The Rural Public - Constructing Productive Production space for the Modern Farmer by Rajesh Jose

the rural public

Constructing Productive Production Space for the Modern Farmer

Rajesh Jose

Arch 4699_Thesis Temple University, Tyler School of Art Architecture Spring 2013

{Production Space} The physical area where products are extracted, formulated, processed and distributed {Productive Space} Combines these processes with a playful character that engages social dialogue

[Table of Context] 0.0 INTRODUCTION

The Rural Public

1.0 THEORETICAL FOUNDATION 1.1 The Activist -Three Points of Action -Stairology

1.2 The Public -Invisible Zagreb 1.3 Activating Public -Spaces of Claiming public

-Delwara Community Toilets

2.0 DESIGN SPECULATION 2.1 The Framework 2.2 The Issues -Water -Production

2.3 Design Strategy -Water Infrastructure

-Productive Space

2.4 Overall Strategy

3.0 THEORY TO PROJECT LINK 4.0 SITE 4.1 Kottayam

4.2 Seasonal Impact 4.3 Areekara 4.4 Issues -Public -Water -Production

13.0 METHODS OF INQUIRY 14.0 WORK PLAN + SCHEDULE 15.0 RUBBER PRODUCTION

5.0 CONCEPT

16.0 NEW RURAL STRATEGY

6.0 FARMERS ROLE

17.0 REDEFINING PROCESS

7.0 PROGRAM

18.0 EXTRACTION

7.1 Master Plan 7.2 Water Infrastructure Design 7.3 Rubber Production Design

8.0 USER

8.1 The Modern Farmer

9.0 CONCEPTUAL MODEL 10.0 DESIGN METHODOLOGIES 11.0 KEY TERMS 12.0 TERMS OF CRITICISM

19.0 FORMATION 20.0 PROCESSING 21.0 DISTRIBUTION 22.0 RESOLUTION 23.0 REFLECTION 24.0 COMMENTS

25.0 ENDNOTES 26.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY 27.0 IMAGE REFERENCES

0.0 [Introduction] THE RURAL PUBLIC In India “two-thirds of India’s people depend on rural employment for a living”.1 That ratio is decreasing as people are leaving their farms to live in the urban field where there are more opportunity for growth. With inadequate irrigation facilities, inefficient production of crops, tight storage spaces and expensive tools, farmers have more reasons to “abandon ship”.

Known for its rural landscape, Kottayam is one of the social and environmental issues that are similar fourteen districts located in Kerala on the southern throughout all the villages can be closely examined. tip of India. With over 100 villages and 100,000 farmers, major crops grown throughout the district are rubber, coconut, rice, tea, and peppers. The problem that the district face, is that it is surrounded by “current agricultural practices that are neither economically nor environmentally sustainable.”2 This thesis focuses on solving this issue for the village of Areekera, in Kottayam district. By focusing The public on the design of one village, an understanding of

Compared to an individual’s private farm land, the public realm is currently seen as a less relevant space.

realm includes the river and streets for pedestrian and vehicle circulation. Farmers treat the public realm as the area for traffic and dumping garbage. These social issues start in the public realm and environmentally affect the irrigation system and production of crops.

A lack of a reliable irrigation system has plagued these farmers all their

lives. Everything that possibly needs to be cleaned is done in the river. The same water that the fish occupy is the water they use to clean their farming tools, wash their cloths, and even bathe. The farmers of Areekara have also continued this way of thinking in the farming fields for producing

unsustainable and inefficient production methods due rubber. They follow

to the limited space, lack of tools and unproductive space.

A network of productive architecture will activate public spaces that help the rural area of Areekara aid farmers in the production of their products and quality of life. A new water infrastructure and architecture for production of crops will provide public amenities such as places to wash cloths, bathe, clean tools and produce products for the rural farming community. It reconsiders cultural attitudes towards the public realm that help create a healthier ecosystem and process of production.

Instead of relying on existing government owned infrastructure, civil engineering, networking and distribution of services, these farmers are in need of community based architecture that fulfills these basic needs for production and quality of life. The public spaces in Areekara could instead be seen as the interdependency common space where these farmers work together to produce their products and share clean water. 7

PART IV

PART III

position PART II

PART I

1.0 [Theoretical Foundation] “Architecture and all the design professions are undergoing a major transformation that is both proactive and reactive: proactive as a search for roles with greater relevance and reactive as a response to the humanitarian and environmental crises facing the world”3

-Thomas Fisher

1.1 The Activist

Public-Interest architects have set out to improve conditions in their own communities and around the world through innovative thinking and hands on

“Professional designers have traditionally focused on the 10% of the world’s population that can afford their goods and services, but that has dramatically changed… Architects, Engineers, NGOs, experience.

and Philanthropists are working directly with people with limited resources, collaborating across sectors to find solutions, and utilizing emerging technology that “leapfrogs” poorer communities into the twenty-first century.” Most of the remaining 90% have a potential idea for their site but lack the support of reliable infrastructure and broaden exchange of knowledge necessary to begin constructing. Architects provide this expertise as they are trained to research site, culture, and help provide solutions to improve the quality of life.4 Bryan Bell, Architect, 10

Activist and founder of Design Corp. believes that, “these clients have needs that represent the most exciting design challenges in existence.” When designing for the 10% of the world that can afford their goods and services, there are social issues

when designing for the other 90%, the social issues become the instigator of the design strategy. Public-interest architecture is less that architects have to look into but

of a movement then it is simply the practice of architecture, but in a broader sense.5

