Taking in vast expanses of the sea, the Jogger’s Park is a public open space, in Bandra, Mumbai, with an array of amenities for people to indulge in. Rejuvenating an old, dull space into a functional public park, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in partnership with the design team at Atelier ARBO, envisioned and brought to reality a well-planned garden arena for people to experience and utilize.
Previously developed 20 years back, the park craved renovation along with modern public amenities and planning. An intense process of meetings among local residents, BMC authorities, and Atelier ARBO’s team ultimately led to a holistic design development plan for the entire park. The design team’s focused approach enhanced the practices of the local governing bodies.
A SPACIOUS CHILDREN’S PLAY AREA
A wide smile appears on the face of a child when they are taken to a public park. Open air, play equipment and a natural freedom of exploration appeals to children encouraging them to play, learn and interact simultaneously. Considering a vast space for kids to play comfortably in, a 5,500 sq. Ft children’s play area has been designed with 13 intriguing play apparatus for children to engage in. A continuous stretch of varied activities ending in an amphitheatre portrays a wide canvas for a child to explore and enjoy. Noting the high-spirited playing techniques of kids which often lead to accidental falls, a soft EPDM flooring covers the entire play area to protect kids from injuries. A splash of colourful amenities like mounds with voids, dome-shaped frames, slides, and swings entice children into having a joyful experience.
WELL-PLANNED AMENITIES FOR ADULTS
Right from teenagers to old age citizens, a public park becomes a platform for enhancing interaction, physical fitness, and mental relaxation. Old age people are known to frequent parks in groups to explore various activities like laughter therapy, yoga, and meditation sessions among others. Presenting a choice to every adult according to their personal comfort, the design team incorporated three different walking and jogging tracks made of macadam floor, EPDM flooring, and stone flooring. The inclusion of seating spaces and signages around the entire park adds to the improved and guided experience of the user, creating an effortless flow of spaces.
CONQUERING CHALLENGES
The design upgradation proposal being visualized during the COVID-19 pandemic, the construction of the park, done majorly during lockdown, proved to be quite challenging and daunting. However, a strong team effort on all fronts ultimately helped in unveiling the Jogger’s Park for public use in March 2021. Nearing the end of the lockdown, the aim to enable the best use of the park space by every person of the community drove the entire team to a faster and efficient process of construction.
HIGHLIGHTING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF OPEN SPACES
The rate at which Mumbai’s open spaces are reducing is highly alarming. Citizens continue to live a high-speed life in this ultra-fast city being completely oblivious to the dearth of public open spaces. Spaces like public parks, gardens, and open space pockets are not just a ‘Go green’ advertisement, but also play a crucial role in uplifting the overall growth of people acting as a pause point for taking a moment to breathe and soothe our minds in this fast-paced life. Such open spaces cater to the community as a whole and similarly, the Jogger’s Park focuses on the cumulative growth and advancement of the local residents and visitors. With a footfall of about 4000 to 5000 people on weekends, the Park has become a foundation for the vision of increased open spaces encouraging Mumbai to breathe in some fresh air.
