Thinking Beyond Sustainability - Regenerative Culture by Shivali Mathur

Thinking Beyond Sustainability: Regenerative Culture By Shivali Mathur

A thesis book for the Final Architectural Project submitted to the Department of Architecture, School of Architecture, Art, and Design, American University in Dubai In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Architecture Fall 2021

Approval of the Thesis Book for Final Architectural Project

Department of Architecture, School of Architecture, Art, and Design, American University in Dubai

Student’s Full Name: Shivali Mathur Thesis Book Title: Thinking Beyond Sustainability: Regenerative Culture Student Signature:

Date: 15 December 2021

Advisor/Professor Name: Dr. Annarita Cornaro Advisor/Professor Signature:

Date:

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to extend my appreciation for the never-ending encouragement of my family and friends as well as offer my sincere gratitude for the continuous guidance and support of Professor Annarita Cornaro, in accomplishing my architectural thesis.

ABSTRACT Undoubtedly, the word “sustainable” has been exploited by commercial interests when seemingly profit is preferred over ethics by greedy massive business corporations. On the other hand, regenerative culture offers an approach that moves beyond sustainability to improve and repair the conditions conducive to life. Humans are a part of the whole system, so this process engages and specifically focuses on the co-evolution of this system. The difference between “sustainable” and “regenerative” is that sustainability can be defined as doing less or no harm to the environment around us and merely just solving the issue. In contrast, regenerative culture calls for going deeper into the matter, analysing its symptoms and root cause, and finally implementing a solution. This kind of culture allows us to recognize ourselves as a part of the ecosystem and mutually benefit all the parts. In addition to this, indigenous communities across the world have been practicing this culture for eons. The other two essential elements are the restorative design, which aims to restore healthy self-regulation to local ecosystems. Second, the reconciliatory design takes the additional step of making explicit humanity’s participatory involvement in life’s processes the unity of nature and culture. The objective of this research is to aim for a solution that is regenerative by investigating the diverse indigenous knowledge and insight. Henceforth, by addressing the challenges faced, a targeted underprivileged community can be served that has the potential to be healed in various aspects through nature and build a healthy rapport with their surrounding bioregion and formal infrastructure. This can be achieved by working with all the parts of the ecosystem by implementing design practices and technologies that are socially responsive and environmentally responsible.

Keywords: regenerative design, tribal community, sustainability, indigenous culture and heritage, ecological technologies, community relationship

1.1 Definition and Its Aspects

The simple definition of sustainability can be “meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” (McCloy, 2019). So, what does that mean? It means to adopt practices in the current generation without having to exhaust these resources for future generations. These practices enable us to be conscious about the future and resist the environmental damage on Earth. Sustainability does not only include the environmental aspect but also comprises of social and economic sustainability. Through the lens of economics, sustainability can be expressed as the access to financial resources to meet one’s needs. As for the social side, basic amenities and rights should be accessible to all humans to lead a healthy and functional life.

recorded a general increase in the extent of built-up area per person.” (Sustainable Development Goals, 2020). Hence, the objectives of SDG 11 include safe and affordable housing, prevention of damage from natural calamities as well as protecting the world’s culture and heritage. Despite the efforts put in and being effective to a certain extent, these goals focus little on eradicating the issue by going deeper into the matter and avoiding it in the future, which regenerative culture offers a platform to accomplish.

1.2 Contribution of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

The United Nations for Development Programme (UNDP) had adopted 17 goals in 2015 for the world to practice for a better upcoming future. Some goals include quality education, gender equality, sustainable cities and communities, and clean water and sanitation. The UN has aimed for 2030 to end poverty and offer everyone a peaceful livelihood ultimately, balancing environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Talking about the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, “the number of slum dwellers reached more than 1 billion in 2018 or 24 percent of the urban population. The number of people living in urban slums is highest in Eastern and South-eastern Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Central and Southern Asia. In 2019, only half of the world’s urban population had convenient access to public transport, defined as living within 500 meters walking distance from a low-capacity transport system (such as a bus stop) and within 1 km of a high-capacity transport system (such as a railway). In the period 1990–2015, most urban areas

Fig. 1.1 (Left) Venn Diagram for Sustainability Concept Fig. 1.2 (Right) Sustainable Development Goals for 2030

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1.3 Greenwashing: Sustainability on the Contrary

However, in today’s era, the image of sustainability is being tainted and distorted by greedy commercialists and businesses. Sustainability, which has developed into a vast buzzword, is being abused as a marketing strategy to trick people into buying products. Companies have gained massive profits by adopting “sustainable” marketing practices, which has no link to sustainable development. This is called greenwashing.

The world is surpassing the regenerative capability of the eco-systems around us with the unbalanced and excessive human economic activity. Taking an example in a grocery store, it is fairly easier for the public to use plastic bags available for free rather than having the option to “buy” a reusable tote bag. Why do the jute bags have a price tag and plastic ones don’t? Hence, supermarkets should have the public to pay for the plastic bags and encourage to use the reusable ones for free.

In architecture, designers nowadays are “eco-conscious” and tend to adopt sustainable practices like using different types of glass to penetrate optimum daylight. However, it is not always necessarily sustainable and can lead to further unresolved issues. For instance, M. Aboulnaga writes in his article about the misuse of glass in the architecture of the UAE, “Inadequate design with ill-selected glass/glazing type may lead not only to poor daylighting in building interiors but also contribute significantly to fatigue, insomnia, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and above all increase CO2 emission.” (2006).

Fig. 1.3 Dubai skyline depicting mostly glass-covered buildings Fig. 1.4 Environmental pollution due to fast fashion industry Fig. 1.5 Contamination of water bodies due to dumping of textiles

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In the name of sustainability, the fast fashion industry is another field where unsustainable marketing tactics are used for profit gains. Conferring to the UNEP reports, the fashion industry produces 20 percent of global wastewater and 10 percent of global carbon emissions, more than all international flights and maritime shipping. (One Green Planet Earth, 2021). Fast fashion itself means finding ways to produce cheap and affordable trendy clothes with minimal expectations in terms of efforts and expenditure, to which the youth are thefirst victims. This unethical fashion practice has exploited several workers under minimum wage and working environments. Regenerative Culture | 21

Fast fashion itself means finding ways to produce cheap and affordable trendy clothes with minimal expectations in terms of efforts and expenditure, to which the youth are the first victims. This unethical fashion practice has exploited several workers under minimum wage and working environments.

Not only that, once the fashion season is over for a particular trend, these products are disposed of into the oceans or lakes, and new ones are processed. As a repercussion, this is highly unjustifiable for the planet and a corrupt methodology towards the minority or the under-age employees working in the factories. “A 2017 report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimated that 35% of all microplastics in the ocean came from synthetic fabrics like polyester. Microfibers are easily ingested by marine life, working its way into the human food system and human bodies, and can carry harmful bacteria.” (One Green Planet Earth, 2021).

It is high time that a change is brought upon the world regarding sustainability. It is not maltreated but instead aims towards the prosperity of a particular region for a prolonged time, thus adding to the proper existing sustainable practices. This brings one to the very nuanced concept of regenerative culture. It is the responsibility of designers to integrate and recontextualize indigenous technologies to tackle various issues of the 21st century.

Fig. 1.6 Pie Chart showing the percentage of microplastics in water according to various reasons Fig. 1.7 Comparison of CO2 Consumption Fig. 1.8 (Right) The unethical working conditions for labourers in the fast fashion industry

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2.1 The Definition of Regenerative Culture

2.2 The History of Regenerative Culture

Sustainability as a concept, practice, and way of life has gained widespread popularity and acceptance in the last few years. Nevertheless, sustainability alone is never enough in these recent times. There is a new form of expression for giving back to nature called regenerative culture, which means “the possible pathways towards a thriving future of people unfolding their unique potential within the context of the communities and regions they help to regenerate — cultures that are healthy, resilient and adaptable.” (Wahl, 2020).

Regenerative culture is an upcoming field for experimentation of eco-conscious techniques to apply to architecture and design. However, it has had its illustrious history from where the concept had initiated and how it gained its fame.

Permaculture Permaculture is said to have indigenous origins, dating to long back times. An instance of an indigenous community depending on their livelihood on permaculture would be the Native Americans, who overcame a primary limiting factor in plant growth by planting species that accumulated or ‘fixed’ nitrogen and other vital nutrients to the soil. Furthermore, indigenous populations in the Northeast and Midwest planted legumes, a nitrogen-fixing crop, a practice that is used to reduce dependence on fertilizers and improve soil health. (The Indigenous Origins of Regenerative Agriculture, 2020).