Three Points of Action Jose L.S. Gamez and Susan Rodgers define three

points of action in the reconstruction of a community-oriented practice. The first necessary point is “understanding of the role of the market in realizing design should be integral to the education of an architect”. When diving into a public-interest project the architect must know how to calculate and evaluate the effects of their proposals, both in the financial and social community. Second, an architect “must reconsider the power of utopian thinking as a way to form a unified front.” There should be an attempt to redefine utopia from one project to another but use social organizations as tools to help articulate new limitless spaces, rather than universal space. Third, “architecture should illustrate the value of alternative special practices with a plurality of aesthetic and special modes of civic expression that facilitate a diverse set of public realm.” Consider social power, culture and identity which will reshape the client’s community.6

(Figure 1)- Image of the community of La Vega-Stairology by Arqui5

Stairology Arqui5’s “Stairology” project in La Vega demonstrates the proactive role an architecture firm took when designing. La Vega is one of the largest informal settlements in Caracas, with a population of over 100,000 people. Located alongside a mountain, the people of La Vega had a difficult time circulating through the town. Arqui5’s design consists of a network of stairs which allows for an increase in the accessibility of the steep slopes of La Vega. They also embrace small public and gathering spaces for social gatherings as well as basic utility services systems such as drainage, gas, water, sewer and electricity lines in addition to water reserve tanks located at higher points. Arqui5 pro-actively pointed out a basic problem of accessibility and in reaction created a master plan for it. In the process of their design they also took the opportunity to design public spaces for social gatherings and public arts.

(Figure 2)- Image of the community of La Vega-Stairology by Arqui5

1.2 The Public

“What makes a space public…is not its preordained “publicness”. Rather, it is when, to fulfill a pressing need, some group or another takes space and through its actions makes it public.” It looks at the issues of an environment and represents it as a community oriented space of play and production.8 Activist, Damir Blazevic, coordinated with Platforma 9.81 and Media Collective to create public spaces in the abandoned city of Zagreb, Croatia. He used guerilla tactics to activate the public spaces of an abandoned city.9 He transformed abandoned public spaces into public art, lecture, and concert spaces. For example he organized a two day event that included lectures and concerts in the old slaughter house. He also turned The Badel Factory, formerly used for the production of liqueur Arko into a lighting instillation.10 Blazevic believes,

“strengthening the public domain through the use of public space is the most important thing an architect can do.” Through the interest of the public’s pop culture, Blazevic was able to activate the abandoned public of Zabreb.11 12

(Figure 3)- Lighting Instillation coordinated by Damir Blazevic

1.3 Activating Public

How can designers engage with the roles and responsibilities of positive social change for the public? Practicing community designers and activists, Peter Aeschbacher and Michael Rios, believe that it is “the recognition that the public realm is a political and physical terrain of struggle that is produced contextually, relationally and through dialogue; that is incrementally negotiated overtime through democratic participation; and that is manifested in material form.” Aeschbacher and Rio identify three spaces (recognition, engagement, and materiality) necessary to successfully activate a public space.

Spaces of recognition is when the designer “asserts their roles and responsibilities in defining shared claims and rights, creating positive models of identity and community and building solidarity across group differences.” Designers will gain from defining themselves as both members and enablers of communities. Their job becomes educating the public on social responsibility. Damir Blazevic claimed some of the unused spaces in Zagreb by making a map and database of the unused space. He educated the public by publishing the map in national newspapers in order to advertise and publically claim the space.

Spaces of engagement understand that the “social networks of communication and exchange are building blocks of civil society, but association without mobilization remains mere potential. The true value of these local and global networks resides in what they can achieve through constructive engagement.” Communities function as centers to build associations and networks for a larger goal. One would need to find a connection within the community in order to network most of the people for a design foundation.

millions of dollars on fixing it, this concept design allows the village to take control of their own quality of life through innovative architecture solutions. This way, the community is responsible in managing and maintaining this new quality of life while also bringing together a sense of community to one shared space. The solution Vir.Mueller Architects came up with is a new innovative way of thinking about an irrigation system through architectural intentions. Instead of spending a vast amount of tax money dollars on a traditional pipe like irrigation system, the architects came up with an occupiable space for the community.15

In spaces of materiality “physical spaces are a major component of the creative commons that reflects civil society values.” This includes the physical and visual architecture that provide a push to communicate and share spaces and ideas. 14

“Powerful voices are emerging to call for architecture of change…these voices being nurtured and sustained by the activist practices of designers and citizens working close”. The call for change is seen through

Delwara Community Toilets In the small rural village of Delwara, Rajasthan, New Delhi-based Vir.Mueller Architects activated a public space in response to a need of clean, safe toilet facilities and subsequently places to wash laundry. The National Foundation for India came to Vir. Mueller Architects seeking a prototype for a public sanitation facility that could be built locally, emits no waste and prevents groundwater contamination from the existing septic tank-based toilets. Vir. Mueller responded with their design which features composting toilets, captures rainwater, and serves a vital community space. Instead of relying on the poor irrigation system or even trying to spend

the living conditions and issues that exist on the site. Activists have to be proactive in researching these issues and reactive to the peoples need. They have to focus on the need of a community as a whole through communication in the public. (Figure 4)- Delwara Community Facility by Vir.Mueller Architects in Rajasthan

2.0 [Design speculation] â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thinking about anything is hard. But unthinkingundoing the way we have thought about anything is infinitely harderâ&#x20AC;? 17

-Arjun Appadurai & Carol A. Breckenridge

2.1 Framework

Utilizing the concepts and principles of community-driven architects, this thesis attempts to create a network of carefully planned architecture that

It is reconsidering cultural attitudes towards the public realm that will help the rural community of Areekara organize itself by creating a healthier eco-system and improving the production of resources through architectural intentions. activates public spaces.

