Project introduction and relevance: Every city has a central area or district where, most of the social and commercial activity within the city is concentrated. Norzin Lam is in the process of becoming the nerve centre of all the activities taking place in the Thimphu City. This is made possible by, the manner in which the street and its component structures and spaces were configured, the easy traversibility of the entire stretch by foot owing to the modest scale of the core. Norzin Lam will be the main link between various components of the town center, be it, the Clock tower square, the City gateway, or the Chhubar Chhu circle space as the culmination. The Urban Design proposal for Norzin lam, tries to capitalize on the immense opportunity this street offers for it to be turned into a prime urban space & shopping focus of the city. Project Intent: 1. Redefining the character of Norzin Lam as a primary public space of the city. 2. Strengthening the pedestrian character of Norzin Lam. 3. To enhance the convivial character of Norzin Lam; 4. To enhance the perceptual quality of Norzin Lam; as the central spine of Thimphu. 5. To guide the evolving built-form and character of Norzin Lam, retaining its traditional street form and character. 6. To create a pedestrian circulation pattern linking walk able neighborhoods and minimize the pedestrian, vehicular conflicts. Project description and details: Physical development and construction activity along Norzin Lam, is reaching a state of saturation with most of the plots already having been built upon. High property values within the core, have led to our proposal being limited essentially to shaping the Public domain. This has been done by working on 1. The existing movement system. 2. Defining the public domain. 3. Conserving the architectural superiority and past scale of the space. Reworking the existing movement system: Re working the movement system would be essential in minimizing the pedestrian, vehicular conflicts, so essential to creation of a potent public domain.
The current movement pattern, which prioritizes the vehicles over the pedestrians, would have to be reversed, in attempting to create a potent public domain along Norzin Lam. This would encourage a more active, vibrant and interactive use of the entire stretch. The pedestrianization of Norzin lam brings up two critical issues, which have to be addressed. One is, finding an alternative for the existing traffic movement pattern along Norzin Lam, to ensure smooth functioning of the larger city level network of which, Norzin Lam, forms a part. In addition, the second issue is the smooth transition of people from a predominantly vehicular mode of transport from other parts of the city to the proposed predominantly pedestrian character of Norzin Lam. While working on finding out an alternative route to the existing traffic movement in Norzin Lam parallel routes proposed for up gradation one on the west side were identified, the Phendey Lam which is to be up graded as secondary road and other on the east side, the Chang Lam which will be up graded in to primary road. These two parallel routes will take care of the existing traffic on Norzin Lam by proper transport management. This is further reinforced by locating a number of public parking facilities along these parallel roads to cater to the parking needs of the people visiting the Norzin lam. These parking facilities will be directly connected to the pedestrian mall by well defined pedestrian linkages, mainly in the form of shopping lanes, which will act as the transition spaces between the vehicular access areas and the proposed pedestrian stretch. In our proposal even though we have prioritized pedestrian movement in Norzin Lam, it becomes necessary to provide vehicular access in the case of emergency. For such situations, we have provided vehicular access, which would be restricted to one lane, one-way slow movement. This service road will be transversely connected to Chang Lam at strategic points and will span from the southern end of Norzin Lam up to the Samten Lam junction (popularly known as UNDP junction). Beyond this point, the road will become a part of the primary road network. By taking the advantage of the existing level difference, the proposed pedestrian corridor on Norzin Lam will be kept at a higher level from this stretch of Primary Road. This would encourage a more active Pedestrian use of the space. Defining the public domain: The over all urban design proposal for Norzin Lam could be viewed as three characteristically different sections, varying in treatment and definition from one another. The first section forms a
part of the City entrance gateway. The second, or the middle section, comprises of the main body of the Norzin Lam stretch from the City entrance gate, up to the Samten Lam junction, or more commonly the UNDP junction. The third section connects the Chhubar Chhu Circle, to the main body of the Norzin Lam stretch. The first section, owing to its designated status as a part of the main vehicular network within the core, would be primarily a vehicular link with the pedestrian footpaths, being subservient to this function. It would be flanked by the City Gateway development on the eastern side and by a landscaped berm on the western side leading up through a traditional gateway. Speed breakers would have to be provided at the end of the first section both, to discourage people from using Norzin lam as a thoroughfare between the different city areas and, to reduce the speed of vehicles before entering the second section, which is predominantly pedestrian. The second section would be flanked by a continuous stretch of commercial development on its western side and with varying edge conditions on its eastern side, which range from public spaces like the Clock Tower Square, the Lugar Cinema area, to some commercial establishments, government offices and banks. In this section, pedestrian movement and facilities would have priority over the vehicular movement. This would encourage a more active and socially relevant use of the entire stretch.