It is argued that sustainability being the buzzword during this era, has hindered thinking beyond the perception of sustainability and its aspects. Moreover, it has merely molded into a business opportunity for several organizations and developers. “The two current dominant strains of sustainability – a ‘politically negotiated version’ championed by international bodies such as the United Nations and The World Bank and a business case for sustainability developed amongst the private sector that is built around the ideas of efficiency – ‘have reached an evolutionary dead-end’ due to ‘flawed underlying assumptions, systemic inertia, and the inability [to deal with] complex and living systems.” (J. Cole, 2011).

The regenerative culture was initially an integral part of permaculture and was a substantial part of the history of regenerative culture. The term permaculture, formerly meaning “permanent agriculture” and later expanded to “permanent culture”, was coined by David Holmgren, a graduate student at the Tasmanian College of Advanced Education’s Department of Environmental Design, as well as Bill Mollison, a senior lecturer in environmental psychology at the University of Tasmania.

Regeneration or regenerative culture aims to restore the connection with the surrounding ecosystems and nature by partnership and to regenerate and develop the existing social-ecological system by investing in design practices that are locally eco-conscious and follow the social-ecological history of that place.

Permaculture gained its deserved popularity after David and Bill applied their ideas and developed a theory and practice of permaculture. Years later, they published their manuscript as Permaculture One: A Perennial Agricultural System for Human Settlements, which presented the philosophy of an important symbiotic relationship between biodiversity and humans known as cultivated ecology. (Holmgren & Mollison, pg. 11).

Fig. 2.2 Example of vegetation grown using permaculture technology Fig. 2.1 Diagram for Regenerative Culture by Daniel Wahl

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Fig. 2.3 A field on which permaculture practices are not used

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Organic Agriculture Permaculture is said to have indigenous origins, dating to long back times. An instance of an indigenous community depending on their livelihood on permaculture would be the Native Americans, who overcame a primary limiting factor in plant growth by planting species that accumulated or ‘fixed’ nitrogen and other vital nutrients to the soil. Furthermore, indigenous populations in the Northeast and Midwest planted legumes, a nitrogen-fixing crop, a practice that is used to reduce dependence on fertilizers and improve soil health. (The Indigenous Origins of Regenerative Agriculture, 2020).

Invented by Robert Rodale, regenerative organic agriculture was the kind that “takes advantage of the natural tendencies of ecosystems to regenerate when disturbed. “In that primary sense, it is distinguished from other types of agriculture that either oppose or ignore the value of those natural tendencies.” (Rodale, pg. 5). This holistic system tactic of farming allows people to improve the resources they find rather than exhausting them and motivates them for continued on-farm innovation for environmental, social, economic, and spiritual wellbeing.

Regenerative agriculture emphasizes more on the fact that the soil is healthy by increasing bio-productivity by storing more carbon in the soil as well as balancing water retention. This causes less soil erosion and emits less carbon into the atmosphere. On the contrary, industrial agriculture primarily emits massive amounts of carbon dioxide into the air, deplete groundwater, lessen bio productivity and increase soil erosion.

Fig. 2.4 Comparison of Conventional Farming and Organic/Regenerative Farming Fig. 2.5 (Right) Minghu Wetland Park in Lupanshai

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Landscape Architecture Moving ahead, a landscape professor – John T. Lyle, seized an opportunity to learn about regenerative organic agriculture. This led him to discover a connection between regenerative organic agriculture and other aspects of the world, like landscape architecture, which can work with a regenerative systems framework scheme. After applying his concepts in this manner, Lyle envisioned a community in which daily activities were based on the value of living within the limits of available renewable resources without environmental degradation. Furthermore, he got the opportunity to manuscript his philosophies in Regenerative Design for Sustainable Development. (Lyle, 1996)

The project, designed by the architecture firm – Turenscape has also tackled issues like water pollution, flood, and stormwater inundation.

Recently, there have been examples of ecologically regenerative architectural landscapes. They include vegetation and spaces such as wetlands, community parks, rehabilitation, terrace farming, wildlife preservation, and habitat. Nelson Byrd Woltz’s architecture firm specializes in this field with projects implementing ecologically regenerative techniques. One example would be the famous Centennial Park located in Nashville, Tennessee. Various elements were kept in mind while designing and implementing, such as the geology, hydrology, ecology, human culture, and urban development that have shaped the park. Some park features include connecting with the nearby wetland and planting multi-species native to the region to attract and sustain the birds’ health. The whole project also encompassed of developing the area for the public in the park by impacts of traffic and increasing pedestrian areas. Alongside these, there is also a community center where public gatherings or events can take place. Another example is the wetland rehabilitation park Minghu Wetland Park, located in Lupanshai, China, designed using regenerative approaches. This celebrated wetland park has an ecological infrastructure to serve the multiple sections of the ecosystem, including stormwater management, recovery of native habitats, water cleansing, and creating public spaces for visually aesthetic views.

Fig. 2.6 The Centennial Park in Nashville, Tennesse with the Parthenon

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3.1 The Significance of Regenerative Culture

3.2 Responsibilities of Regenerative Culture

Humankind has grown in a cultural surrounding that often drives them to find quick-fix and immediate solutions and tackle the issues right away. However, this is not necessarily beneficial in some fundamental cases recently. Thus, the cruciality of implementing regenerative culture as soon as possible lies in its importance. Essentially, this practice encompasses of all kinds of biological systems, from microorganisms to large populations, with a scope spanning from land and water systems’ protection and restoration to urban regeneration, to repairing carbon sinks, to biodiversity protection and recovery, and, ultimately, to regenerative materials innovation and sustainable production. Regeneration ultimately pursues the concept of human ecology, i.e., the complex study of human interaction with the planet. (Regenerative Society Foundation, 2021).

There are specific responsibilities or characteristics to keep in mind when considering regeneration. All these responsibilities are in some way or the other related to each other and need to be executed at the same time to achieve the best.

Conventional design is the starting point in architecture and designing where industrialized infrastructure works against nature and gives no attention. The green and sustainable design offer an opportunity to have improved ways of designing where it is less destructive towards nature and is inclining a little towards it. Finally, regenerative design acknowledges the co-evolution of the whole system, thus engaging humankind and the infrastructure as part of nature. Sustainability and green enactments have indeed contributed to planetary health. However, in these recent challenging times, where cultural transformations and rapid changes are spreading around the globe, it is essential to let go of redundant sustainability models, notions, or narratives that presumably do not serve us benefits on an affordable level anymore. Hence, we need a new perspective or a vision that would enable us to form a new regenerative system framework model entailingregenerative culture that we can follow. Figure 3.2 shows a diagram explaining how the system vitality increases when less energy is required from restorative and reconciliatory design as humans participate in designing. On the other hand, it illustrates the process from degenerative strategy, that uses significantly more energy for green and sustainable design, to the conventional and industrial practice, that cause destruction and harm to nature.

Social/Cultural Responsibility To thrive against the increasing threat to our planet due to climate change and other environmental factors, all the species need to unite and be each other’s helping hands towards creating a transformative change. People are highly dependent on each other. “While most of our current economic and political systems were designed with a win-lose mindset (zero-sum), we are beginning to understand we will all lose in the mid-to-long-term, if we do not maintain and regenerate the healthy functioning of eco-systems, reduce the stark inequity that exists everywhere, and nurture social cohesion and international solidarity through cultures of collaboration.” (Wahl, 2016). Hence, collaborating socially along with nature would serve as a hope for the future of the species which are currently at stake. By bringing all the species to come together to create a diverse cultural expression of regeneration and by being aware of the constant changes happening around the world, there is a high possibility for a transformative change on the Earth. “If we answer the question “why is the human species worth sustaining” in a neo-Darwinian way, along the lines of ‘because we are the most intelligent and competitive species and therefore should continue to exploit nature for our benefit, we are unlikely to find timely responses to climate change and eco-systems degradation, and will be confronted with deepening ecological, social, and economic crises. We will live into a very different future if we answer the question differently: we are co-creative participants in a 14-billion-year process of the universe becoming conscious of itself. We are a keystone species capable of creating conditions conducive to all life.” (Wahl, 2016). Fig.process 3.1 (Top) for thedesign path to Fig. 3.1 The fromDiagram conventional toRegenerative regenerative Design design Fig. 3.2 (Bottom) The Regenerative Framework Graph Fig. Systems 3.2 System vitality diagram

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Economical Responsibility and Circular Bioeconomy The regenerative economy is one of the essential responsibilities of regenerative culture. It holds immense importance in maintaining and balancing the ecosystem in terms of efficiency and resilience, collaboration and competition, diversity and coherence, and the needs of a small, medium, and extensive organization of a particular bioregion. This can be a system in which capital assets need to be regenerated, which are not the usual assets but the ones that contribute to the wellbeing of humans by delivering goods and services. “We need to recognize the earth as the original capital asset without trying to reduce the intrinsic value of life to only utilitarian value to humanity, nor trying to make living capital convertible to financial capital as that would enable the most dangerous form of enclosure of the remaining ecological commons.” (Wahl, 2016).

