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BRIEF
AIM
The Joint Atelier aimed to design mechanisms (systems/services/products) facilitating critical assessment and understanding of a city and its components, fostering comprehension, appreciation, and connection with the urban landscape.
CHOOSE A LENSE TO ACCESS THE CITY (Chandigarh )
Some of the Lenses, the Italian, Indian and Dutch students constructed to ‘read the city’. These lenses make us look at cities differently, understand them more properly and ultimately guide their transformation.
PROCESS
FIELD RESEARCH | DESKTOP RESEARCH | INTERVIEWS | COMPARITIVE STUDY | CATEGORIZATION | PAIN POINTS | FACTORS/ LEVELS
Chandigarh, the first planned city in independent India, is a crucial study for reimagining urban contexts. Designed by Le Corbusier, it embodies post-independence aspirations, modernist ideals, and innovative urban planning. Chandigarh's sectoral layout, integration of green spaces, and balance of heritage and modernity demonstrate how urban design can adapt principles to local needs, offering valuable insights for contemporary urban development.
Why Chandigarh as a city ?
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Conducted in sector 17 Chandigarh and Rehabilitation Colonies of Dhanas, sector 38 (W)/DaduMajra and sector 49 in Chandigarh
Sector 17 in Chandigarh, designed as the city's commercial and administrative hub, showcases Le Corbusier's modernist principles with a well-planned grid layout, modern amenities, and significant architectural landmarks, making it a vibrant economic centre.
In contrast, the rehabilitation colonies in Dhanas, Sector 38 (W), Dadu Majra, and Sector 49 were developed to provide affordable housing for displaced and economically weaker populations, emphasizing functional, utilitarian design with basic amenities and limited economic activity.
Where was the Field Research conducted ?
In this Joint Studio, in July 2023, five design students from the School of Design at Politecnico di Milano and five from TU Delft collaborated with ten students from The Design Village (TDV), Noida, for a unique program in India.
ABOUT
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SUBJECTIVITY IN OBSTRCUTION
TOOL 1
Initial Prototyping
SUBJECTIVITY IN OBSTRUCTION
The first tool helps us understand obstructions from a subjective perspective, considering the viewpoints of different stakeholders. For instance, heat can be an obstruction that limits a street seller, making it challenging to operate, whereas, for a gardener, the same heat can be an opportunity to enhance plant growth. This illustrates how obstructions can vary in impact, depending on individual circumstances and roles.
01
Tool 2 addresses obstructions through an objective approach by examining them from various perspectives, such as motivational, contextual, and situational frames. It evaluates whether the effect on stakeholders is direct or indirect and measures the intensity of these effects using numeric data.
02
OBJECTIVITY IN OBSTRUCTION
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COMPLEXCITY IN OBSTRUCTION
TOOL 2
using lenses to seek obstruction in the city:
Identifying Obstruction
The stark contrasts between Sector 17 and the rehabilitation colonies in Chandigarh reveal various forms of obstructions—economic, social, infrastructural, and architectural. These observations highlight the need for more equitable urban development that addresses the disparities and integrates different sections of society more harmoniously.
Conclusion from comparitive study.
Sector 17 in Chandigarh, designed as the city's commercial and administrative hub, showcases Le Corbusier's modernist principles with a well-planned grid layout, modern amenities, and significant architectural landmarks, making it a vibrant economic center. In contrast, the rehabilitation colonies in Dhanas, Sector 38 (W), Dadu Majra, and Sector 49 were developed to provide affordable housing for displaced and economically weaker populations, emphasizing functional, utilitarian design with basic amenities and limited economic activity. These areas reflect a focus on practicality and essential services rather than aesthetic appeal and commercial vibrancy. Together, Sector 17 and the rehabilitation colonies represent two distinct facets of urban planning and development in Chandigarh, catering to different economic and social needs.
Insights from Field Research ?
OBSTRUCTION
Using obstruction as a lens to assess a city, such as Chandigarh, reveals how space creates both possibilities and limitations, affecting economic opportunities, social integration, and accessibility. The contrast between Sector 17's commercial vibrancy and the functional design of rehabilitation colonies highlights the relative nature of urban environments.
