going to be different. Silt deposition, is going to be trouble of the past. A vision, to bring an opportunity to existence.

The papers talk about Rajasthan’s budget. Water projects are still an incomplete issue, but the funds are trickling in. Neighboring states sport a cold shoulder.

Approaching the NGO had been a good initiative. My concept was that of a filtration system for the decades back failure of the Indira Gandhi Nehar Project. It was to stop the silt settling in the canals water supply, as a result of which the water reaching the agricultural fields was unfit for cultivation. The filtration system will be derived from available materials. First gravel to remove the bigger deposits and then sand to purify the water further. That water would then be channelized to the fields. Immedia tely after the filtration, the canals would necessarily have to be covered, to avoid any further contamination. Little notifications on the filtration issue, every alternate week, by the village panchayat would prove helpful. As farmers gain awareness the ambiguity on the issue of the measure of water supply shall disappear. The revival of the old traditions of conserving, preserving and harvesting water is in action, however, the situation today is different; what with fluctuations in demand and supply being the only consistent thing.

I am a designer and I shall communicate. To start small but to spread the word. I’ve worked on a few animation short films that I’ve distributed to village panchayats for community screenings. If people can’t relate to people any longer, hopefully fictitious characters will.

As word on the filtration concept spreads to other NGO’s, the funds roll in and the initiation of the project begins.

I shake my kaleidoscope and see a change in the pattern, a better change.What we can’t solve as individuals, we shall solve as a team.

Rajasthan, a future of oases, not mirages.

Lavanya Naidu: (Team – Desert Rajasthan)

Avirup Basu: Design Opportunities Water (Team – Desert Rajasthan)

Avirup Basu: Design Opportunities Water (Team – Desert Rajasthan)

There is a saying that " to change a system you have to be in the system".The reason that i am beginning my design oppurtunity assignment writeup through this quote because i strongly believe ,although how cliched it may sound,what the quote reiterates.It was an introspective look at how do i see myself 15 years down the line as a designer addressing the issues of water in rajasthan.

I see myself working as an animator making storyboards doing concept art or throwing concepts itself after passing out from NID.My education is complete i have a good job and i am enjoying what i am doing,end of the story for me as far as my career is concerned But what happens to the responsibility?what happens to my contribution in such serious issues of water harvesting?...oh well i make an extremely motivating animation film about water conservation and raise my hands and say" i have done my bit,now it's for the administration to apply it".

NO,it's not going to happen this time, i believe visual communication can only promote and create awareness about the problem it is those who work in the ground level who has to solve it. I want to be in the system ,if water scarcity have reached a level where visual communication and awareness campaigns have lost all meaning then i prefer to leave my job and join politics championing the cause of water.There must be a faint smirk in everyone's face as i say this but as i said i believe administerational level and the policy makers have to solve this problem and i prefer to be among them.Joining mainstream politics and campaigining for such issues will not be easy but i will not only be implementing policies as a "designer politician" i will be providing solutions by addressing the designing aspects as well.I intend to bring product designers having experience in these issues from all over the country and give them a free hand in providing a solution tfor such crisis.

That will not be the only way, there will be government support for these proje cts to flourish and i believe if my intentions are right and if i give a clear cut idea of what i intend to achieve to the people no political manipulations can stop me from pursuing my goal in rajasthan. There are several design solutions waitin to be implemented,but restricted due to someone's selfish motives. An ecofriendly environment where industries will be made accoyuntable for the kind of water waste they create,will be implemented and people based projects will be implemented which will provide jobs for the locals as well.

This is how i percieve myself addressing issues of water,and although how radical it may sound i believe it is an achievable dream.

