Site assessments for Swasti
Site suitability assessment
September 2023 - April 2024
with Ananas Design
Role: Project lead
Collaborators: Jananee Moha, Theertha Ravindran, Nikhil Rodrigues
Northwest of Bangalore, Karnataka, IN (three sites)
11 to 15 acres | 900 / 930 / 875m ASL
Tropical savanna climate
800-950 mm annual rainfall
The project supported a mission-driven organisation in identifying the most suitable rural site for developing a regenerative campus that brings together social, ecological and learning-oriented functions. The envisioned space was intended to operate as a low-footprint demonstration and retreat landscape, nurturing practices such as regenerative agriculture, water management, native habitat restoration and climate positive land stewardship, while also functioning as a venue for gatherings, trainings, and internal organisational retreats.
Three shortlisted parcels of land were studied through on-site assessments and analyses, evaluating criteria like accessibility, hydrology, topography, soil, biodiversity, landscape character and historical use. For each site, ecologically sensitive zoning strategies were proposed, identifying areas for minimal built intervention, conservation-focused zones to retain as wild, and dedicated spaces for specific programmes / activities.
Recommendations were informed by terrain understanding, satellite images, drone photography and ecological context, culminating in a site selection for long-term sustainable development.
Site assessment reports