The concept of a circular bioeconomy is illustrated in figure 3.3. This kind of practice or sustainable model is a cycle in which raw materials or biomass are processed through biological resources into a systemic approach for economic development. The process aims to involve zero net impact on climate change and the minimization of pollution, waste, and harmful emissions while encouraging new market strategies for the greater good of the economy.

For the planet’s ecological and economic stability, the Ellen McArthur Foundation has proposed the notion of circular bioeconomy. This directs towards an economy that is restorative by intensions and aspires to use renewable energy and resources and eliminate the mistreatment of toxic chemicals. “The concept of the circular economy is grounded in the study of non-linear, particular living systems. A major outcome of taking insights from living systems is the notion of optimizing systems rather than components.” (McArthur Foundation, 2013).

According to research conducted by the same foundation, business leaders worldwide have shown interest in the multiple benefits of such types of economic models. This systems framework focuses on “collaborative advantage” rather than “competitive advantage”, as the world is quite aware that every day, businesses go out of their ways to provide sustainability to their consumers.

Fig. 3.3 Diagram showing the concept of sustainable circular economy

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3.3 Principles of Regeneration As mentioned earlier, regeneration is not just about making a particular community or locality productive and healthy but the engagement of the entirety of the whole system. “Each part of the whole system is an integral part of a living system, and a key role can be found for anyone and any system within the smallest to the largest physical footprint. The footprint is not the limiting factor as long as a sense of conscious engagement can be realized by the people who are part of it.” (Reed, 2007). Thus, there are certain imperative principles or aspects to catalysing a degenerative condition. First, some of the principles are finding effective long-term solutions when going deeper into the root cause of the issue and concentrating on the potential instead of the problems. Second, it is vital to understand that when performing these practices, several cultural diversities coming together create resilient communities, as co-dependence of the species is the key to the fulfilment of regeneration. This helps focus on potentials instead of the actual problems and promotes surging benefits. Lastly, the place which dictates the design strategy when the microclimate of that region inspires the design component is also essential.

Fig. 3.4 Diagram showing a few of the principles of regeneration

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4.1 The Relationship between Indigenous Communities and Regenerative Culture Indigenous communities worldwide are such people who have had a universal and spiritual connection to nature around and had perceived it as their homes. They are defined as the native people of a particular region who have migrated or belonged to the nation since the beginning. Some date back to B.C., and some still exist through generations.

Indigenous communities, who can also be sometimes known as nomadic, have a unique way of interacting with nature. Hence, they do not destroy the eco-system for their benefit; instead, they try to engage every part of the eco-system in their livelihood. Conclusively, what can be gained by the practices these communities had adopted, is that we can learn to work with the environment rather than against it for the sanctity of future generations, as these communities have had the most experience.

4.2 Radical Indigenism Indigenous ways of living and technologies are long lost and forgotten, and it is high time that they are brought out open to the world from the shadows of the most remote places on earth. The driving force can undoubtedly be the loss of mass extinction of biodiversity on earth because of the dislocation of the indigenous communities. Thus, one such way can be the road leading to radical indigenism, which can be explored further to understand how these communities lived and why did they do what they did to survive the harshest of environments. This can explain how did regenerative culture play a role in their lives. In other words, it can be described as the fundamental understanding of how to refashion the knowledge, wisdom, philosophy of community living and the vernacular architecture, gained from the indigenous communities around the world and tailor that into breeding sustainable, regenerative, and climate-resilient infrastructures for the future generations. To put a spotlight on the indigenous communities, “The struggle between science and spiritualism overshadows the indigenous people who remain the unrecognized ecological innovators of the earth.” (Watson, 2019). Fig. 4.1 A tribal man of the Malayali indigenous group of India setting up their ancient methodology of aqueducts for underground stored water called surangam

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Indigenous Philosophy Indigenous groups worldwide have been the most impacted by climate change and other environmental factors. Their expertise can be embedded into the thinking and construction of future generations as it should be not considered primitive but rather innovative. The philosophy or the principle that these groups follow is as simple as the strong consciousness and spiritual connection to nature (a symbiotic relationship), working with nature for eons. At the same time, humans were busy being adamant about conquering nature in the name of progress.

As for the indigenous groups, “they have increased biodiversity, they’re producing food, they’re flood mitigating, they’re resilient in terms of foreshore conditions, they’re cleaning water, they’re carbon sequestering. They have all the natural qualities that we’re really interested in, in terms of eco-system services, but they’re completely constructed by man. They use complex ecological relationships to drive them, but they are low on embodied energy. They produce a certain type of community and cultural activity, and they allow for that community to live closely and harmoniously with their environments. Once hybridized and scaled, these indigenous technologies could offer a new path to exponentially shrink the ecological footprint of humankind and mitigate the forecast collapse.” (Watson, 2019). There are four main areas where the indigenous communities have made their impact mountains, wetlands, forests and deserts.

They had developed a system called waru waru, an approach in which raised topographies are created wherever the areas are prone to flooding, as the region is affected by rains and even frost. By displacing soil from the platforms, these raised embarkments are formed by having one or two canals on the side, mitigating the water to seep through the low-lying areas.

Since the basin has civilized over time by using the floodwaters and the lands, this innovation allows only the canals to be flooded instead of the raised fields, preventing their agriculture practices of rice and other seeds and crops from being washed away. This technology demonstrates these communities’ high expertise and knowledge to battle the complex agriculture circumstances of fertility to frost and drought to flooding occasionally in their region. (Watson, 2019)

MOUNTAINS The indigenous community Inca, living in the mountain and valleys of the basin of Lake Titicaca, Peru, have revolutionized the technology used to survive in high altitudes and therefore achieved to construct a sustainable model for contemporary agriculture. This strategy can tackle the issue of the transformation of these mountains into raised fields and canals over 8000 years due to extreme climatic fluctuations.

Fig. 4.2 Farmers working at the canal Fig. 4.3 (Next Page - Left) Diagram showing the hydrological flow of the waru-waru river Fig. 4.4 (Next Page - Right) The irrigated land near the river

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WETLANDS Wetlands are considered one of the most useful and critical to humankind. They protect shores from wave action, reduce the impacts of floods, absorb pollutants and improve water quality. They provide habitat for animals and plants, and many contain a wide diversity of life, supporting plants and animals found nowhere else. “Wetlands trap pollutants such as phosphorus and heavy metals in their soils, transform dissolved nitrogen into nitrogen gas, and break down suspended solids to neutralize harmful bacteria. New York City found that it could save $3 billion to $8 billion in new wastewater treatments plants by purchasing and preserving $1.5 billion in land around its upstate reservoirs.” (World Wildlife Fund, 2019).

A classic example of working closely with nature that can be examined is in the region at the confluence of two famous rivers – Tigris and Euphrates, based on which the city of Iraq was refined. It is abode to one of the marshes in the Middle East, located in the southern part of Iraq. Inhabiting the region for thousands of years, the Marsh Arabs have used the concept of floating islands (Qasab Reed Floating Islands) to battle water insecurity and political turmoil.

The construction of these islands and their houses on top it is done in three general steps. The first is the foundation that the living water reeds (watergrass) form, tightly packed together, creating a fence, and standing as tall as 6 metres. The second step would be layering this foundation with mud and dried reeds found at the bottom of the marshlands or wetlands until the soil is solid. This innovation of reed architecture by the Marsh Arabs speaks for itself and is renowned for using one single flexible material – reed for inhabiting these floating islands. The final step encloses the building of settlements using larger sizes of reeds bundled together. This traditional ecological knowledge of using reeds is still being used today. (Watson, 2019).

Fig. 4.5 Diagram showing the four stages of making the islands Fig. 4.6 (Next Page - Left) Diagram showing the layering of the island Fig. 4.7 (Next Page - Right) A sight depicting how the tribal group move around

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FORESTS As widely known around the world, in today’s era, rainforests and forests, in general, are being burnt down and ill-used for the gain of humankind. “Globally, we deforest around ten million hectares of forest every year. That’s an area the size of Portugal every decade. Around half of this deforestation is offset by regrowing forests, so overall, we lose around five million hectares each year.” (Ritchie & Roser, 2020). As a result, the indigenous communities and animals were misplaced. On the other hand, the ecological innovators for thousands of years have been conserving and protecting these forests and thus have tenanted these regions considered sacred.

