Sponge Collaborative

When I was on my way to pick up my son from his boarding school yesterday, I stumbled upon a unique plotted development tucked in between hills, lakes and forests. This is a boutique project called 'ReWild at Doddaballapura' by Adarsh Narahari with a very refreshing appeal. Its located around 18 kms the nearest town, #Doddballapur. The drive there takes about 1.5 hours ( 60 kms from MG Road) (long enough to question if it’s ideal for frequent weekend escapes). The last 10-12 kilometers takes you off the main road on a two-lane stretch, mostly smooth but with a few rough patches. Yet, upon arrival, the remoteness starts to feel like an advantage, especially in monsoon or winter with the property giving serious hill-station vibes. Mountain Slopes, lake views, and a natural stream running through the landscape make it a compelling second home option. Designed by PURPLE INK STUDIOS and Sponge Collaborative, Rewild has prioritized blending with the natural terrain. With ponds, green spaces, and a thoughtful layout, it stands out from the usual cookie-cutter plot developments. Spanning 54 acres, with plots sized in the range of 5000 - 15000 sqft., the project has varied terrain including flatlands at the top, a steep slope in the middle, and gentle incline at the front. From higher points, the views are impressive, with Makalidurga Hill and Gundamagere Lake in the distance, and even the occasional peacock or rabbit sighting. The project, however, does come at a premium, with prices between ₹2,800 and ₹3,600 psft, which might seem a tad bit high given the location. Yet, for that price, Rewild offers infrastructure ready for residential use, including water, sanitation, and 40 feet paved roads. Rewild’s appeal lies in its integration with nature, and is geared more towards buyers seeking a structured weekend getaway than purely financial returns. The only alternative I see to a project like this are the developments which are coming up around Nandi hills with prices ranging between ₹ 2000-7500 psft. I will be writing a detailed review on this soon on our website, stay tuned! If you are looking for expert insights on properties in Bangalore, connect with our experts at Propsoch today! #realestatetrends #bangaloreproperties #secondhomes #propertyexperts #propsoch

Integrated Community Welfare centre and Market in Kannagi Nagar. We are excited to announce the completion and tendering of our project ‘Integrated Community Welfare Center and Market’ in Kannagi Nagar, Chennai, commissioned by Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) and supported by Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) and Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS). Kannagi Nagar is one of India's largest resettlement communities with around 100,000 inhabitants.Being displaced from former livelihoods, the community has been crippled with complex socioeconomic-cultural issues like unemployment, lack of education, high rates of crime, drug abuse and domestic violence against women. Over the years, administrations have tried to reconcile the neighbourhood through social initiatives and infrastructures, one such initiative is the proposition of this integrated community and market facility. We adopted a participatory approach to engage the community and stakeholders in the design process. Through extensive surveys and discussions, we identified that women and youth are the most vulnerable groups, highlighting the need for their empowerment through community infrastructure. All stakeholders agreed on transforming the facility into a multi-purpose space rather than a standalone market. The spatial framework was designed as a flexible "kit of parts," allowing it to adapt to the community's evolving needs. The design combines versatile community amenities with a dynamic market, optimising space and fostering community ownership. This approach serves as a venue for social engagement while generating revenue. It emphasises adaptability, providing opportunities for upskilling, education, and economic development through market spaces and inclusive open areas. The dramatic play of monotoned hefty volumes interspersed with colourful and light roof support members creates an iconic landmark in the neighbourhood. The legibility of this building is aimed at bringing eyes into the community and thereby instigating catalytic urban transformations of Kannagi Nagar. Special Thanks to Anshul Mishra, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority Team : Praveen Raj, Manushi Ashok Jain, Pooja Nagaraj, Abdul Kalam Mustaq, Shreya Patelwala, Niaz Ahmed, Purva Rane, Saravana JC, Jevanand Balamurugan, Pooja P, Kaavya Sridhar, Anjana Manoj Mukulam Video Credits : Vinod, Abdul Kalam, Vignesh, Jeevanand, Gayatri MN, Pooja