Kottayam, a rural area, holds close to 100 similar villages and over 100,000 farms. One of these villages includes Areekara, which is known to grow popular crops such as rubber, coconut, rice, coco, fruits, and peppers. Areekara is home to a diverse amount of agriculture, but it is afflicted with a 14

non-environmentally sustainable way of living and producing.18 The lack of a good irrigation system and inefficient way of producing rubber has been the main concerns for this village.

2.2 The Issues

In Areekara, the negative view of the public realm is the major social issue. The environmental issues are the polluted water and rubber making process. Farmers take pride in their own private farm lands and treat the public realm, merely as the space for traffic flow and dumping garbage. While driving along the roads, burning garbage is a normal sight. The problem is that the current government does not supply the farmers with the basic means to properly go about living. They do not provide the farmers with a garbage disposal, a reliable irrigation system, or recycling center. These issues affect the way they go about collecting water and producing crops. Water Poor irrigation systems have led farmers to partake in a culture that uses the river and streams directly to clean its cloths, tools, animals and themselves causing the pollution of water in the river and streams. Some farmers have an electrical pump system connected to a well but with electricity that goes out at least once a day, the river becomes a more reliable source. Also to add to problems, during monsoon season, the sloping landscape get flooded easily, causing pedestrian and traffic flow

very difficult. It is not a surprise with the roads built so close to the rivers and streams. Production The farmers of Areekara have also lacked an efficient production method on the farming fields. They follow unsustainable and inefficient production methods due to the limited space, lack of tools, and unproductive space. For example, most rubber farmers slack an area to dry the natural rubber after it has been casted. The current method consist of either leaving it out in the sun or burning garbage and wood in a concrete casted smokehouse while the rubber is hung on rows of twine.

2.3 Design Strategy

The issues within Areekara would be the drive to design. The two components in resolving these issues include creating a water collection system and production space within the public vicinity. These components are existing programs on the site but reexamined and redesigned in a more productive and efficient way. New Water Infrastructure The first component is to create a new water infrastructure in the public realm, whether it is through the landscape or architecture, which will provide basic public amenities, such as places to wash clothes, bathe, and clean tools for the rural farming communities. The new water system is important to the public as it could provide stability for the

farmers. During monsoon the village collects a large amount of rainfall that flows downhill, flooding the streets, making vehicle and pedestrian circulation difficult. The cultural attitude now allows the weather to dictate their lives. The flow of water instead could be redirected and collected before it flows downhill towards the roads. The collection of water could be filtered along the way and used for different programs such as farming water, cleaning tools, bathing livestock’s, washing clothes, showering, and drinking. Anuradha Mathur and Dilip Da Cunha are principals of the design firm Mathur/da Cunha based in Philadelphia and Bangalore. Their way of going about activism is different from the design-build approach. In an interview, the principals talked about how questioning begins early, way before

begins with preparing the ground that someday will be shoveled- and not just the actual ground, but also the conceptual ground for questions and conversations. the project is shovel-ready. “It actually

This is why we’ve worked so much through public exhibitions.”19 They like to focus on the first ‘space’, the spaces of recognition that Peter Aeschbacher and Michael Rios describe.

They assert their roles and responsibilities in shared claims and rights creating positive models of identity and community. In Mumbai, Mathur and Da Cunha examine the significance of a disastrous natural occurrence and create a new meaning for it. They consider the design of the flow of water but through natural occurrence on landscapes. In their book, SOAK: Monsoon in an Estuary, they describe the landscape of Mumbai to embrace the flooding of the city and provide clean water. “Soak is an appreciation of an aqueous terrain, it encourages designs that hold monsoon water rather than channel them out to sea”. Soak in simple poetic terms is about making peace with the sea and in practical terms about designing with the monsoon in an estuary.20 Formed when sea levels rise, an estuary is the creation of a partly enclosed body of water fed by one or more river and streams. The fascination develops when the inflow of both freshwater and seawater provide high levels of nutrients in both the water and sediment. This makes estuaries the most productive natural habitats in the world. “Rather than a river that exists land through coastline, it is Mumbai’s estuary, a third coast, which carries the possibility of a different reading of Mumbai, its past and its future.” Monsoon rainwater overflows the fields and terrain, creating its own surface that Mathur and Da Cunha call monsoon surface. This third surface provides an opportunity

(Figure 5)- Mathur and Da Cunha SOAK: Monsoon in an Estuary

for a different way of designing and master planning Jason Pearson defines operative practice as “any the city of Mumbai.21 intentional, creative action-formal, programmatic, fiscal, functional, physical, social, political, or aesManipulating the way Akeekara looks at the water thetic-that achieves lasting positive change”23 It is a problems could result in a more promising way space that allows the users not only to produce but of design. The collection rather than the drainage actively think and learn how to make their products could be a more interesting way at solving its water unique. So for example earlier it was mentioned how the farmers lack an efficient architecture to issues. dry their rubber. Productive architecture is one that maybe utilizes the suns heat through an innovative 2.4 Productive Space architectural skin or maybe local materials instead The second component consists of architecture for of the burning of local wood and garbage like they the production of crops shared by the farmers in currently do. the public realm. “The voices of change collectively call for the activation of a politicized and specialIntegrated with the design of productive space ized project that will work to counteract the forces could be grounds for a playful public space for the that typically control production of the access to children that will help their parents in the farming space.”22 fields. As of now the children’s only built institu-

A productive space is literally an area that allows the most amount of work done in an environmentally efficient way. 16

tion is the local school. Typically after school they come home to help their family in the crop fields. Henry Shaftoe argues that “outdoor space is hugely important for children’s development. It is important for their health, both mental and physical, and is potentially one of the most exciting places for them to play.”24 He uses “potentially” because architects often provide them with numbing environments which exercise no adventure and imagination. The playful space within the productive space will create a contrast that not only let the user produce their products but also educate them through the interactive architecture and tools.