An example that can be taken is the indigenous tribe Chagga, living in the region of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The ancestral wisdom of the elders in this region is a substantial contributing factor to the execution of the concept technology of forest gardens. The Chagga community often dwells on the profusion of resources derived from their nature – banana and coffee trees. To sustain these millions of trees, they developed a system in which hundreds of other varieties were introduced into the existing forest ecosystem known as agroforestry, in which trees are intercropped with agriculture. This regenerative approach maintains biodiversity with more than 500 species in that particular region. The system encompasses of multi-layered canopies, each having a different task. The highest one provides shade as the forest cover, medicine, fodder, and wood. The mid-canopy layer contains the lower range of coffee shrubs and, lastly, the ground covered with vegetables. These are irrigated by canals fed by furrows made by these indigenous groups. (Watson, 2019).

As a result, the people were able to develop a symbiotic relationship with the forest and minimize the risk of future generations risk since these communities are challenged by poverty and food insecurity. Against the industrialized mistreatment of forests, this practice supports the forest’s biodiversity and the connected human population growth and preserves the spiritual connection with nature. Fig. 4.8 Drone view of the confluence of the forest and the river Fig. 4.9 (Next Page - Left) Diagram showing the different height and types of canopies Fig. 4.10 (Next Page - Right) A tribal woman working on the agricultural field

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DESERTS This section discusses the underground water-related technology of aqueducts implemented by the indigenous communities living in the deserted regions of Iran. This strategy tackles the issue of water scarcity in desert regions using ecological water infrastructure. These aqueducts, also known as qanats by the Persians, were designed tunnels and channels which go way back to the early years of BCE. Since then, the Persians have developed and used this scheme to transfer underground water from the mountains. These tunnels are hand-dug up to serve as a vertical shaft, usually for access to ventilation and repairs. This is a hazardous and complicated process that these communities have gained proficiency in. The main tunnel slopes down through the mountainside and provides water to the homes. This tactic helped Persian farmers when they used to face long periods of water scarcity. The entire village area is supplied with water, and once it reaches the agricultural sector, the non-potable water is used for irrigation. The general idea lies in the notion of the whole village benefitting from the groundwater to its fullest in various ways and serving the public spaces with passive cooling technologies. (Watson, 2019).

These aqueducts were planned to condemn the practice of dangerous exploitation of the groundwater resources and serve henceforth the purpose of retaining the natural water before it gets permanently deleted. Still being a significant source of water for civilizations in the Middle East, this strategy can be migrated further with today’s modern technologies and environmental challenges to develop a new tactic to use water infrastructure properly.

Fig. 4.11 Aerial view of qanats Fig. 4.12 (Next Page - Left) Diagram showing the construction of the tunnels - qanat Fig. 4.13 (Next Page - Right) A tribal person walking past houses made of mud

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4.3 Indigenous Communities in India As investigated earlier, indigenous communities worldwide have been linked to regenerative culture and nature in different phases. Thus, the ancestral knowledge and wisdom of the indigenous communities in India have a huge offer to make in terms of regenerative design. There have been instances of these communities thriving in harsh climatic conditions using significant technologies and creating a stable and prosperous livelihood out of it. “In many ways, regenerative cultures isn’t something new — regenerative cultures is remembering the inheritance of our species’ long history. For 200,000 years, we have been bio-regionally adapted cultures that tried to manage or work with the ecosystems they inhabit.” (Wahl, 2016). This section discusses how the indigenous communities in India have been contributing to nature and the nation, the environmental impact on these ethnic groups, and their regenerative practices.

Key Role in Conserving Biodiversity It is no secret that indigenous people have a distinctive characteristic of protecting nature and integrating it into their everyday lives. Studies show that according to conventional conservationists and institutions, the best way to conserve biodiversity is to keep people out – failing to recognize the integral nature between indigenous communities and their landscapes. (Times of India, 2021). Thus, there must be an agreement between all humankind that these indigenous communities play an essential role in conserving and safeguarding the bioregion and the environment around them. “The importance of indigenous peoples for conservation is only slowly being recognized,” says Stephen Garnett, a Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods group professor at Charles Darwin University in Australia. Garnett says he was surprised to find in his research, published in 2018, that more than 28% of the global land area is owned, used, or managed by indigenous peoples, including more than 40% of terrestrial protected areas and 37% of “all remaining natural lands.” (Garnett, 2018).

The most exciting aspect of these ethnic groups is that they reside in regions affluent in biodiversity. Thus, they find it their responsibility to shelter it. One such region is India, where there are large ethnic groups that are wealthy due to the plush biodiversity. “These tribals take shelter from the forest and utilize wild edible plants both raw and cooked. The flower and fruits are generally eaten raw, whereas tubers, leaves, and seeds are cooked. Tribals utilize forest produce, forest timber, and fuelwood. These tribals have been living in the forest for ages and have developed a kind of affinity with forests.” (Rai and Nath. 2019).

In India, 68 million people belong to 227 ethnic groups comprising 573 tribal communities, significantly conserving biodiversity. A study revealed that some of the tribal groups in central India follow a religious belief in worshipping flowers and trees. They believe Gods and Goddesses dwell within these plants. Not only this, indigenous communities have a high role in conserving the wildlife because if it weren’t for the plants and trees, the wildlife would not be where it is today. The country has been facing a drop in wildlife population in recent times due to various factors. “By actively alienating local people, this model of conservation has also ignored the real reasons for wildlife population decline. These include intensive hunting of tigers and other large animals by British and local rulers in the past, and the continuous decline in wildlife habitat due to continuous large-scale diversion of biodiversity-rich areas for mega infrastructural and ‘developmental’ projects like roadways and railways, dams, mining, etc.” (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 2020).

Fig. 4.14 Bar graph showing the 10 states of India with high population of tribes

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Importance in the Heritage and Culture of India Since indigenous tribes in India have been dwelling in close vicinity to forests and conserving the biodiversity their way through it, they have also successfully given back to the country in terms of heritage and culture. These groups hold particular importance in India by being the first inhabitants who initiated and innovated the rich culture that India grasps today. The intangible cultural heritage of India finds expression in the ideas, practices, beliefs, and values shared by these communities across the country. “Indigenous cultural heritage is not separate from indigenous identity and life. It is inherited from ancestors as a gift to the next generations. It is the medicine we carry with us.” (Heritage BC, 2020).

It is with no doubt that India is a country with an abundance of cultural heritage, but it does not stop at the famous monuments and collections of historical objects. It also encompasses the traditions and living expressions handed down from the ancestors, like traditional dances, cultural festivals, and arts and crafts. These traditions inherited from former generations need to be protected as they are an essential factor in sustaining the cultural diversity of India in this era of emerging globalization, as India’s living cultural heritage was shaped by centuries of adaptation, re-creation, and co-existence of these groups. The tribe Warli in Maharashtra are very well known for their art and culture inspired by nature, which they worship and look up to. It involves painting beautiful geometric-like patterns on primarily terracotta surfaces or cloth with white and sometimes black paint. This art form symbolizes a higher power which is the nature around them.

Fig. 4.15 One of the most famous art works by the Warli tribe of Maharashtra, exhibiting various forms of nature

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Regenerative Cultures Practices Since the indigenous communities play a significant role in molding the country’s prestige, certain regenerative practices or technologies pertain to these groups.

IN THE PAST One of the most prominent examples of a regenerative practice being preached for a thousand years in India would be the Khasi tribe, located in Meghalaya in the northern part of India. This region’s microclimate consists of heavy rainfalls, making it the area with the highest precipitation in the world throughout the

The Khasi tribe has existed since 100 BCE and has pioneered in one of the most ground-breaking indigenous infrastructures since the yesteryears. The approach of living root bridges and ladders was first observed in 1841, with it still being used today. Due to the profusion of rainfalls, this locality faces floodwaters everywhere, causing the region to isolate into smaller islands with no means to transport oneself from one place to another. Hence, the tribal group came up with the incredible idea of root bridges formed by guiding growing trees in the Jaintia Hills region in Meghalaya.

The general idea of constructing these bridges was first using the roots of the rubber fig trees and trunks of the betel nut trees for the structural support for the primary root system. The trunk of the betel nut tree is hollowed out to work as the scaffolding for the secondary root system of the rubber fig tree. Although it takes 50 years for these bridges to grow fully, this practice can be analyzed subsequently. So, the roots of the trees are trained to grow across the river by enclosing them in a bark trunk. Despite taking a generation to develop fully, the Khasi tribe planned a decade and started planting rubber fig trees beforehand.

