top architecture design thesis 2021
SCET ARCHITECTURE
SURAT, INDIA
Design thesis authored by
Jay Kapadia
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THESIS SPECIFICATIONS
Thesis Title: Participatory Housing Approach for Conservation Induced Displacement: Case of Siddi community of Uttar Kannada, Karnataka
Project type: Housing & Development
Year of completion : 2021
“The continued existence of wildlife and wilderness is important to the quality of life of Humans.” – (Jim Fowler)
According to World Wide Fund for Nature, more than 50 percent of the wildlife is lost in the last 40 years. Today more than 50% of the land is transformed from natural habitat into agricultural land and other development activities. The human habitations had fragmented the wildlife habitat with rapid settlement expansion which leads to human-wildlife conflicts. It depends on three dimensions: level of exposure, pressure on exposure and potential interaction to become a conflict. On one side are the biological sciences, devoted to understanding the mechanisms of biodiversity loss and its consequences for conservation. On the other side are the social scientists, concerned with livelihood issues in and outside protected areas. It is estimated 4.3 million people sharing spaces with megafauna such as tigers and elephants within protected areas in India. But unfortunately, each day a human death is witnessed due to human-wildlife conflicts in the country. The major consequences are suffered by the marginalized tribal communities who are often left out in the development process.
Karnataka is one of the mega-biodiversity hotspots of the world. The state is under high level of exposure and high level of pressure in human-wildlife interaction which often results in conflict. The Uttar Kannada district has the highest forest cover in the state with more than 80 percent of the land under forest. The Kali tiger reserve is deemed endangered by the World-Wide Fund for Nature. Recently the Karnataka Forest Department has proposed new potential areas to be included on the eastern and western sides. However, the western part is almost converted into protected area, but in the eastern part majority of the settlements have expanded and transformed majority of the forest land into agriculture land. Even the change in the movement pattern of animals is a concern for the tribal communities.
The major vulnerable communities to the frequent human-wildlife conflict in the study premise are- Lambanis, Siddis, Gowlis, Medar, etc. Based on several socio-economic parameters and issues identified- the Siddi community is selected for the study. The Siddis are the ethnic community brought to India as slaves by the colonial power. After abolition of Slave Trade, they have settled in thick forest areas along the Western Ghats, majorly in states of Karnataka and Gujarat. They remain forgotten in the history as a consequence of colonialism, and its effects that are still felt today.
Historically, Conservation-induced displacement projects have failed to improve the lives of communities after relocation. The top-down approach results in severe consequences at the relocated site in terms of loss of socio-cultural aspects and traditional way of living as communities are left out in the decision-making process. The practice of conservation Induced displacement projects lacks community participation which is the key reason for its failure.
The thesis focuses to address how community participation can lead to successful conservation-induced displacement taking into consideration contemporary challenges and the community’s aspirations. The approach was to reverse the existing top-down approach into bottom-up approach where community is the leader in the process. Based on the Human-wildlife interaction model theory which deconstructs into three dimensions and leads to three practices to solve the conflict as- wildlife depletion, separation of people and co-existence for Integrated Conservation Development Projects to balance all three dimensions to prevent human-wildlife conflict. The wildlife depletion is suitable in specific cases but not in sensitive zones. The separation of humans is suitable in high exposure zones to reduce human-wildlife interaction. The co-existence is suitable for low pressure and exposure zones.
Every case of Human-wildlife conflict is unique. Understanding Human-wildlife interaction theory- depletion of wildlife is not an appropriate solution. In the contradictory perspectives of coexistence vs separation, I think both aspects are to be considered at different levels. That is to balance Co-existence at regional level with separation at local level for Integrated Conservation-Development Project.
The approach for the projects is divided into four factors-Participatory approach, Site and services, Incremental and material and construction technique. Through Participatory approach various design workshops are conducted with the community through several decisions are taken. The workshops led to the formulation of various settlement patterns from site level to house level which became design guidelines for the project. The affected families receive housing based on Organized mass housing approach (Research thesis is separately conducted on “Mass Housing” to evolve interdisciplinary and feasible approach for such projects) which has failed.
The process of planning and design is based on retaining the traditional patterns and of settlement formation. The settlement is distributed along the topography with bio-fencing as a buffer edge inspired from vernacular settlements to avoid undesirable expansion and prevent future conflicts. The proposed core house design is based on designing ‘Mojgar’ which is a private area comprising 20% of space and rest allows users to take control over it with necessary support services. They decide how much to build, when to build and what to build for all six typologies. In incrementation stages the user decides the appearance of the house and the functionality of each space which completes the full house over a period of time depending on his needs. The self-help approach with a simple understanding develops attachment to houses. The traditional knowledge and wise use of technological advancement to construct their “homes” could redefine the role of community.
A house is a home when in it making it is not the machine but the hands of man which have worked upon it.
Modern civilisation has posed a threat to such communities and their cultural diversity by excluding them from all forms of growth and development. Unfortunately, the debate between communalism and secularism had forgotten a crucial element that binds all together – Diversity. The tribal communities also aspire to be part of growth and development where architecture can play an important role in improving their lives.
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