“People need a variety of reasons to gather and linger” whether it is to socialize with neighbors or the form of production.” 25 This thesis will attempt to do so by focusing the project on purifying the water system which will then provide a framework for the creation of productive space in the playful public environment. Overall Strategy As of now farmers consider their private property as precious land of wealth, while the public space as traffic and communal landfills. This thesis changes the farmer’s view of the public realm by implementing playful and productive space within the public realm that will encourage the communication between neighboring farmers. The communication becomes critically important to the architecture as the community will be responsible for managing and maintaining the architecture. Communication through the sharing of ideas and tools in the public could help farmers evolve their way of farming.

17 (Figure 6)- Mathur and Da Cunha SOAK: Monsoon in an Estuary

PART IV

PART III

proposal PART II

PART I

3.0 [Theory to project link] Currently, neglected perception of the public realm is a concrete reality for the people of Areekara. It has become a culture and way of living for them. The rivers and streams are being over used and production processes are dictated by limited spaces, tools, and ideas causing pollution and unhealthy environments.

4.0 [Site] Social views of the public realm and physical collection of water and production processes have the opportunity to be reconsidered for a positive design approach.

4.1 The district of Kottayam

Located in Kerala, Kottayam is close to the southern tip of India. It runs close to 30 miles east to west and 25 miles north to south holding close to 100 villages. Kottayam’s economy depends on agriculUtilizing the concepts and principles of communiture, but major concerns are occurring because ty-driven architects, this thesis will attempt to create of poor infrastructure, unplanned developments, a network of productive architecture that activates overcrowding, pollution, poor sanitary and living public spaces. It will reconsider cultural attitudes Not until we as architects can free ourselves from conditions. Major crops grown in the district are towards the public realm that move forward by our traditional, limited roles as designers, can we rubber with 60% of crop fields, coconut with 22%, creating a healthier eco-system and improving change the views of the farmer’s traditional role. 12% being rice, and the rest being coco, fruits, and The design would play a direct role in tackling social the production of resources through architectural peppers. The city of Kottayam, located close to the intentions. and environmental issues that the farmers face. “Designers play a vital role in giving form to what is center, is an and imagining what can be.”26 Those roles include, claiming the public realm and changing views by setting an example through the visual research and architecture. Through proactive research of the issues that plague the village of Areekara, a reactive design

Rejecting the limits that define the current situation, design can play a positive role in seeking answers for social and physical challenges. speculation was made possible.

important trading center for rubber crops, 25% of all rubber produced in India is produced in the fourteen districts of Kerala. Major crops such as rubber and coconut are grown during the autumn and summer seasons. And rice is generally grown during monsoon season.

4.2 Seasonal Impacts

In Kottayam, there are three seasons, monsoon, autumn and summer. During the monsoon season the district sees a large amount of rainfall. The amount of rainfall during monsoon will flood a village and stop the flow of vehicle and pedestrian circulation. During the summer it becomes so hot that agriculture becomes impossible to cultivate as water is limited. The battle of these two extreme seasons

affect the farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daily life schedule.

4.3 Areekara

The intent of this thesis is to focus on one out of the hundred villages within Kottayam in order to closely research and understand the social issues that are common throughout all of the villages. The village of Areekara is known for its vast landscape of rubber fields.

Areekaraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s combination of topographical landscape and social and environmental issues provide a great design challenge and inspiration for a potential prototype.

Areekara

Church

School

Extracting Rubber

Riding Elephant

Coconut Picking

Retail

Futbol

Collecting Rice

Picking spices

Crops Grown Public Buildings Activities

Private

Public

Environmental Issue- Water pollution

Public

water pollution

Settlements nearby bodies of water are amongst the most heavily populated area and as a result they are suffering degradation by many factors, including sedimentation from soil, over grazing, and poor farming practices. In Areekara, where there are poor irrigation systems built and “two-thirds of India’s people depend on rural employment for a living”, settling nearby the ocean, a river, or a stream is crucial in making a living. The poor irrigation systems have led farmers to partake in a culture that uses the river directly to clean its cloths, tools, animals, and themselves causing the pollution of water in the river and streams.

Private

water pollution

Garbage & Traffic

In Areekara, the view of the public realm is the major social issue. Farmers take pride in their own private farm lands, and treat the public realm as the space for traffic flow and dumping garbage. The problem is that the public government owned infrastructure cannot be relied on for living or producing. The roads are landscaped with mud so when it rains it becomes difficult to drive. Also most farmers do not have a reliable irrigation system. The people that do, have to own an electric well pump system. In Areekara, where electricity goes out at least once a day this irrigation system becomes useless.

burning garbage

Social Issue- view of Public

Garbage & Traffic

4.4 Issues

Private

Limited Space

Inefficient Production

Public

Lack of Tools

Farmers follow unsustainable and inefficient production methods due to limited space, lack of tools, and unproductive space. For example, rubber farmers who slack area to dry the rubber after being casted burn garbage and wood in a smokehouse while the rubber is hung.