Avirup Basu : (Team – Desert Rajasthan)

Gaurang Nagre : Design Opportunities Water (Team – Desert Rajasthan)

Gaurang Nagre : Design Opportunities Water (Team – Desert Rajasthan)

DESIGN CONCEPTS AND CONCERNS

IMAGINING MYSELF AS AN AUTHOR IS DIFFICULT BUT I ALWAYS HAD AN AMBITION TO WRITE A BOOK ON AN ISSUE WHICH DEALS WITH SOCIAL PROBLEMS.SO PROBABLY I CAN WRITE A BOOK ON WATER PROBLEMS AND THEIR SOLUTIONS AND NAME IT 101 SOLUTIONS ON WATER PROBLEMS.THE BOOK WILL DEAL WITH SOME OF THE MICRO LEVEL DAY TO DAY PROBLEMS ALONG WITH THE MACRO LEVEL PROBLEMS DEALING WITH THE INDUSTRY AND THE STATE OR EVEN THE NATION AND THEIR SOLUTIONS. SOME OF THE PROBLEMS DEALING WITH THE SPECIFIC AREAS WILL ALSO BE DISCUSSED AND TRADITIONAL SOLUTIONS WILL BE MENTIONED.

SOME OF THE PROBLEMS ARE FLASH FLOODS, ROOF RUN-OFF WATER, LOW WATER VEGETABLE CULTIVATION, OVER FLOWING OF DAMS, STORING WATER DURING DROUGHT CONDITIONS ETC. AND THEIR SOLUTIONS ALONG WITH ILLUSTRATIONS SO THAT EVEN A LAME PERSON CAN UNDERSTAND.THE SOLUIONS LIKE CHANNELIZING, RAIN WATER HARVESTING, SAND PIPE METHOD FOR VEGETABLE CULTIVATION, THE ARCH DAM METHOD, THE CHECKDAM METHOD WILL ALSO BE DESCRIBED IN SIMPLE WODRS SO THAT EVEN SCHOOL GOING KIDS CAN UNDERSTAND AND COMPRE HENT. AS A PRODUCT DESIGNER I WILL MYSELF LIVE IN A HOUSE WHICH IMPLEMENTS WATER STORING SYSTEMS LIKE RAIN WATER HARVESTING SYSTEM, CROKERY WASHING SYSTEMS, CAR WASHING SYSTEMS WHICH REQUIRE LESS AMOUNT OF WATER. I MYSELF WILL IMPLEMENT ROOF RUN-OFF WATER COLLECTING SYSTEMS.

AS A PRODUCT DESIGNER I WILL ALSO DESIGN A CART FOR THE PEOPLE IN ARID AREAS WHO WALK FOR LONG DISTANCES TO COLLECT DRINKING WATER;IT WILL BE CALLED THE HIPPOCART WHICH WILL BE USED TO CARRY THE HIPPO BARRELS IT WILL EMPLOY A NEW TECHNOLOGY OF WHEELS WHICH CAN HELP THE CART TO BE DRAGGED ON SAND.I WILL DONATE SOME OF THE CARTS TO THE STATE WATER MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION WHICH WILL ALLOT THE CARTS TO THE LOCAL PEOPLE ON A VERY LOW RENT BASIS.WHICH WILL ENABLE THE RURAL PEOPLE TO CARRY WATER OVER LONG DISTANCES.I WOULD ALSO PROMOTE INSTITUTIONS WHICH DO A RESEARCH ON WATER MANAGEMENT AND ALSO SOME OF THE NON GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS.

I DO HOPE THAT IN THE MERE FUTURE MY EFFORTS DON’T GO IN VAIN;BUT IT WILL TAKE A LONG TIME FOR THE MENTALITY OF PEOPLE TO CHANGE TOWARDS THE CRITICAL ISSUES LIKE WATER.

Gaurang Nagre : (Team – Desert Rajasthan)

Jyotika Deep Singh : Design Opportunities Water (Team – Desert Rajasthan)

Jyotika Deep Singh : Design Opportunities Water (Team – Desert Rajasthan)

Assignment:15 yrs ?: where do i see myself ???

I would certainly have given back a lot to society by then and would be looking forward to do more.mine is a simple illustration where i have characterised myself as sponge jo for the simple reason that I'm a conservor and would aim on absorbing every drop of water and using it judiciously.for me a period of fifteen years would be workin on a whole lot of activities...ranging from treating sewage water and recycling it so as to make it fit for domestic use and gardening purposes..drip irrigation , where pipes go underground n directly water the roots so as to prevent surface evaporation and seting up water management centres where a check on water is maintained and also on its quality. And I would make it a must that each student visits these centres atleast once a month so as to be in touch with the prevailing water crisis and hence becomes sensitive to the environment. It would be a long process of working on these techniques and developing new machines but hopefully all of it will serve as welfare to the people of rajasthan and other places, as a whole! and yes, thereafter 15 yrs there would be more opportunities, broader horizons and more awareness...

