It is Time for a Revolution
I believe that it is time for a revolution. Architecture can no longer confine itself to discussions on luxury residences and commercial design. We must work towards creating a sense of well-being for the population at large. As I always say, architects need to stop pretending to think about the world and start thinking about the world. We need to address the needs of the population, our cities, and our habitats as a whole.?
Issues of sustainable development, energy generation and creating built environments for the burgeoning population can no longer be sidelined. I think these issues need to be addressed at two levels: a long cycle of development, which means larger, slower interventions on the one hand, and immediate tactical responses on the other. We need to be designing both buildings and the spaces around them with the singular aim of creating healthy environments for the future.??
At Architecture Discipline, we have been experimenting with ideas and projects that further this objective. For instance, our conceptual proposal for a bus stop and foot overbridge in mass timber intends to redefine these essential public facilities and to integrate the underrecognised sustainable material into popular sensibilities. The project makes a case for sustainable construction practices for the future.?
Our work at the JDH Urban Regeneration project involved slow-paced and considered interventions to restore the old Walled City of Jodhpur to its former glory. Nodes were identified and rehabilitated, breathing new life into the city's invaluable landmarks. The project involved the restoration of a stepwell that dates back to the 9th century, turning it into a social node in the neighbourhood. Through our interventions, we were able to present the historical context of the city in an appropriate way to the world, making the most of the built environments we have inherited.?
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The Mohalla Clinics project, on the other hand, was a quick response to the healthcare crisis exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. It was an attempt to change the city bit by bit. The most strategic feature of the Mohalla Clinic is that it uses discarded shipping containers to solve an important socio-economic problem—access to primary healthcare. The clinics are an example of how design can create tactical responses to the need of the hour for our cities.
I think, now more than ever, that architecture and planning, in general, are no longer just about making a building. They are about how we manage consumption in the city, how we revitalise our built environments, minimise fossil fuel consumption, and respond to the needs of the masses. It is time for us to think big and make a difference.?
Where do we start? And How? This conversation is one we have had many times The Architects' Hub Global Network where we challenge the status quo. Architecture, as is practiced today is, in my mind, detrimental to humanity, earth and even the skies!
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Architecture that confines itself only to mere discussions, whichever the topic may be, is not really architecture. Real and true architecture is in the making of things, and creating a sense of well-being for the population at large, doesn't necessarily involve mega-projects and mega-scale - every action aimed at building something true and honest contributes to the well-being of somebody and if those action multiply and multipy, even if at a smaller scale, they would affect more and more people - spread the word, spread the need for honesty in architecture and the battle is already halfway won. Shells are never neutral as they deal with light, with material, with texture, with color - by bringing all these factors together in a cohesive unit, that is honest and true to the needs of people, to their aspirations, to the site, and to the inner meaning of every building in its own right will determine an atmosphere for a better tomorrow. Architecture is action!
Definitely! For a better tomorrow
Absolutely!