Ticking Stillness

Published by Compartment S4 Cover Photo by Aman Amin

#1 Housing Nitty Gritties March 2020

TICKING STILLNESS Aman Amin / Architect amanamin94@gmail.com ‘Ticking Stillness’ is a photo story inspired by the day-to-day ongoings in the lives of the Sheth family in Ahmedabad. The couple, inhabiting the apartment for over 30 years have established a relationship of coexistance with the home. In sync with the sun and moon, the home acts as a mediator and a negotiator between them and the outside.

The photo story explores the architectural gestures of establishing connections amongsts the inhaitants and the space.

It attempts to weave in an idea of time; one that has past and the one to come as manifestations of information exchange between the space and the inhabitants.

I am grateful for Lajja Shah to have introduced me to Sudha Aunty and Kartik Uncle, the lovely couple inhabiting the house. Thank you for letting me into your lives and your home with unconditional love and sumptuous food.

/ 9.20 AM he adjusts his chair, and light falls on his newspaper, softly onto the old plastered walls gentle breeze from the garden, caresses him to sleep.

/ 6.40 AM they function in harmony. a word not spoken, synchronicity in tandem. she brushes her teeth, he prepares their first tea. and they unite at the table.

/ 7.55 AM he looks out for the newspaper boy, a passerby greets them a good day! she responds with a smile. a first greeting or a peek, a goodbye or a last look. the window is her companion

/ 9.20 AM across the balcony she walks with a limp to smell the soil and listen to the rustling leaves she nutures the garden like a child to watch them grow tall and high; through her little balcony.

/ 11.35 AM the sun moves to the left, and the air gets dryier he knows his home as much as his cloths; he adujusts the whites on the left; while the coloured go to the right.

/ 12.05 PM lunch is served, with essentials at arms length they know their chairs; they know their roles he counts the medicines while she cuts the fruit.

/ 2.40 PM they disperse into their burrows, he knows exactly how the matteress feels the texture, the temperature and the smell. he waits for his time. trying to keep up with the notifications on his phone, he slowly gives in to the old mattress day passes, the light gets softer.