Unproductive Space

Environmental Issue- inefficient Production

Private

Public

5.0 [Concept]

resolving social issues through the physically built landscapes and architecture that would pertain to the environmental issues. So by fixing the water pollution and inefficient rubber producThe intention of this thesis is

tion (environmental issues) through landscape and architecture in the public realm, the negative view of the public (social issue) will become more positive. Designing a new irrigation system/facility and spaces for the production of rubber will create a meaningful built public space.

Social Issue

Environmental Issues

dumping garbage

Inefficient Rubber Production

Water Pollution

Negative View of Public

traffic

Farming

Cleaning tools

Feeding livestock

Bathing/ laundry

Drinking

Collection

Mixing

Forming

Drying

Packaging

Rubber process

Water Collection

Rubber process

Water Collection

Public Public Private Private

6.0 [Farmers Roles] The daily routine of the men, women, and chil-

making a living for their family. The men typically work in dren consists of

farm fields

the , feed and tame the animals, and help with the preparation of food. The women cook, clean, and some help out in the farm. The children generally go to school in the morning and then come back to help their family in the farms. The only

Social public buildings are the school and church.

7.0 [Program] 7.1 Site Plan

The program focuses on the water collection/usage and the rubber production. Looking at the existing site (figure 14) the major issue is the isolation of programs in a confined space. As you can see the red numbers show that all the existing water programs are done directly in the river which is causing the pollution of water. The orange letters on the map show the existing production of rubber being done in the limited space of one farmers home. The thesis proposal (figure 15) proposes to spread out the production of water and rubber program from the isolated area into utilizing the whole public ground. The water program is placed along a hillside allowing the natural flow of water downhill towards the river. The order of program is ordered based on the amount of filtration needed for the specific program. So the closer the water gets to the river the cleaner it is. The rubber program has been strategically placed based on the order of production process to allow for the flow of production move along the public realm towards the main intersection of the town where they can easily be sold and shipped off. 1. Farming water A. Collecting latex 2. Cleaning tools B. Mixing and forming 3. Feeding livestock C. Rolling 4. Bathing/ Laundry D. Drying 5. Drinking E. Packaging 30

BCD E

12345 A

A BCD E

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BCD E BCD E

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Rubber Production

BCD E A

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E BCD

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Private

Water Filtration Rubber Production

B A A

3 4

4 3

Public 1

4 5

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7.2 Rubber Production

This diagram (figure 18) shows the existing program of the rubber process. Currently the latex is extracted and collected in the field and then mixed, formed, rolled, dried, and packaged within the confined space of their homes. As of now their homes are their workspace. My thesis (figure 19) proposes to alleviate the stress of work in the home environment and place it into the neglected public space. In my design the farmers are breaking away from the isolated space and encouraged to interact with their neighboring farmers in the common productive space. This will encourage the sharing of ideas, methods, and skills each farmer holds. The process is designed so the end product ends up at the town center where they are able to sell or ship their products to buyers more easily. Collecting Latex {A} - Rubber production(LANDSCAPE) After tapping the rubber the collection of latex can be stored in an area located in each farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plantation. Casting Latex {B} - Rubber production (ARCHITECTURE) An area for mixing the latex with bonding acid and then casting the latex in metal sheets Rolling Rubber{C} - Rubber production(ARCHITECTURE) After the latex has gotten hard enough, this area will provide the proper tools to allow farmers to roll the latex and create sheets Drying Rubber {D} -Rubber production(ARCHITECTURE) This architectural space will use passive and active solar design to dry the rubber more efficiently Packing and shipping {E} Production of Rubber (ARCHITECTURE) This space will be used for packaging the rubber sheets and selling to the buyer. 32

7.3 Water Infrastructure

The diagram (figure 16) shows the existing water program, for water collection and usage. All the water programs are done in the river. So the collection of farming water, cleaning tools, feeding the livestock, bathing, laundry, and collection of water for drinking is done in the river causing the pollution. Also during the monsoon season, water flows downhill towards the river and floods the roads making traveling very difficult. My thesis (figure 17) proposes to alleviate the stress at the bottom of the hill by collecting the water at the top when it rains and distributing it downhill from one program to another in a controlled manor. Also, the water would go through a filtering system that cleans it to the specific need of the program. The design is set up so that the program with the least amount of filtered water needed is at the top and the most is at the bottom. Water Collection/Storage {1, 2, 3} -Farming, cleaning tools, and feeding livestock (LANDSCAPE) Carving the landscape and redirecting the water for collection within the high grounds of the village of Areekara would allow farmers to store water rather than flood the streets where pedestrian and vehicle circulation occurs. It will also go through a filtering process for different programs, starting at water for farming to cleaning tools, and then to feeding the livestock. Water Collection/Storage {4, 5} - Laundry, Bathing, and Drinking (ARCHITECTURE) Continually filtering water will then enter the architectural space for the washing of cloths, bathing, and drinking. 34

BCD E

12345 A

A BCD E

BCD E

BCD E BCD E

12345

Rubber Production

BCD E A

12345

E BCD

BCD E

Private

Water Filtration Rubber Production

B A A

3 4

4 3

Public 1

4 5

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8.0 [User] The average rubber farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s day start as early as six in the morning. They tap rubber trees for the harvest of latex. They wake up early when the temperature is still cool in order for the latex to flow down the rubber trees faster. They usually collect the latex with used coconut shells. The

col-

lection of latex is then brought back

to their home where they would mix it with formic acids. They lay them on metal sheets and wait for

flatten

them to get a little dry. Then they the sheets through a roller that also gives it its texture. Some farmers lack the roller so they do it manually with their feet. The next step is hanging the rubber sheets in a concrete casted smokehouse where

dry. After they are dried, they will package the garbage and wood are burning in order to

sheets and have them ready to be sold to local businesses.

