On 13th October Mr Anne Feenstra gave a lecture on the role of architects in today’s fast changing world. He is a Dutch architect educated at Delft University and had set up his own design practice in 2004. He was a visiting faculty at the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi and currently teaches architecture at the Tribhuwan University, Nepal. Through extensive research and community workshops, Mr Feenstra has developed a design process called the ‘Open Design Process’ for fine and subtle sustainable architecture based on greater local ownership. In this lecture, he explained this with reference to his recent projects in Afghanistan and experience at Delhi 2050.
This article conveys the author’s understanding of the lecture given by Mr Anne Feenstra.
Lessons from Afghanistan
The privileged ones can always afford amenities but what about the less privileged ones! According to Mr Feenstra, “Architecture adds value to the lives of unprivileged.” Thus architecture is not just about extravagant designs but also about thrift utilities. His recent projects in Afghanistan were located at remote places with extreme weather conditions. Conventional protocols are not feasible under such circumstances. So architects and planners must possess the stamina to endure extreme conditions and the ability think on their toes. According to him instead of clinging to conventional solutions one shall try to jump out of the box. This box can be prejudice, guidelines, etc… and one must always explore to find the best workable solutions. Usually local bodies have general guidelines which do not always fit into the social context. As Mr Feenstra quoted “One shoe for all Does not always work.”
UNICEF’s general design guidelines for the Maternity Waiting Homes did not integrate with the social context. So while designing a maternity waiting home, it was necessary to understand the local customs and culture to perceive their usage. Collaboration with locals helped to reckon their requirements as well as expectations.
Mr Feenstra’s suggestion is to be modest enough to collaborate with the locals.
In Afghanistan, men are neither allowed inside the quarters nor do they appear before three or four days of delivery. So instead of providing separate area for men, he designed a buffer zone in between the waiting area and quarters. This buffer zone is a junction providing access to all parts of the building including the birth room. Men are not allowed beyond this point. Provision of an interior courtyard adjacent to quarters lets the women rejoice the sun and fresh air. Privacy of the quarters was a major concern so windows were provided at bed level to block the line of vision from outside but maintain a view from inside towards outside.
According to Mr Feenstra buildings which fit in the natural environment last longer. The buildings of the Band-e Amir National Park were designed and oriented to let the snow slide around it. The openings were designed to allow maximum daylight penetration and accord the ventilation with the wind flow. Thicker walls and lower roofs were provided to endure the temperature variance. High plinth construction with stones ensured structural integrity eliminating chances of damage due to freeze and thaw cycles. The exteriors were designed to complement the natural environment. The buildings being located in remote areas, the construction had to be executed with locally available material and workmanship. Materials are neither good nor bad, they are either suitable or not. So just as Mr Feenstra further suggested,
“Like a painter selecting the right shade from entire spectrum, an architect has to pick the suitable material from the available range.”
Adobe bricks were used for walls while double glazed windows were crafted by local carpenters.
Take aways from Delhi 2050
During the Delhi 2050 conference, an open process to fundamentally rethink the long term future of Delhi, Mr Feenstra and his team put up their proposed models on push-carts and took it across the city to collect feedback from the public. Such feedbacks can unveil new perspectives and unanticipated failures. One must never forget to listen. According to Mr Feenstra the significance of contextual design can never be neglected. Even the best design is ineffective if it fails to integrate with the context.
Streets at Chandni Chowk in Delhi function differently than those in Birmingham so outsourcing an intervention in Delhi to an expert in London will not generate the best solution. To understand the situation better, one must gather the facts and compare it with similar cases in terms of general facts like crime rates, transport network, real estate, etc. In case of Delhi, a comparison with Rio de Jenerio would be more relevant and helpful than a comparison with London or Tokyo. With comparisons one can generate scenarios to identify issues as well as possible solutions.
And finally Mr Feenstra recommends going beyond the existing thresholds to design effective systems. In Delhi, the tallest building rises only 112 m above the ground. Considering the scarcity of planar space, the third dimension offers many possibilities to accommodate the ever increasing population. Mr Feenstra suggests that apart from going higher, one can also explore the possibilities of going deeper underground; pioneering a new direction or line of thought can unveil limitless possibilities. For example, his proposition of self-sustaining habitats can reduce the perpetual need of infrastructure development. The current centralised systems are good as long as high infrastructure costs are affordable. So at some point in future, it might be more viable to have self-sustaining buildings. Starting with lower levels of sustainability by incorporating rain water harvesting, photo-voltaic panels, etc. higher levels can be attained gradually through research and development.
Today the goal of architecture has evolved from merely putting a form in space to integrating the form with space and to attain this goal one must go beyond the convention.
This article was originally published on CEPT Portfolio.
Header Image Source: Flickr User
Savvy Munshi 