This indigenous ecological technology is a living example of responsive, adaptive, resilient, and productive infrastructures. It has increased biodiversity by using living trees as a building material, allowing them to grow in strength over time and responding to environmental dynamics such as decomposing and flooding. In cities being affected by heavy flooding and rains, where rapid development and infrastructure fail, this genius invention of man working symbiotically with nature is a beacon of hope and offers new directions to designers. (Watson, 2019).

The living root bridges and ladders were constructed in such a way to withstand the weight of the dense monsoon climates as well the number of people walking on them. Due to the geographic location and hostile terrains and hills, this region has remained inaccessible to the outer world, thereby avoiding all the rapid industrialization and globalization of the country. This brings one to the implausible aspect of the Khasi tribe, which is that they were able to preserve themselves and the eco-system around them for so many centuries without being impacted by external influences. These root bridges can carry up to 50 people back and forth.

Fig. 4.16 The living root bridges created by the indigenous tribe of Khasis in Meghalaya,India for mobility purposes Fig. 4.17, 4.18, 4.19, 4.20 (Next Page - Left & Right) - Diagram showing the four stages of the technique used to construct the bridge

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IN RECENT TIMES Regenerative practices in India today are not popular because they are unpopular and unnoticed. As previously mentioned, regenerative culture involves designing better and resilient communities using indigenous technologies and sustainable farming practices to eradicate climatic impacts on certain tribal community areas.

The project reached 750 tribal families over two years. The continuously evolving weather of Orissa created a platform to learn participatory methods through which villagers can act for their sustainable development through well-informed, locally adapted responses as drivers of creativity and innovation.

One such example that can be examined is the recent plight of the tribal communities in Orissa in India, facing challenges and harm to their livelihood because of climate injustice. “In Orissa, 70% of the population is dependent on agriculture. Although endowed with rich natural resources, 66.2% of the population lives below the poverty line, earning just 28,400 rupees per capita a year, the fourth-lowest income of the 17 major Indian states.” (Economic Report Survey, 2015). According to recent statistics, the communities in this state are affected by food insecurity and flooding, ruining their daily income. India’s BPL (Below Poverty Line) organization had come forward to empower and build the tribal communities of four districts of Orissa to increase food security, strengthen social cohesion, and enhance climate resilience. (Gaia Education, 2016).

This project, funded by the Scottish Government and Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland, aims to introduce permaculture, one of the first regenerative cultures invented and sustainable farming practices. These can improve the health of the soil, diversifying the crops and, in turn, enhancing the villager’s livelihoods. An ongoing campaign to battle the crises faced by the farmers of India reports, “The heart of the project is the campaign, Grow Your Own Food (GYOF), to counteract so-called ‘Climate-Smart Agriculture’ (CSA) techniques. CSA encourages the use of modified seeds, chemical pesticides, and synthetic fertilizers, as well as high-risk technologies such as synthetic biology, nanotechnology, and geoengineering. This imposition of new biotechnology has been particularly damaging for farmers of India.” (Gaia Education, 2016).

Fig. 4.21 The coastal lines of the habitat of indigenous people of Orissa

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Underprivileged Communities Affected by External Factors Regenerative practices in India today are not popular because they are unpopular and unnoticed. As previously mentioned, regenerative culture involves designing better and resilient communities using indigenous technologies and sustainable farming practices to eradicate climatic impacts on certain tribal community areas. India is the world’s largest democracy, with around 1.8 billion population and growing. With rapid economic growth comes rapid urbanization, leaving behind informal settlements and slums for underprivileged communities. Not only this, due to exploitation and negligence of these communities, they are hit with the most substantial level of environmental factors such as natural disasters, flooding, and land misuse. Through the years, the government has had proposed various programs to tackle this issue and has failed most of the time. Hungry and greedy organizations and firms for minting money have caused fragmentation around the country, with the living of the underprivileged societies at stake. For instance, due to the constant development of real estate businesses and uprising in the living prices of the houses, the poor are being pushed to relocate themselves and live in smaller settlements like slums, situated far away from the places where they make their living. The characterization of slums can be termed as, “A similar definition was proposed by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), where slums are defined as settlements that cannot provide one of the following essential living characteristics: durable housing of a permanent nature, sufficient living space, easy access to safe water in adequate amounts at an affordable price, access to adequate sanitation in the form of a private or public toilet shared by a reasonable number of people, and security of tenure that prevents forced evictions. “(Rao and Nair, 2015).

When it comes to India, outsiders are pretty familiar with the largest slum community in the world. Researchers have studied these communities and have investigated the life of the dwellers, where aspects like residence, occupation, religious identities, and public spaces are to be found in one place, which brings out an overpowering significance of the roots of the communities living here since eons. These spaces seem integrated in terms of functionality and spatially, as they have a peculiar sense of “indigenous urbanism”. Indigenous urbanism is simply the locality where the community drivers and practitioners inhabit and shape those environments themselves and live without external help. Despite the large areas of these settlements and their importance, the government failed to understand the worth of assisting these communities. Instead, they are treated as unequal and often overlooked. “Cohen (2008) argues that this kind of approach to slums and informal settlements – “entering the city through the ‘housing and the bathroom’ rather than through the place of work and the market” – has created “fault lines” between most discussions on urban policy and issues of inequities and inequalities.”

Fig. 4.22 The difference in urbanization of Aarey Colony in the span of 14 years

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The Adivasis of India dwell in multiple locations across India. One such tribal community exists in the form of padas or hamlets, in and on the borders of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (hereby SGNP) in Mumbai. Having a rich socio-political history, the SGNP is one of the protected areas of forests under the government and inhabits a variety of flora and fauna. The indigenous community has lived in these areas for generations, shaping the forest into today. The SGNP has undergone different phases, from a small park to a forest that spreads on most cities.

“There was much dispute over the humanity of these demolitions, and according to a testimony filed in the Bombay High Court, one slum dweller who resided on forest land stated, “we will lose everything when they demolish our homes – our house, our belongings, our relationships, future of our children, our very survival is threatened” (Bhale, 2019).

The bottom of the line is that the government must come forward with the help of sincere designers to foster the needs of communities as a ray of hope for community regeneration.

However, the indigenous community of the Adivasis has confronted issues over the years regarding their livelihood. Adivasi means “earliest inhabitants”, which makes the forest a significant part of their life (Wagle, 2020). Under the “Forest Act”, the park is protected. Since then, Adivasis living there were forced to relocate, as they were criticized for contaminating and destroying the forest. The Adivasis have been fighting for rights over their land for decades. However, consequently, the forest dwellers were forced to occupy large parts of the suburbs on the park’s outskirts to live. Mumbai has been on the brink of rapid urbanization throughout these years, and the areas on the park’s borders have been one of the most desired targets. Due to this, the informal settlements of these communities and the forest are at risk of collapsing. What is analyzed from this situation is that there is no apparent rapport and relationship between the city dwellers and the tribal community. Because the tribal community has been given the status of ST (Scheduled Tribe/Caste), the lowest caste system in India, these groups are categorized as backward. The city struggles to appreciate the rich heritage and culture of these tribal communities, who were present in the forest long before any person was. The Adivasis are the sole reason why the forest was protected by greedy commercialists and businesses yearning to build private homes and buildings in the vicinity. This will do nothing but put the woods at the stake of losing their sanctity and importance. The Adivasis play a crucial role in safeguarding the forest and share a deep connection with flora and fauna, has been living there for eras. Unfortunately, they are being stripped of their spiritual relationship with the forest and, ultimately, their presence in the city. Fig. 4.23 The condition of an Adivasi house

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4.4 Indigenous Communities in the UAE Although native tribes have been subsided in the UAE for a while, there are still a couple of them living in some of the isolated regions of the UAE, which can be called the home of their ancestors. Some of these tribes, including those who have migrated from neighbouring countries, have moved to the cities but still visit their homelands as a part of their culture and heritage. Although native tribes have been subsided in the UAE for a while, there are still a couple of them living in some of the isolated regions of the UAE, which can be called the home of their ancestors. Some of these tribes, including those who have migrated from neighbouring countries, have moved to the cities but still visit their homelands as a part of their culture and heritage.