9.0 [Conceptual model]

The

concept behind this project is to make the

public realm

hierarchy by activating abandoned spaces with existing the

programs currently done within the homes of the

farmers.

10.0 [Design methodologies] 11.0 [Key terms]

12.0 [Terms of criticism]

After visiting India during the winter break I will be able to get more of an understanding of how the farmers and their family want their village to grow. Also through the collection of artifacts, goods, photographs, sketches, and village drawings I could create a travel book that organizes what I have learned about the culture and give everyone else an understanding of the site.

+Q1: How to integrate both the program of the water infrastructure and rubber production together as one system? + Q2: How can the design work together with the monsoon and summer seasons? + Q3: How can we create public architecture and landscape while also being sensitive to existing cultural values? + Q4: What are the financial needs for the community and how will my design profit them? Also, who is funding the design? + Q5: What is the quality and quantity of local materials found in the site usable for construction?

For the spring semester, the first two weeks will be briefly spent fine tuning the master plan and research diagrams based on what has been learned during the trip to India. Then the rest of the semester will be dedicated to detailing the design and architecture. Along with plans, elevations, and sections, working mainly with sectional diagrams, in order to build a narrative of the farmers is necessary for people to understand what this new architecture will be implicating. By the end of the spring semester architectural spaces will be understood to a fine detail that will show how the architecture functions mechanically, from the circulation of farmers to the skin of the architecture. Working mostly through sectional views and in model form, the goal will be to come up with an innovative productive design for the village of Areekara that further resolves the existing issues.

Productive Architecture- literally an area that allows the most amount of work done in an environmentally efficient way. It is a space that allows the users not only to produce but actively think and learn how to make their products unique. Interdependency Common Space- areas where farmers come together as a community to produce their products, maintain the architecture, share ideas and manage for the greater good of the village. They are as strong as their weakest link. Activist- one who sets out to improve conditions and issues for the ones who need, through innovative thinking and design. Public- It is whatever a group of individuals make it out to be. It is where a group of people with common interest come together socialize, produce, and play. Architectural intentions- initiating a physical form through research Estuary- is the creation of a partly enclosed body of water fed by one or more rivers and streams. The fascination develops when the inflow of both freshwater and seawater provide high levels of nutrients in both the water and sediment

13.0 [Methods of inquiry]

14.0 [Work plan + Schedule]

+MoI1: Looking at the culture and daily life of a family of farmers I can start diagramming a story for both their existing daily schedule and what I would be proposing. This will be interesting to see how their lives would change. +MoI2: Both seasons provide the village with serious social and environmental issues but using case studies similar to Anuradha Mathur and Dilip Da Cunha that think outside the box, a solution for the village of Areekara specifically can be made. With first hand site information I will get a better understanding of how to do this. So diagramming all the information I collect from India will be helpful. +MoI3: Visiting the site to talk to farmers and church organizations could help understand the positive and negative qualities of life and the identity they hold. +MoI4: Using social organizations as tools to help articulate the dying needs, could help me understand who is in need of my design the most. Ways of organizing money in the village needs to be understood. +MoI5: Studying the typology of homes, villas, markets, churches could help me understand the type of materials for construction.

Wk1: Stewardson Competition Wk2: Briefly work on piecing information and imag ery studied in India through diagrams Wk3: Going back to the master plan and inputting information gathered in India (Scale 200’=1’) Wk4: Designing the landscapes in plan and section (Scale 1/16”=1’) Wk5: Designing the Architecture in plan and section (Scale 1/4”=1’) Wk6: Start working on a model at village scale (Scale 200’=1’) Wk7: Mid review Wk8: Spring Break: work on comments from mid-review Wk9: Diagram a detailed storyboard of my design. This will show how the architecture functions from one process to another (Scale ¼”=1’) Wk10: Detailed Model Wk11: Go back and fix plans and sections. Wk12: Work on the models Wk13: Solely work on finishing up the model and practice presentation Wk14: Final review

PART IV

PART III

design PART II

PART I

15.0 [Existing Rubber Process] Looking at the existing program, rubber making is currently done in the private farmlands and confined spaces of their homes. This linear and mundane process basically goes back and forth from the field to house. So their homes also become their workspace. So In redesigning the village, I first further studied the existing process of rubber and focused on four of the major steps.

Collection of latex, rolling, drying, and packaging. In a rubber tree there are three important layers for the tapping of rubber. The bark, lactiferous vessels, and the cambium. Typically every morning around 6 the farmer will go and carve out a layer of the bark till they hit the lactiferous

vessels that let out the latex and flows spirally down to a container. The latex is collected from all the trees and brought back to their homes where they will be mixed with formic acid and laid out on trays. They will then use 2 rollers to flatten the sheets, the second one used for its texture. Next they will take the rubber sheets to a smoke house where they will burn garbage and pieces of wood to dry the rubber. After itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

all done they will package and sell it to an investor who ships it off to the major rubber companies like Rubco. This is all done in

isolation within the confined spaces of one farmers land.