Note: I thoroughly enjoyed the course, especially the vendor assignment and the individual work too... All in all it was quite a wholesome course where I atleast got to know why I was doing, what I was doing!!

thanking you

Jyotika Deep Singh : (Team – Desert Rajasthan)

Surabhi Gangrade: Design Opportunities Water (Team - Coastal Maharashtra)

Surabhi Gangrade: Design Opportunities Water (Team - Coastal Maharashtra)

Scenario 15 years from now…water crisis

During the acute water crisis in the western coast of India,

SURABHI ENTERPRISES takes an initiative with government aid to help harvest rain water for the villages in the valleys of the Western ghats, for a self-sustaining, regular and multi-functional supply of water for drinking, irrigation, normal supply, as well as electricity.

The company uses its initial capital to construct the proposed structure and is then paid by the government for the design solution and opportunity generation in t he villages.

The workforce employed as well as the industries involved are expenditure.

Scope of expansion is large and the generation of opportunities helps out the booming population in the villages.

My presentation is of the system and the field technicalities coexisting in one model.

I have emerged as an entrepreneur that’s not exactly all for profits but also wants to help out for the country’s water requirements. I do understand that the matter of profit here is mostly dependent on the government, but it is a useful venture for the country.

I tried to make it simple as well as visually appealing, for the easy understanding of the design concept and business model.

Surabhi Gangrade: (Team - Coastal Maharashtra)

Kavya Agarwal : Design Opportunities Water (Team - Coastal Maharashtra)

Kavya Agarwal : Design Opportunities Water (Team - Coastal Maharashtra)

A decade and a half...if nursery rhymes could change to words of wisdom...if little mouths would no longer do small talk...as Flynn takes effect...little minds are quick on their feet.... they will be our tomorrow.... a responsible tomorrow....

“Water for Tomorrow” is my social service cum ‘awareness manufacturing’ company, which aims at creating awareness through books, movies, fun facts, games, stickers, and other products for the urban class and reinvesting its profits in uplifting the unfortunate ones.

As most of the resources are exploited by the urban population, this organisation aims to increase awareness in them.

The books produced by us are simple but are backed by strong psychological theories of learning . The leering and habits one forms as a child stay with him forever, hence our products are aimed at young children.

To start with, this company already has a mascot called “Aqui”. This animated freshwater drop is the champion for saving water. A small story book “Aqui and the running water tap” has already hit the shelves.

Our company looks forward on having government aid, so that we can provide customers with cheaper products. Who knows we could come up with an awareness economy in a decade and a half!!!!

Kavya Agarwal : (Team - Coastal Maharashtra)

Nandini Krishnamurthy : Design Opportunities Water (Team - Coastal Maharashtra)

Nandini Krishnamurthy : Design Opportunities Water (Team - Coastal Maharashtra)

THE FUTURE WATER SCENARIO
The word 'coast' conjures an image of an amplitude of water spreading across miles, magical, which when touched for quenching needs, then vanishes, existing as the 'living mirage' of reality. The coastal waters of Maharashtra too, are abundant and salty, far from being 'short and sweet', and this very fact blindfolds the common minds with the availability of huge expanse of drinking water. Till today masses are unaware of the depletion of the limited drinking water, which sounds ironical when the context is referred to Coastal Maharashtra, but alas, the fact is turning true. But, I guess, by 15 years, Design would establish itself in the main market and help the people realize the true picture of water conditions in Coastal Maharashtra. It would spread the fact that rainwater (due to heavy rainfall) could help replenishing the groundwater and could be of more help to our sustenance.