Integrated Community Welfare centre and Market in Kannagi Nagar. We are excited to announce the completion and tendering of our project ‘Integrated Community Welfare Center and Market’ in Kannagi Nagar, Chennai, commissioned by Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) and supported by Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) and Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS). Kannagi Nagar is one of India's largest resettlement communities with around 100,000 inhabitants.Being displaced from former livelihoods, the community has been crippled with complex socioeconomic-cultural issues like unemployment, lack of education, high rates of crime, drug abuse and domestic violence against women. Over the years, administrations have tried to reconcile the neighbourhood through social initiatives and infrastructures, one such initiative is the proposition of this integrated community and market facility. We adopted a participatory approach to engage the community and stakeholders in the design process. Through extensive surveys and discussions, we identified that women and youth are the most vulnerable groups, highlighting the need for their empowerment through community infrastructure. All stakeholders agreed on transforming the facility into a multi-purpose space rather than a standalone market. The spatial framework was designed as a flexible "kit of parts," allowing it to adapt to the community's evolving needs. The design combines versatile community amenities with a dynamic market, optimising space and fostering community ownership. This approach serves as a venue for social engagement while generating revenue. It emphasises adaptability, providing opportunities for upskilling, education, and economic development through market spaces and inclusive open areas. The dramatic play of monotoned hefty volumes interspersed with colourful and light roof support members creates an iconic landmark in the neighbourhood. The legibility of this building is aimed at bringing eyes into the community and thereby instigating catalytic urban transformations of Kannagi Nagar. Special Thanks to Anshul Mishra, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority Team : Praveen Raj, Manushi Ashok Jain, Pooja Nagaraj, Abdul Kalam Mustaq, Shreya Patelwala, Niaz Ahmed, Purva Rane, Saravana JC, Jevanand Balamurugan, Pooja P, Kaavya Sridhar, Anjana Manoj Mukulam

From productive landscapes in arid countries to sponge cities and pollinator-led planning: plenty of ideas and practical discussions. Carolina Figueroa Arango Michael Majale Hala Abu Nuwar Hrvoje Cindrić Lawrie Robertson Nicola White Prof. (Dr.) Samer Bagaeen FRICS MRTPI FRGS Sourav Kumar Biswas

New project! Sponge Collaborative will be working on The World Bank funded 'Open space strategy for Chennai Metropolitan Area' in collaboration with PosadMaxwan strategy x design for the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority

Empowering Urban Resilience: Integrating Gender in Nature-Based Solutions 🌏 Assam is India’s most climate-vulnerable state. Guwahati, the largest city in the state, is particularly affected due to its location in the Brahmaputra River basin, leading to frequent flooding, waterlogging, and landslides, exacerbated by rapid urbanisation. 🌧️ Nature-based solutions (NbS) can be the path forward. They are crucial for sustainable development as they harness the power of natural processes and ecosystems to address environmental challenges. To better tap the potential of #NbS, we jointly organised a Communities of Practice (#CoP) workshop with our partners. The event brought together experts, policy makers and practitioners from different parts of the country to discuss initiatives for climate-resilient, inclusive and sustainable urban development. The workshop included several sessions on blue-green infrastructure, policy and governance, and gender-specific approaches to NbS. Key Learnings: 🍃 Collaborative efforts and collective intelligence are necessary to effectively implement NbS. 🍃 Innovative approaches, including digital solutions for disaster risk management and NbS implementation, are key. 🍃 Robust policy frameworks and governance structures for the adoption and scaling up of NbS are essential. 🍃 Gender-specific approaches to ensure that solutions are inclusive need to be prioritised. 🍃 Active community engagement for climate-resilient, inclusive and sustainable urban development must be factored in. Together with our partners we are working towards implementing resilient, inclusive and sustainable urban development approaches to ensure access to public services that consider disaster risk management and leave no one behind. We are committed to co-create innovative solutions for sustainable urban development, which is a priority area of the Green and Sustainable Development Partnership (GSDP) between #India and #Germany. To know more about our work, please visit: https://lnkd.in/gDbyRDhv 📌 Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) | Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs | Assam Urban Infrastructure Development & Finance Corporation Ltd. | NERIWALM Tezpur | National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) | KERALA INSTITUTE OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATION (KILA) | Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati | Civic Data Lab | Sponge Collaborative | Centre for Urbanization, Buildings & Environment [CUBE], IIT Madras | Flood And River Erosion Management Agency Of Assam | Assam State Disaster Management Authority-ASDMA | Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH

Join us in congratulating Anuja Patil on her promotion this year to Associate Landscape Architect! Highly regarded for her hardworking nature and the genuine care she shows towards her colleagues. Anuja is a nature enthusiast who loves travelling, reading and exploring. With a Master's degree in Landscape Architecture from CEPT University, her main interest is in the field of landscape ecology and sustainable practices. She has presented her Thesis on Ecological Restoration at various forums and has been awarded by the ISOLA for the same. Her articles on landscape have been published in Ecological Society's Newsletter and the LA Journal. She is also associated with ecological society, Pune and also undertakes teaching. At Sponge, she has worked on projects at various scales and diverse regions of India such as Development of sponge parks feasibility study & DPR for Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), Lakefront development projects for Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) and Integrated landscape approach for water secure plotted development projects in Bengaluru.  She is currently also jointly leading Metropolitan scale planning studies for CMDA and Blue economy vision for Nagapattinam District for Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services (TNUIFSL). She aims to make a significant impact through her passion by seamlessly integrating ecology and landscape into urban environments. #TeamSponge #spongeoffice #spongecollaborative #spongecities #meetourteam

Join us in congratulating Aditya Hajare on his promotion this year to Associate Urban Designer! A great artist with a fun-loving personality and always helpful nature. Aditya is admired for his creativity and positive approach, making him a joy to work with. An architect with post-graduate degree in urban design from Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute of Architecture, Mumbai. Aditya strongly believes in the idea of 'Designing with the nature and for the people’. Throughout his professional career, he has explored the opportunities to work at various scales for developing environmentally conscious public spaces & masterplans; bridging the gap between the ecology and urban development. At present, Aditya is actively involved as a project leader in various planning projects including a Blue economy vision for Nagapattinam District for Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services (TNUIFSL), Integrated tourism development masterplans for Dhanushkodi island for Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) and Lakefront development projects for Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA). Apart from this, Aditya also takes high interest in Sketching, reading & music. With his passion and sensitive perspective, he hopes to significantly contribute in making sustainable and people-oriented designs. #TeamSponge #spongeoffice #spongecollaborative #spongecities #meetourteam

#HIRING #JOBALERT Sponge Collaborative is seeking a creative, enthusiastic, and organised 'Senior Project Associate' to manage teams and coordinate deliverables for ambitious and unprecedented planning projects including Blue Economy District Planning, Resilient Coastal Development Guidelines, and Metropolitan Open Space Strategy projects in India and Nature-based Solutions guidelines in Central Asia. How to Apply: If you are interested in joining a highly collaborative environment and learn from peers who are self-motivated, curious, and dedicated to the public good, please send your CV and Portfolio (Max attachment file size 10mb) to jobs@spongecollaborative.com with the subject line “Application for Senior Project Associate”

#HIRING #JOBALERT Sponge Collaborative is seeking a creative, enthusiastic, and organised 'Senior Project Associate' to manage teams and coordinate deliverables for ambitious and unprecedented planning projects including Blue Economy District Planning, Resilient Coastal Development Guidelines, and Metropolitan Open Space Strategy projects in India and Nature-based Solutions guidelines in Central Asia. How to Apply: If you are interested in joining a highly collaborative environment and learn from peers who are self-motivated, curious, and dedicated to the public good, please send your CV and Portfolio (Max attachment file size 10mb) to jobs@spongecollaborative.com with the subject line “Application for Senior Project Associate”