16.0 [New Rural Strategy] During my stay in India, I focused on the different public spaces that were left abandoned for various reasons. While planning for the village of Areekara,

utilize the abandoned spaces noted in this drawing. To the strategy was to

help develop a new strategy for rural planning in an agricultural state; I redefined

the four processes in cultivating and selling rub-

Extraction â&#x20AC;&#x201C; collecting the rubber sap from the source. Formation ber sheets.

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; chemical alteration and rolling/pressing of the

Processing - drying the rubber and Distribution - the packaging and selling sap.

of the product. These four processes would then be relocated within the abandoned public spaces.

17.0 [Process Redefined]

So the village of Areekara has close to private farms that all produce rubber. The intent would

11 spots for formation, 2 spots for drying, and last 1 spot for the packaging. With be to share

this planned strategy I wanted to explore the path of one farmer and understand how their daily activity would change. 49

18.0 [Extraction] The first process, Extracting the latex, I am proposing a

device at the scale of a tree that

extracts the latex mechanically through a

time basis. Each one of these devices would attach to a single tree and carve out the bark precisely. It would also be able to go higher on the tree where farmers typically could not reach, collecting

more than double the amount of latex

a day. They would collect the liquid form of latex through the first set of carts and transport them to the next process. This cart would be the key to activating this second process where the liquid form of latex would be poured out and mixed with formic acid to form a sheet.

extraction

19.0 [Formation]

expanding the existing For this step, Formation, I looked at

rolling the rubber

structure for to include a wall system that does the rolling for them. This mechanical

wall would not only form the

latex into sheets but use the

kinetic en-

ergy of rolling and translate it to either drinking water or in this case a communal bathing area.

formation

20.0 [Processing] After all the sheets are formed and hung on the next set of carts they would be transported to the third process I designed which would be a

new

architecture that uses the skin dry the rubber

to . This cart would again be able to plug in to the new architecture and act as a key to start the drying of the sheets. During off hours this architecture would turn into a town

center where they could have general meetings.

processing

21.0 [Distribution]

re-purposing an existing abandoned infrastructure within the For the fourth process, packaging,

town center would tie together the idea of bringing an isolated process to the public realm. . So I was looking at this space as an infill

project that

shelving for storage and packaging of rubber. So the rubber consists of

would be sold and packaged here. There would also be a play of storing books as well for children

library

and adults serving as a as well. And when the buyers of rubber come to pick up the rubber they could help with the

exchange

of books from one village to another.

distribution

They believed the daycare center would bring a substantial amount of kids to the area and destroy the crops. Instead they are left with a concrete foundation and lifeless site on this vast amount of abandoned land.

So the solution my thesis proposes is to manipulate that way of thinking by putting a lot of focus on architecture for the production of crops while also integrating a social ground. The social interaction Sounds easy but the difficulty stands in the strict becomes relevant immediately when placing the perception of the public realm the farmers of Areenew architecture in the public realm where farmers kara have. The mentality is that if a playing ground could produce their products together in a more for the kids was built, the farms around would get efficient space. This would allows the farmers to destroyed. One example of that thinking happened share methods and idea. But the real fun begins in 2010 when the government decided to fund a to happen during the hours the architecture is not daycare center to the village providing a place for used for production of rubber. Each intervention younger kids to socialize and be taken care of for transforms into a social playground for not just the the families that take on a lot. As soon as construc- kids but also the adults. Town centers, libraries, tion started, a couple of farmers in the village got and playing grounds could be formed. together and made a petition to stop construction. On paper, the reasoning was health issues. The daycare center was being constructed right next to the main well that pumped water to the homes far from the river. The farmers told government officials that the kids would urinate on the grass which would seep into the ground and contaminate the main well. Even though there could have been plenty of solutions, construction stopped. The real reasoning behind the petition was that the farmers did not want the kids around this particular site where a lot of farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crops were cultivated. 90

5:00

6:00

8:00

7:00

extraction

While redesigning the whole process, I looked at three different aspects that would work together. First being the four different interventions for the production of rubber, second being the movable links that transport and connect the four interventions together and third the spaces transformed during the off hours for social interaction. The main goal was to provide Areekara with an idea for a more social public ground.

4:00

cock-adoodledoo

formation

22.0 [Resolution]

10:00

12:00

11:00

13:00

14:00

15:00

16:00

17:00

20:00

19:00

18:00

distribution

9:00

processing

8:00

Now the question I propose is how to design in a way that new architecture could start to create a node for a more social environment. I believe it starts to do so just through the placement of these processes out from the farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home and into the public realm.

redesigning the process of rubber making and My thesis focuses on

integrating it into the public

realm

. It explores opportunities not just in this village but all of the villages in India for the expansion of a more productive and playful environment.

Productive architecture in simple form is about exploring a new method of producing the crops while integrating it into the public realm. so...

If you were to travel west to a village like Kumarakom what would productive architecture look like in a fishing village?

or if you were to travel east to a village like Moonar what would productive architecture look in a tea field?

100

101

The current method in India has

of producing crops

not changed much over the

past 100 years.

While the younger generations are moving out, what will these rural villages

Who will become the modern farmer? look like in 10 to 100 years.