Bringing changes in the architectural features, with the motive to save water, would not really harm the existing scenario of urbanization, rather it would make a huge difference in nourishing the natural resources and simultaneously, save space and energy wastage. This idea could be further progressed by getting the sloping roofs together to collect the rain water to a certain extent. Looking into the details, the roofs sloped inwards tapering to form an enclosed structure with the upper open base. The basic layer of the roofs are made up of concrete for strength and shelter. To prevent the contamination of the collected water, the concrete layer could possibly be over layered by an inexpensive water proof layer for anti leakage and conservation. A mesh-like structure could be placed over the structure to cover the opening and hence avoiding the macro impurities. The pipes taking away the water could contain filter simultaneously filtering the water for general use.

Taking the rising population and urbanisation into account in the next 15 years, I guess, this concept would aid the situation and would keep up the high demands for water if established in large scale. The basic advantages would include factors like less expenditure in establishment, serves the general comfort of shelter and heat (would by then be battling the global warming). There would always be a hope of achieving the best out of the current issue, and I think, 15 yrs, are enough to implement this dream, only IF awareness hypnotises the minds for the good and I also think that its time to get to work for it...

Nandini Krishna Murthy : (Team - Coastal Maharashtra)

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Design Scenarios for Water in India: DCC2008 ends with a bang

Image: The Kerala team and the Rajasthan team seen making their group presentations to the class

Design Scenarios for Water in India: DCC2008 ends with a bang
Each of the five groups made very interesting presentation of the numerous design opportunities that the groups had explored and decided to include in their presentation. As mentioned earlier each group had made an initial round of design opportunity capture using the small A5 size format provided and through these they had individually explored a wide range of design opportunities through the medium of small thumbnail sketches and a brief write-up that was appended below the sketch concept in the format that was provided. The groups then presented these explorations to the whole class and each of the groups had a chance to show and tell their design explorations and to get feedback from the class as a whole as well as from the teachers and visitors present. This stage is an important aspect of design since the feedback provided could either strengthen the individuals conviction or help redirect it to an area with greater promise of achieving a good result. This kind of discourse is an integral part of the design exploration journey and the use of sketches, words and texts as well as built models are all part to the process of dialogue and discourse that is inherent in the process of design.

All the groups then went back to their respective spaces and moved into the field to explore the concepts with experts in the field. This gave them a further opportunity to expand on their ideas as well as to clarify specific details that needed such clarification be it technical, operational or socio-economic in nature. The groups continued their research and exploration and then as a collective decided to focus on their next assignment which was the creation of a manual that could be used to sensitise the people of the specific region that had been assigned to each group. Based on this kind of expert input and on their continued imagination and articulation of the design opportunity that was identified by the group the final manual was structured and prepared for presentation and this brought the class to the final assignment that was an individual one, however the teams were still expected to interact and provide peer group supports to the individual by providing feedback and technical support in realizing the objective of preparing an individual scenario. The task as stated and set to the included the exploration and inploration of the concept of the chosen design opportunity with a time horizon of about 15 years through which the individual student was required to imaging all the possibilities as well as challenges that could be faced in realizing the said opportunity and through this process try and figure out ways to help the community or business realize the particular opportunity. The individual student explorations were submitted to the teachers after a gap of three days and since the class was to conclude the grades were decided and the pictures of all the A3 size sheets were placed on the NID server for being accessible to all the students in the class. Each student was photographed with their scenario offering and they had been asked to submit an email with a 200 word description of their individual scenario.

Some of the individual scenarios are shown here below along with the brief text that was provided by the student as part of their submission. I have chosen five such scenarios, one from each group to be shared here as an example of the scenario visualization assignment. These are listed below and are hyperlinked to the individual offering. Here below.

The five groups and the chosen individuals are linked here below:
1. Jasjyot Singh Hans : Northeast Hills: Design opportuinities for Water.
2. Aarti Srikant Lagvankar : Kerala Rainforest: Design opportunities for Water.
3. Kaveri Gopalakrishnan : Himalayayan Foothills: Design opportunities for Water.
4. Geetika Kejriwal : Desert Rajasthan: Design opportunities for Water.
5. Mitsu Shah : Coastal Maharashtra: Design opportunities for Water.

Design Concepts & Concerns