Regenerative Culture Practices in the Past One of the first settlers were the Bedouins, who lived in scattered regions of Dubai and Abu Dhabi between 2500 BCE and 3000 BCE. They indulged in date palm cultivation as the desert regions of the UAE offered minimum resources to depend on their livelihood. “For centuries, Bedouins moved from one place to another in the region in nomadic cycles to find water, fertile land, and the right weather conditions.” One of the most exciting features of this nomadic tribe was how they survived and created homes in the deserts. (Millar, 2014). These tribes, who are the oldest inhabitants of the desert, used to live in tents in the desert terrain regions across UAE, which were made of goat, camel, or sheep hair fibre, standing at an average height by form roofs of the tent using long strips (shiqaq). During the summer seasons, these tents create a cooling effect by drawing out heated air from the inside and becoming resilient towards rainfalls and snowfalls during the winter seasons. “These tribes were always on the move and would journey thousands of kilometres across the sand dunes, with just the sun to indicate the east-west directions and the stars to point out the north, while the slant of sand dunes sculpted by prevailing winds offered a further sense of direction.” However, some of the Bedouin traits can still be observed in the Emirati community of the country. (Millar, 2014).

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Fig. 4.24 The semi-nomadic tribe of Bedouins moving in the desert regions of the UAE

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Moving forward, as UAE transcended into a more developed country, migration from other countries had become widespread. Different tribes from neighbouring borders made UAE their home, and a prominent example would be the Shihuh tribe. It is found that this tribe belongs to the mountains of the Musandam (enclaves that belong to Oman but are situated in the UAE) and some parts of Ras Al Khaimah, who are considered to have migrated from the country of Oman. “They are different than the Bedu in that they are semi-nomadic, living in barasti huts on the coast and in stone dwellings (Bayt al qufl) in the mountains. They migrate between the two depending on the season.” (Millar, 2014). When researched and studied, the Shihuh tribe became known as an insulated community high up in the mountains that did not want to be disturbed or trespassed, considering the cliffs that protect their territories on the Musandam mountains and built cliff stairways to access their villages. “Facing Ras Al Khaimah is the famous Stairway to Heaven, in parts only a one-foot-wide ledge at a 45-to-60-degree angle up a near-vertical cliff face, with gaps covered by handmade bridges of intricate stonework held in place solely by gravity. One guidebook describes it as “a very, very serious eight to 12-hour hike that novices should not attempt.” (Millar, 2014). Since these communities were both distinctive in terms of culture and language from UAE and Oman, they do not trace their roots back to the earlier tribes of the Arabian Peninsula. Known as the ‘warriors of the mountains”, these tribes are experts in mountainous regions. They claim to be in their blood, knowing all the characteristics of the mountains well – texture, heigh, size, connecting spiritually with the nature and environment around them.

Fig. 4.25 Map of Oman showing the origin place of Musandam Peninsula of the Shihuh tribe

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Living in high altitudes, there are certain regenerative and climate-resistant practices that they have nurtured to thrive. The Shihuh tribe can be considered farmers and not semi-nomadic tribes as their precedents like the Bedouins. These farmers created an impressive construction of high-level terraced fields that seemingly followed the contours of the land and built a sophisticated system of water collection and storage systems.

The Shihuh tribe has split into different migrating communities to sustain their livelihood and expand their options. They work on the agricultural fields and crops in the winter seasons, whereas they relocate themselves to the coast for fishing in the summers. By using the nature around them, they have skillfully made these tribal territories their homes. For instance, the farmers working in the mountain villages abide in the single-story houses known as bait al qufi (meaning cave houses as they are underground), and the villages for the fishing merchants built from coral and palm fronds. (Millar, 2014).

This tribe is always on the move for better habitat and opportunities, as the villages in which they lived once are being depopulated and abandoned. Some of these places have been turned into farms and storage areas. “In the early 1980s, families living in the Emirates were given modern homes by the government, encouraging the mountain tribes to leave behind their old way of life.” (Millar, 2014).

Fig. 4.26 (Top) The stone dwellings made by the Shihuh Fig. 4.27 (Bottom) The mountaneous region where the villages of the Shihuh tribe are situated

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Living Conditions of the Indigenous Communities in

UAE consists of seven Emirates and in some of these Emirates, are undoubtedly traditional and tribal communities living under a rock. Many UAE lands are given to coastal areas, mountainous areas, and deserted regions. As mentioned earlier about the indigenous communities and settlers who immigrated to the country for their livelihood, some of those groups remain a part of the country and dwell in insulated areas. These communities often do not engage with the high-fi developments of Dubai and Abu Dhabi but instead prefer to stay established where they are. Fujairah is one of the seven Emirates in the UAE, consisting of smaller traditional villages and informal settlements that the rest of the UAE is often unaware of and rich in UAE’s archeological history. This Emirate has high altitudes of mountain regions populated by some tribal groups and the coastal areas. One of the infamous groups is the Al Yamahi tribe living in a small town called Al Taween, 85 kilometers away from Fujairah. “This picturesque green oasis sits in the area of letters amid the foothills of the green hills and mountain peaks in a charming view.” These tribes specialize in several occupations – ranging from fishing to quarry work to make a living. It is essential to understand that the residents of these neighborhoods can develop serious health issues and disorders due to the harmful dust in the air from the nearby mining sites. (The National News, 2021).

However, these communities face some challenges, as the government offers minimum attention to the areas they inhabit, perhaps since these communities do not want to be disturbed. The living conditions of these communities are not well received, and frequently protest for their issues to be observed and solved. A spokesperson had interviewed one of the residents, “The house has cement walls and a metal ceiling. We can’t turn off the air conditioning at all as the room won’t stay cool; cooking in the kitchen is considered a punishment, especially during summer as it’s located in the yard.”

Fig. 4.28 Map of UAE showing the two different tribal villages

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The residents also complained about their rural life since their houses are built poorly. Each season comes with its concerns as heat is intolerable sometimes, and there are no proper water pipes for sanitation and drinking purposes. In addition, large families must compensate for living in tiny houses with no sort of privacy or playing areas for the children. “The area needs many facilities and services like a hypermarket or a big supermarket as we have only a few markets that don’t have everything we need, so we have to drive to Dibba. Roads need to be paved, and one school needs to be reconstructed as the building is ancient.” Apart from the poor infrastructure of houses, the neighborhood is in dire need of complete revitalization. (The National News, 2021).

According to the reports, the municipality has ordered these homes to be demolished and new ones built, but the occupants have been waiting too long for their modern life. Moving further, just like the Al Yamaha, several others are experiencing their blasted fate. Among the rapidly growing cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, these villages that form prominent localities have lived in rural areas for centuries and have made it their home. However, the people still aspire to live a modern life with a better quality of living with adequate infrastructure.

Al Hayer, a locality situated in the Eastern Region of Al Ain, populates around 5000 people stitched in by the mountain regions of the city. These smaller communities experience a similar kind of life that the Al Yamahi’s did. The neighbourhood needs a tremendous amount of changes and, in turn, boost the local industries that can help the residents make a better income. Some of the communities in this locality are devoid of basic minimum amenities such as a proper clinic or hospital. Due to being a remote area, the residents must travel to Al Ain for treatment, which is dismal. (The National News, 2021).

The challenge in both the communities, Al Hayer and Al Yamaha, would be to raise the living benchmarks of the occupants and subsequently reflect on the brisk development occurring in the bordering cities like Dubai, without the cost of their traditional dynamics and characteristics.

Fig. 4.29 (Top) A resident belonging to the Al Yamahi tribal group, with their house in the background Fig. 4.30 (Bottom) The deserted region of the Al Hayer Village

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5.1 Regenerative Architecture/Design Sustainability has its substantial weight, not only in the field of architecture but other design fields as well, in this era. It’s an upcoming and growing element in planning built environments and infrastructure. It has thus gained popularity in high amounts, from planting green roofs to installing PV panels to attract and store solar energy.

However, in recent times, architects and designers have been experimenting with the various notions of architecture through thinking beyond sustainability, known as regenerative architecture. Also known as regeneration, it has been acquiring the increasing interest in rethinking and reframing green design practices and enhancing the previously formed connotations about building and design. “Regenerative design, as used here, relates to approaches that support the co-evolution of human and natural systems in a partnered relationship. It is not the building that is “regenerated” in the same sense as the self-healing and self-organizing attributes of a living system, but how they act of building can be a catalyst for positive change within the unique “place” in which it is situated. Within regenerative development, built projects, stakeholder processes, and inhabitation are collectively focused on enhancing life in all its manifestations – human, other species, ecological systems – through an enduring responsibility of stewardship.” (J. Cole, 2017). The regenerative design offers a platform to explore how a region’s ecosystem provision of services can subsidize the performance of the design and the building in general. Moreover, essentially, one should keep in mind that regeneration permits thinking of whole systems, community engagement, regard for the region, and the spiritual conscience with its inhabitants, as well as respecting the rich history. These elements adjoin and tie together coherently and create a system designer can follow for the utmost response, achieving net-positive influences on ecology, health, and society. Fig. 5.1 The San Bernardino Valley College, San Bernardino, California

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Some examples represent regenerative design according to the architects. The San Bernardino Valley College, located in San Bernardino, California, was established in 1926 by HMC Architects. Since then, it has gained a reputation for its contribution to the ecosystem as the site initially went through an earthquake that created geographic challenges for the design. The 3-storeyed building was constructed where the wetlands store stormwater and simultaneously created a heat sink for the site to counterbalance solar heat gains. The vegetation and landscape designed around the area also stimulate biodiversity and attract flora and fauna. (HMC Architects, 2019).