Tangible
Intangible
Avoidable
Causable
CATEGORIZATION
FACTORS
LEVELS
How obstruction as a lense is relevent?
Using obstruction as a lens is relevant because it reveals how spaces create both possibilities and limitations. This perspective helps identify barriers to equitable development and shows how addressing these obstructions can turn them into opportunities for growth and integration. Viewing planning through the lens of obstruction emphasizes the need to transform barriers into catalysts for improvement, fostering more inclusive and functional environments.
WHY ?
A city's structure, both metaphorically and in reality, offers opportunities for residents to organically grow and evolve in engagement with it. However, this structure can also pose obstacles.
RELATIVITY !
The concept that "obstruction can both be obstructions and constructions" illustrates the relativity of obstacles. In Chandigarh, Sector 17's modern amenities present opportunities, while the rehabilitation colonies' limitations highlight challenges. However, these limitations can also inspire innovative solutions. This perspective shows that obstructions can be both barriers and opportunities, depending on how they are perceived and addressed.
OBSTRUCTION
HEAT
Final Prototyping
SUBJECTIVITY IN OBSTRUCTION
OBJECTIVITY IN OBSTRUCTION
In conclusion, spaces with obstructions present a duality of experiences, serving as limitations for some while offering possibilities for others. This relativity highlights that obstructions in space can have both subjective and objective effects, shaped by individual perspectives and contextual circumstances. Understanding this dynamic allows for a more nuanced appreciation of how physical barriers can influence human interaction and creativity within a given environment.
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Three methods followed to classify the data collected (obstructions):
Methodology
JOINT STUDIO
REIMAGINING CONTEXT AND REPOSITIONING PARADIGMS
Designed 2 interpretive tools for designers to comprehend the limitations and potential of various urban aspects, addressing the diverse needs of the city's stakeholders.
This project was done as an additional Ancillary unit, Conducted by The Design Village, India - June '23
Mentor - Lena Ragade Gupta, Dr. Paul Hekkert, Dr. Valentina Auricchio, Kshitij Bahl, Priankar Dasgupta
Team Members - Aayushi thakur, Yashi Gupta, Ruby Schaap, Federico Fanucchi
Process
Why Chandigarh as a city ?
Chandigarh, the first planned city in independent India, is a crucial study for reimagining urban contexts. Designed by Le Corbusier, it embodies post-independence aspirations, modernist ideals, and innovative urban planning. Chandigarh's sectoral layout, integration of green spaces, and balance of heritage and modernity demonstrate how urban design can adapt principles to local needs, offering valuable insights for contemporary urban development.
Where was the Field Research conducted?
Conducted in sector 17 Chandigarh and Rehabilitation Colonies of Dhanas, sector 38 (W)/DaduMajra and sector 49 in Chandigarh
Sector 17 in Chandigarh, designed as the city's commercial and administrative hub, showcases Le Corbusier's modernist principles with a well-planned grid layout, modern amenities, and significant architectural landmarks, making it a vibrant economic centre.
In contrast, the rehabilitation colonies in Dhanas, Sector 38 (W), Dadu Majra, and Sector 49 were developed to provide affordable housing for displaced and economically weaker populations, emphasizing functional, utilitarian design with basic amenities and limited economic activity.
Conclusion from comparitive study.
The stark contrasts between Sector 17 and the rehabilitation colonies in Chandigarh reveal various forms of obstructions—economic, social, infrastructural, and architectural. These observations highlight the need for more equitable urban development that addresses the disparities and integrates different sections of society more harmoniously.
Insights from Field Research ?
Sector 17 in Chandigarh, designed as the city's commercial and administrative hub, showcases Le Corbusier's modernist principles with a well-planned grid layout, modern amenities, and significant architectural landmarks, making it a vibrant economic center. In contrast, the rehabilitation colonies in Dhanas, Sector 38 (W), Dadu Majra, and Sector 49 were developed to provide affordable housing for displaced and economically weaker populations, emphasizing functional, utilitarian design with basic amenities and limited economic activity. These areas reflect a focus on practicality and essential services rather than aesthetic appeal and commercial vibrancy. Together, Sector 17 and the rehabilitation colonies represent two distinct facets of urban planning and development in Chandigarh, catering to different economic and social needs.