The shops abutting this stretch will be allowed to utilize the pedestrian space in front to establish, allied services like pavement cafes and temporary book stalls. The primary design intent would be to provide a wide, well lit pedestrian space, with seasonal trees bounding the eastern edge, adequate sitting facilities and street furniture s, to make the experience of walking along Norzin Lam a more fulfilling one. The third section forms the final and the most crucial link. It links the main Norzin Lam stretch to the Chhubar Chhu Circle. This would be a totally pedestrianized zone bound by commercial establishments and public facilities such as the Textile Museum, the Duty free Shop and the Public Library on the western edge. Seasonal flowering trees looking onto the eastern and northern mountains, will bound the eastern edge. The primary design intent in this third stretch is to prepare one for the final culminatory experience of the Chhubar Chhu Circle, built up through landscape design and appropriate details. Conservation considering the traditional character and scale of Norzin Lam : Throughout our urban design proposal conservation has been insisted as a tool to connect the past with the present and proceed to the future. Since Norzin Lam exhibits the beginning of urbanization in Thimphu city, it becomes the ideal location to initiate the retention, through conservation, of some of the traditional street character of Norzin Lam. Considering Norzin Lam Conservation can be approached in two ways. One will be the physical conservation of some of the existing traditional structures and the other would be an attempt, through design guidelines, to replicate and retain, the features of traditional Bhutanese architecture, which gave Norzin Lam, its distinctive scale and character which is fast disappearing. The parameters for the selection of structures for conservation, along Norzin Lam would be as follows: 1. The architectural character exhibited by the buildings.
2. The existence of a group of buildings worthy of conservation to prevent the perception of the conservation worthy structures as an alien element, amidst the contemporary physical development surrounding them. Since the structures recommended for conservation are under private ownership, it is suggested that Thimphu City Corporation acquire the indicated properties through adequate compensation to the current owners. These structures could be used to house some public function, or be leased out to private entrepreneurs for the setting up of some high value show rooms. This would help in their upkeep and prevent their physical deterioration. All the buildings lining the east side of the Norzin Lam on section 2 & 3 abutting the proposed pedestrian walk way and all the existing commercial plots on the west side directly abutting the Norzin Lam on section 2 (from the south end of Norzin Lam till Norzin Lam, Samten Lam junction, popularly known as UNDP junction) will be allowed to build up to the plot edge. A minimum side set back of 2.5 meters, has been suggested to get a continuous street edge. At the first floor level, all the afore mentioned plots will be given free air right (4meters or maximum possible width which ever is less as) developable space over the pedestrian walk way (public domain) on the Norzin Lam facing side. Treatment of the projecting mass above the arcade, with the traditional rapsel façade at first floor level would be made compulsory. The Architectural Treatment of the columns of the arcade, at the ground floor would have to be as per the guide lines framed by the Department of Urban Development and Housing. The arcade, which would be a part of public domain, (pedestrian walkway) will make possible the creation of shaded pedestrian areas. This projecting mass is designed to bring down the emerging vertical scale of the more recent buildings along Norzin Lam, and to reintroduce the traditional Bhutanese character and scale in to the pedestrian space. It can also be seen, as an incentive for the plot owners to do the necessary facade treatments suggested. On the western side of section 3, it is suggested that all new development be designed with a two-storey high, 6-meter wide pedestrian corridor inside the plot boundary with a building mass projection up to the plot boundary at the second floor level. Treatment of the façade, would have
to be strictly according to the guidelines framed by the Department of Urban Development and Housing to match with the building edge character, on the eastern side. The architectural treatment of all the top floors would have to strictly follow, the Traditional Architectural Guidelines prescribed by the Department of Urban Development and Housing. It is also suggested that all the existing public / institutional use buildings, retain their use at ground level and maintain the existing setback at least on the Norzin Lam side to get the requisite variation in the edge conditions and uses. Items for Detailed Design: There should be a national design competition for each of the three stretches for selecting a Bhutanese architect to carry out the projects. 1. Designing the facade configurations like facade breakups, porosity and composition 2. Detailed design of urban street furniture elements like lampposts, pavilions, and benches. 3. Detailed plantation design details for the trees and shrubs proposed along the Norzin Lam. 4. Broad details of landscape paving patterns, Lighting designs specific to varying situations along Norzin Lam.