Another structure designed by HMC Architects was the Pierce College Library in Los Angeles, California, exhibiting some regenerative design traits. It is a hybrid project that LEED Platinum Certified has on-site water collection and encourages efficient use of energy and water combined with renewable energy using photovoltaic panels on the library’s roof. (HMC Architects, 2019).

The analysis of these projects unveils that these are sustainable in their ways. The architects claim to be “regenerative” according to their visions and respect for the site and environment. However, these projects only almost meet the requirements of a regenerative design and do not represent the notion in its complete form. Therefore, regenerative architecture in recent times can leap forward with architects having the correct ideology of working closely with nature in mind and perhaps combining the inspiration from the indigenous technologies with modern technologies, which are their visions for regenerative design.

Fig. 5.2 Pierce College Library, Los Angeles, California

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5.2 Bio-Inspired Design Concepts in the Field of Architecture The world is quite familiar with design concepts inspired by nature. This field of bio-inspired design has enlarged through the years, consisting of mirroring the species found in nature and integrating the inspiration into the design field, not only in architecture but also in the fashion and clothing industry. While it has had an ample amount of success, researchers are still experimenting to explore its full potentials to change the way of life and the health of ecosystems as a whole.

Eco-mimicry Eco-mimicry is an emerging strategy of dealing with the already existing concept of biomimicry but with the careful consideration of ecological attributes. “Ecomimicry is an umbrella concept used to describe the practice of mimicking the natural world in the technological world. The result may be a product, a process, a landscape plan, a service, an innovative behaviour, an agricultural system, an artwork, etc.” (Marshall, 2007).

“Examples include covered roofs in locally typical vegetation that can feed animals and humans, or building around, not over, coastal treasures like dunes and mangrove forests, and incorporating habitat features of these landscapes into the new surrounding landscaping to increase habitat connectivity, ecosystem service provision, and resilience.” (The Conversation, 2021).

Nature’s importance while designing is nothing new now. Still, the increasing number of entrepreneurs and conservationists stepping forward to develop nature-based design by keeping eco-mimicry in the core is advancing the field for future generations and creating awareness while simultaneously offering reconnection of communities with nature and accessing the physical, psychological, and social benefits of nature.

Eco-mimicry could be the required approach for the urban landscapes that are bland and do not support the environment. A balance between planetary benefits and short-term human needs is vital to make the most out of the limited urban spaces left out due to the increase in skyscrapers and decrease in unoccupied lands. The urban landscape or green spaces are often devoid of the significant local character and ambiguous conception. This diminishes the variety of features already available on the site to develop their scheme, including the soil type, plantations, and hydrological patterns.

To overcome this complex issue, this approach allows reading and investigating the local landscape cautiously. Hence, getting to know the region’s different features can help designers teach the existing ecological functionality.

Fig. 5.3 The UAE Pavilion for the Expo 2020 designed by Santiago Calatrava; inspired by bird’s wings

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Biophilic Design While eco-mimicry is relatively a new field, some nature-based designs have existed for quite a while. Biophilic design has become prominent over time due to its features that give back to the environment. The simple definition of it can be, “Biophilia is defined as the innate human instinct to connect with nature and other living beings.” It is not just a design concept but also caters to cognitive function, psychological well-being, and physical health of a person.” (McCain, 2020).

Biophilic design in architecture has proven to be relatively successful and has been widely used, providing a new direction and dynamic to the field. There are examples of using this concept in architecture which has helped increase occupant relationship with the surroundings through the direct and indirect use of nature and space conditions. It is vital to comprehend that biophilic design is not just about plants but creating a custom ecosystem, however; historically, nature used to be all around us but not as much anymore. “Currently, 54 percent of the world’s population live in an urban environment. By 2050, it’s estimated that the percentage will increase to 66 percent—two-thirds of the world’s population! Generally, humans spend 93 percent of our two-thirds separated from natural elements.” (Gillis, 2020). One of the most reputed architecture firms, RMJM, has a practical biophilic design project called Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, located in the city of Singapore, in which the climate and ecology of the building location determined the building design. This project has won multiple awards for its meticulous design concept planning of a “hospital in a garden where one can experience a variety of natural advantages and benefits driven by the site. Not only greenery, but the architects have also played around with waterscape for the patients’ psychological comfort. “The site for the hospital was chosen for its proximity to Yishun Pond.

The water feature weaves through the landscaped courtyard at level-1 and cascades through a waterfall into the basement creating an illusion that water was drawn from the pond.” RMJM’s “healing through nature concept has also driven them to inculcate lush local species of the landscape around the building as well as on the roof. (Living-Future, 2017).

Hence, it is becoming increasingly important to incorporate nature into the built environment to restore the inherent association between humans and nature.

Link with Regenerative Culture It is now confirmed that several bio-inspired design concepts have contributed mainly to maintaining the link between humans and nature in numerous ways. Following the investigation of the different characteristics of the two design concepts, it is evident that many of the regenerative culture aspects resemble and correspond to those. Regeneration calls upon potentially digging deeper into the issues and consuming the benefits of nature to tackle them. It is all about aspiring to reconnect with the ecosystem and provide a bigger picture in which the gifts go towards humankind and the whole ecosystem. Nature-based designs have a high potential in advancing regenerative culture and hence can aid in achieving long-term goals in the field.

In response, the massing was designed to open up to and “embrace” the pond, “drawing in” greenery and water into the heart of the hospital. Thereby making the hospital and pond an integrated entity. Fig. 5.4 The natural diversity integrated in the design at The Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore

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5.3 Role of Participatory Design in Today’s World

Community resilience and interaction is an up-and-coming idea in the architecture and built environment, which aims to sustain the health of the locality and the ecosystem. Participatory design is one tactic to accomplish this idea and can regenerate such public and rural spaces.

Definition and Benefits of Participatory Design

Participatory design exists today as the concept in which users are directly engaged in the designing process of a project. “In particular, participatory design invites community engagement and responsibility. Participatory design can foster community ownership and pride by entering the community at the heart of the design process.” (Krzykowski, 2008)

Numerous examples of architecture firms and non-profit organizations have stepped forward to teach this idea in their design ideology. This practice has many benefits, especially targeting underprivileged families, which can be studied by taking a prominent example. The work of the firm Elemental founded by the Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena is labelled as “the champion of participatory design”. It has done different amounts of projects to live up to the statement. The most prominent strategy involves “half a good house” developments using limited government sponsorships. A decent-sized family home is built, leaving the rest for the residents to fill over time according to their convenience, needs, and financial circumstances. This helps when poorer families back in hometowns can’t afford the expensive lands and ultimately have access to schools and transportation. (Krzykowski, 2008)

Fig. 5.5 The Quinta Monroy housing project for the community in Iquique, Chile by ELEMENTAL

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Social Aspect of Participatory Design

According to recent studies, this kind of practice hypothesizes that the social participation of the community dwellers has a positive impact on both the architecture and the people involved in the process. As a result, it creates a factor of participatory design that supports the users of a particular place with the surroundings. (Kosk, 2016)

What can be analysed here is that the deep knowledge of the users of a particular region they have been living in for generations assists the design and eventually serves as a fundamental attribute to participatory design practice. Hence, whether residential or any other, the architectural design is more robust and effective.

Relevant journals by architects and researchers have suggested that a well-functioned neighbourhood or community can be attained by a well-thought design process but also by the participation of the community. When this occurs, the users feel comfortable identifying themselves with the place and, subsequently, the close people. Thus, the participatory design offers a platform in which all individuals are involved in the design process leading to a harmonious whole. “Individualism of the architecture is the result of the individual needs of the residents.” (Kosk, 2016).

Link to Regenerative Culture

After exploring the different connotations of participatory design practice, it can be concluded that certain aspects are intersected with that of regenerative culture. Social, economic, and ecological are the main features of regeneration, and this particular practice fits comfortably with the social norm. The regenerative culture encourages the social participation of humans when it comes to uplifting the environment or living conditions in any way and thus gives a sense of contentment. the close people.

