Seeking Guidance   Architecture for the "poor" Hi all, Im a final yr student and looking for a thesis topic that has to do something with "architecture for the poor".. my aim is to prove that architecture is not only meant for the high end ppl of the society(which unfortunately is today) but want to look at architecture as a solution to a problem.. a contribution from my side as an architect to the society.. I would like to know abt the contribution of architects in slum development projects.. or any oher projects of this kind.. Plz help me.. -- Sudhamathy Subramanian, October 15, 2009 Contribute a response Responses   Architecture for the "poor" hi........friend. i really appreciate your feeling here I have an idea A health centre shall be originally set up to provide health services for the slum-dwellers, and its remit may be expanded to encompass the dedicated social services such as AIDS education, a literacy programme, savings schemes for women, guidance for adolescent girls and IT training. The structure may be developed in a slum area, with a "downs to earth" concept. -- Zaki Momin, October 15, 2009 Architecture for the "poor" The starting point is to read Hassan Fathy's book, Architecture for the Poor. -- Bernard Mugwima, October 18, 2009 Architecture for the "poor" money,money,money!!!The gap between hi-end and poor(lo-end).Architecture for the poor?!!Translates into lo-cost solutions which morphs into lo-cost architectural solutions which evolves into indigenous earth consruction using the future occupants as the labor force both skilled & unskilled. But who provides the land to build and at what cost? There's more to this problem than what meets the eye!! Aali Qayoom -- Aali Qayoom, October 19, 2009 Architecture for the "poor" Sudhamathy, how do you define "wealth"? -- Jofer Magsi, October 19, 2009 Architecture for the "poor" ......have (also) a look at e.g.: www.urbanage.net www.slumlab.org good luck -- Ben Huser, October 19, 2009 Architecture for the "poor" you should refer to laurie baker's work. baker has worked extensively on slum development pojects in kerala. (refer to LAURIE BAKER - LIFE, WORK AND WRITINGS BY GAUTAM BHATIA, Peguin Publication) you can refer to ARANYA HOUSING, Indore by B V DOSHI. also get some refernce on HIMANSHU PAREKH architect based in ahmedabad -- Naresh Chhatwani, October 20, 2009 Architecture for the "poor" hi all Being in 4th year I am also planning to have my thesis topic on "low cost architecture". But I have my professional trainig before that, so I was thinking that wont it be apt if I choose a trainig under the team that is already involved in such projects. Is that a good idea? But I dont know what firms in India are doing such jobs. Please guide me. -- Rakesh Kumar, October 22, 2009 Architecture for the "poor" Hi all.. Thanks a lot for your responses..If i were to choose a slum development project for my thesis, what scale should i limit myself.. like should it be like an urban devp project? Im unclear about this.. Plz guide me.. @Jofer: Define wealth? Well, in todays context i think its a tool that makes people affordable to necessities of life.. So my question is should people be "affordable" to architecture.. is it something that people can obtain only if they have money? There's no denying the fact that today, the "well-to-do" section of the society manages to seek the guidance of an architect for designing their buildings.. what about the others? -- Sudhamathy Subramanian, October 25, 2009 Architecture for the "poor" yes, Sudhamathy... what about the others? what will your architecture be about? will it be about affordability? will it be about access to resources? will it preserve or attempt to discontinue a particular aspect of the local culture? what will it be? -- Jofer Magsi, October 26, 2009 Architecture for the "poor" @Jofer: Better living conditions for the people who cannot afford it.. -- Sudhamathy Subramanian, October 27, 2009 Architecture for the "poor" HI DEAR, "ARCHITECT LAURIE BAKER'S WORK" is the ultimate solution for all your research ! Cheers, Enjoyy! -- Sonika Kulkarni, October 29, 2009 Architecture for the "poor" I believe there is more hope for one who could look within himself/herself and find "the architect". -- Jofer Magsi, October 29, 2009 Architecture for the "poor" I don't think architecture belongs to any sect of the society. We can term it "cost effective architecture" or "resource effective architecture" because the poor don't have the surplus to waste.Both in terms of money and resource.The real challenge is to achieve the suitable and appropriate living conditions within those given constraints. Of course Laurie Bakers work is the first thing that strikes to my mind whenever I think of "cost effective techniques". Its a bit of confusion to finalize regarding the scale and kind of project. I know a friend of mine who has done her thesis on Dharavi slum development, Mumbai. She has taken a small part (Kholi gaon if I am not wrong) and tried to develop the edge conditions and the layout of the area she has chosen. But it was really a difficult job as the area of concern splits between architecture and planning. That is where the problem arises. The more the area, the less is the concentration on "ARCHITECTURAL THESIS". Though my view is based on my personal experiences and understanding, I think it is really important to have an understanding of the scale of the project at least if not the Kind of project in the first place. Looking at the work of BV Doshi, Lourie Baker, Geoffery Bawa can be a very good start. At the same time as mentioned already, have a look at books by Hasan Fathy. -- Sriraj Gokarakonda, November 1, 2009 Contribute a response Legal Notes Contact ArchNet