102

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PART IV

PART III

end PART II

PART I

23.0 [Reflection]

24.0 [Comments]

At review, because I left the architecture open ended by focusing my thesis more on the process, the conversation evolved into a discussion on the difference between being sensitive to the culture and forcing a new architecture. I think that is the question that my thesis has been really trying to answer and what I have been struggling with all semester. How to balance the two, realistic vs. creative architecture and sensitive vs. experimental /exploratory architecture? Where do you start crossing the line of the other? What I believe is hard for people to comprehend is that my site is RURAL India. I visited the village and I consciously learned a lot about how the culture works and the type of architecture they build for various reasons. After visiting the overwhelming site it is hard to be insensitive to the culture. Traveling to India hurt the creative side a little as reality kept sinking in. But this year I learned that one should not dictate the other and in architecture there should be a balance between the two in order to both assist the struggles and inspire the user.

After the review a couple of people came up to me and vented out in excitement where this project could potentially go. These are just some of the encouraging words... Anuradha Mathur believed that it should be incorporate with the landscape more. She was telling me how while she was in India once she came across an area where a group of village people were weaving a net out in the public street. The process to them is normal but to a traveler, it is gold! It is an opportunity for a real unique photograph shot and even for an outsider looking in to understand a part of the culture. So incorporating my architecture more in the landscape, could be another way of looking at it. Sally Reynolds Came up to me and apologized that she had not said anything during my review. She really wanted to step in and disagree with how the architecture should have been more exploratory. She liked where I was headed with this project. William Tate said that he had talked to my dad and thinks I should take the opportunity to go out there and just build it. He loves the enthusiasm and passion I had in the idea and wants to see it done in a couple of years. He said the best way to answer all my questions was to go out there and experiment with small construction, then analyze and review.

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Special Thanks to Sneha Patel for a great amount of help and encouragement in completing this project

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25.0 [Endnotes]

26.0 [Bibliography]

27.0 [Image References]

1.(Anikita 2012) 2.(Anikita 2012) 3.(Fisher 2008) 4.(Smith 2011) 5.(Bell, 2008) 6.(Rodgers 2008 ) 7.(Sertich 2010) 8.(Mitchell, 2003) 9.(Blazevic 2008) 10.(Majaca 2005) 11.(Blazevic 2008) 12.(Rios 2008) 13.(Blazevic 2008) 14.(Mitchell 2003) 15.(Cilento 2010) 16.(Rogers, 2008) 17.(cunha 2009) 18.(Promoter 2011) 19.(A. M. Cunha 2010) 20.(cunha 2009) 21.(Cunha 2009) 22.(Rogers, 2008) 23.(Bell 2008) 24.(Shaftoe 2008) 25.(Shaftoe 2008) 26.(Rios 2008)

Anikita. “Six major problems faced by Indian Agriculture.” preserve Articles, 2012. Bell, Byran. “Expanding Design toward greater Relevance.” In Expanding Architecture Design as Activism, by Bryan Bell and Katie Wkaeford, 14-17. Singapore: Bellero phon Publication, 2008. Blazevic, Damir. “Invisible Zagreb.” In Expanding Architecture: Design as Activism, by Byran Bell and Katie Wake ford, 110-115. Singapore: Metropolis Books, 2008. Cilento, Karen. “Delwara Community Toilets.” Arch Daily, 2010. Cunha, Anuradha Mathur & Dilip Da, interview by Nicholas Pevzner and Sanjukta Sen. Preparing Ground (June 29, 2010). Cunha, Anuradha Mathur and Dilip da. SOAK: Mumbai in an Estuary. New Delhi: Rupa & Co., 2009. Fisher, Thomas. “”Public-Intrest Architecture: A Needed Change and Inevitable Change.” In In Expanding Achitecture: Design as Activism, by Bryan Bell & Katie Wakeford, 8. Singapore: Bellerophon Publication, 2008. Kerela promoter. 2011. http://www.keralapromoter.com/kera la-Agriculture.html (accessed September 05, 2012). Majaca, Antonia. “Invisible Zagreb.” ARTeFACT, 2005. Mitchell, Don. The Right to the City. New York: Guilford press, 2003. Rios, Peter Aeschbacher & Michael. “Claiming Public Space: The Case for Proactive, Democratic Design.” In Expanding Architecture: Design as Activism, by Byran Bell & Katie Wakeford, 84-91. Singapore: Bellerophon, 2008. Rodgers, Jose L.S Gamez & Susan. “An Architecture of Change.” In Expanding Architecture: Design as Activism, by Bryan Bell & katie WakeFord, 22-25. Singapore: Bellerophon, 2008 . Sertich, Adriana Navarro. “Arqui5: “Staitology” in La Vega.” FAVELissues, 2010. Shaftoe, Henry. Convivial Urban spaces. london: Earthscan, 2008. Smith, Cynthia E. “Designing Inclusive Cities.” In Design with 90% cities, by Bill Moggridge, 14-15. New York: Smithsonian, 2011.

1. Sertich, Adriana Navarro. “Arqui5: “Staitology” in La Vega.” FAVELissues, 2010. 2. Sertich, Adriana Navarro. “Arqui5: “Staitology” in La Vega.” FAVELissues, 2010. 3. Blazevic, Damir. “Invisible Zagreb.” In Expanding Architec ture: Design as Activism, by Byran Bell and Katie Wakeford, 110-115. Singapore: Metropolis Books, 2008. 4. Cilento, Karen. “Delwara Community Toilets.” Arch Daily, 2010. 5. Cunha, Anuradha Mathur and Dilip da. SOAK: Mumbai in an Estuary. New Delhi: Rupa & Co., 2009. 6. Cunha, Anuradha Mathur and Dilip da. SOAK: Mumbai in an Estuary. New Delhi: Rupa & Co., 2009.

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