VIRTUAL Barcelona
Abstract
This paper examines the intricate interplay between the pragmatics and poetics of water in contemporary Indian culture. Despite India’s population exceeding 1.4 billion, over 700 million lack access to basic sanitation facilities. Historically, sanitation has been crucial in the development of India’s urban landscape as exemplified by the latrines and drainage system of the 2600 BCE Indus Valley civilization. Access to this critical infrastructure enabled the transition from a rural, agrarian society to a culture dominated by city dwellers. However, the importance of water in Indian culture extends beyond the pragmatic. Water is fundamental to all major religions in India. Despite the significance of water in rituals across all subcultures, bureaucrats privilege standardized, pragmatic solutions for water infrastructure. Ignoring the complex social and culture role of water negatively impacts all socioeconomic classes, but disregard to both pragmatics and poetics impacts slum dwellers most acutely. Focused on the Dharavi slum in Mumbai we examine how the issues around water access compound social and economic disparities, to highlight the ways conventional design solutions fall short. Investigating the slum morphology at macro and micro levels, our team developed a hybrid proposal that weaves sanitation, hydrology, and sustainability, ensuring access to clean water for physical and spiritual needs. The project incorporates strategic augmentation to leverage existing spatial and material tactics for integrating new water infrastructure into the community fabric. Specifically, the existing vernacular identified by a pixelated, iterative aggregation over generations locates a new formal language unique to the place and the culture.
Educated at the University of Virginia and Princeton University Michael Hughes is a Professor of Architecture at the American University of Sharjah. His academic work is focused on small, unremarkable, and often forgotten places adjacent to the lives of underserved people. Located in the boundary between architecture, urbanism, and landscape his projects seek to create experiential delight out of small-scale design opportunities that augment existing infrastructures, provide pragmatic functions, promote play, and exhibit a social and environmental conscience.
Asfar Begum Ameerdeen is a fourth-year architecture undergraduate student at the American University of Sharjah, U.A.E. She also serves as a peer tutor at the writing center. Her research and designs are based on a unique vision for the city of the future, considering the emotional and spiritual needs of the residents. Her motive is to balance humanity, the city, and the environment by incorporating experimental ideas, the philosophy of equity architecture, and a keen adherence to context and conditions.
Ajay Sunil is a 4th-year architect student at the American University of Sharjah, as well as the Treasurer of the American Institute of Architecture Students – AUS Chapter. His design works showcase a particular focus on the principles of phenomenology, focusing on creating meaningful and memorable experiences for people. His interests lie in the ability of graphical techniques to exhibit novel and fascinating concepts as a means for design thinking.
Afreen Saheed is a fourth-year student at the American University of Sharjah, where she is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in architecture. With an appreciation for community interactions, her design narratives go beyond mere structures, creating dynamic environments that invite social interaction and community engagement. She plays an active role as a member of the American Institute of Architecture Students chapter at her university and engages in design workshops and architectural events to enhance her skills and build a network. She is part of honour societies like Alpha Lambda Delta and Tau Sigma Delta, reflecting her commitment to academic excellence.
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Wednesday 17th July, 2024