Fig. 5.6 The Villa Verde Housing in Constitucion, Chile by Alejandro Aravena.

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Thus, the participatory design offers a platform in which all individuals are involved in the design process leading to a harmonious whole. “Individualism of the architecture is the result of the individual needs of the residents.” (Kosk, 2016).

Participatory design greatly serves the social aspect of regenerative culture since it allows the community to involve themselves in the design process. This, in turn, accomplishes and conserves the identity and culture of the particular region as the community members implement their tribal and ecological approaches and ideas to the process of design, which further assists the architect to visualize the project in a way that the community can call their home and part of themselves.

Fig. 5.7 A social project aiming the recovery of a community space developed from participatory design workshops and community involvment -’El Trébol’ by Arquitectura Expandida

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6.1 Stages to Integrate Regenerative Culture in Architecture Firstly, in the previous chapters, regenerative architecture was evaluated using an example, concluding that architects nowadays are thinking beyond sustainability and hence are laying down efforts to change the perspective of sustainability by identifying a problem and converting it into a potential for redevelopment. Thus, the regeneration of a particular community or locality must be explored. Second, while exploring bio-inspired design concepts (eco-mimicry and biophilic design) in architecture, it is evident that these design philosophies pay essentially and have a vital role in the driving force of regeneration and the balance of the ecosystem by working closely with nature. Third, the exploration of participatory design established that it catalyzes the social influence and support from the community dwellers when thinking about regenerative culture. It is vital to know that indigenous communities depend primarily on vernacular resources and materials for their livelihood. Hence, self-construction as a collaborative effort of the architects and the communities can be another methodology. This way, community members participate and keep their indigenous opinions and ideas forward. Lastly, to help regenerate an underprivileged community in distress, it is essential to explore self-sufficient, low-income, and adaptive community housing techniques and to tackle the poor living conditions of the informal settlements. Conclusively, this chapter analyses the different case studies and their characteristics that can be integrated with indigenous ecological concepts to create a piece of architecture that serves the community harmoniously and sustains the health and well-being of the ecosystem and restores the connection and relationship amongst communities.

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Project: The SHED Project Architect: Lowe Guardians Location: London, United Kingdom Design and Construction: 2017 Project Size: 93 sq.m.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION This project is an environmentally friendly response for quality and affordable accommodation in already vacant buildings. The SHED is built with low-impact and affordable materials with consideration of lamb’s wool insulation and recycled polycarbonate. A system of modules or panels are created which are then to be bolted together on a regular grid to form a soundproof and insulated SHED. It takes at least one day to construct when a guardian builds it themselves. Hence, a SHED community has a potential of being formed using these temporary shelters that minimize building waste and landfill and which can be reused.

Fig. 6.1 The construction process of the house Fig. 6.2 (Next Page - Left) Diagarm illustarting the house and its elements Fig. 6.3 (Next Page - Right) The interiors of the house

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Project: Box House Architect: Studio Bark Architects Location: Bicester, United Kingdom Design and Construction: 2018 Project Size: 92 sq.m.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION Box House is one of the main self-build projects in the city of Bicester, United Kingdom, where the client builds their own house physically and has an input to the design approaches. Studio Bark has come forward and proposed a pioneering system of flat-pack timber building boxes – “U-Build”. These modules are simple to construct by the resident, are flexible and can be placed on standard sheets of plywood, consequently reducing wastage. The construction process of approximately 100 hours and manual handling technique offered by the architects and a architecture.

the house would take the clients were given a with a helping hand small team of students of

Fig. 6.4 The interiors of the house Fig. 6.5 (Next Page - Left) - Diagrams showing different materials and elements Fig. 6.6 (Next Page - Right) - Floor Plans

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Project: PROTO-SELF BUILD Architect: Matthijs la Roi Architects /Simone Tchonova Location: Hackney, United Kingdom Design and Construction: 2019 Project Size: 100-150 sq.m.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION This self-construction architecture piece is one of its kind and different than the usual modular self-build houses. The architect, Matthijs la Roi, targeted to create a collective assembly of user-builders through the pieces and empower them to take control of their environments, inpsired by the works of Walter Segal and Lucien Kroll. The neighbourhood of Hackney witnessed a tension between the top-down developer modes of architecture and the bottom-up requirements of the locals, which resulted in dislocation of the communities and a shortage in housing facilities. PROTO-SELF BUILD uses a primitive and spontaneous methodology of stacking spatial elements on top of each other to result in a part-to-whole relationship that generate a quasi-emergent process and design product. To achieve this, a simple set of tools and a construction manual is needed to assemble the structure. Each element can be cut by hand from plywood sheets using timber studs and nails to connect them. In addition, the finish or the exterior layer of the structure is painted with graffiti art as a choice of personalization and ownership of the structure. The spatial system has a sense of verticality establishing the fact that change is possible amidst all the gentrification in town. The three main elements are the unchanging stairs, the platform that can vary and the balustrades that can differ accordingly.

Fig. 6.7 Illustrative collage of the construction of the structure Fig. 6.8 (Next Page 1 - Left) - Diagram showing the different participatory actions Fig. 6.9 (Next Page 1 - Right) - Diagram showing the process of construction and assembly Fig. 6.10 (Next Page 2 - Left) - Diagram showing the catalogue of different elements possible Fig. 6.11 (Next Page 2 - Right) - Diagram showing the details of one element anfd the structural details

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Project: Liyang Yangwang Visitor’s Center Architect: Origin Architects Location: Liyang, China Design and Construction: 2019 Project Size: 331 sq.m.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION The project revolves around the idea of a symbiotic harmony of regenerating a forest by establishing a forest within it. Spruce trees, which were chopped and left abandoned on the site, inspired the architects to combine the cut bark of trees with modern technologies, in its natural and original environment. Spruce trees were used to form a spiral shape, pointing up at the sky. With the use of customized circular steel beams, polycarbonate panels and glass embedded with the logs, these barks were constructed with roots deep inside the ground, allowing optimum sunlight into the interior. The project comprises of multiple groups of these structures and an auditorium which can be used as a space for resting, ceremonies etc.

Fig. 6.12 The interior view of the pavilion Fig. 6.13 Conceptual sketches of the pavilion Fig. 6.14 Bird-eye view of the whole project

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Project: Shangwei Plugin House Architect: People’s Architecture Office Location: Shenzhen Design and Construction: 2018 Project Size: 18.5 sq.m. to 25.8 sq.m

PROJECT DESCRIPTION The plugin houses are a result of a renovation strategy for the hundreds of years old houses, that were left vacant by the dwellers in search for houses of higher standards. The government was keen to investigate ways in which the rehabilitation of these houses was possible in a unique way. Thus, the architects proposed an approach in which the original house remains untouched, where a new structure is constructed inside of it. The scheme of plugin houses uses a modular building system of prefabricated panels which are integrated with structural connections so as to easily assemble it with one tool. The materials are industrially manufactured which are sustainable, energy efficient and affordable. To sustain the structural integrity of the old original house, the plugin house becomes a savior due to its insertion acting as a reinforcement inside the existing house. The house encompasses of a bedroom, mini-split units for heating and cooling, off-the-grid composting toilet systems and modern kitchens.

Fig. 6.15 Another perspective of the newly built plugin house Fig. 6.16 (Next Page 1 - Left) - Diagram showing the house elements - new structure on top of old house Fig.6.17 (Next Page 1 - Right) - An interior view of the bedroom Fig. 6.18 (Next Page 2 - Left) - Floor Plans Fig. 6.19 (Next Page 2 - Right) - View of the mezzanine floor access

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Project: Regeneration of the Favela de Rocinha Slum Architect: Jan Kudlicka Location: Rocinha, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil Design and Construction: 2011 Project Size:300 x 300 sq.m

PROJECT DESCRIPTION & CONTEXT The aim of the project was to “regenerate” the existing conditions of a particular area rather than demolishing the informal settlements known as “favelas” in Brazil. The environmental conditions around the city of Rocinha and contextual factors like mountains on one side and the metropolitan center of Rio de Janeiro on the other side, contributed as threats to the development of the site. The enlargement of the settlements that had happened naturally created an overpopulated situation and endangered the safety of the residents. The slums also lack basic amenities and no proper access to the way outside of the site in case of emergencies.

Fig. 6.20 The favela or the informal settlements in the city of Rocinha, Rio de Janeiro

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DESIGN CONCEPT The project was not only to regenerate the settlements, but also provide access to amenities like education, medical support, and public spaces for their welfare. The architect identified different epicenters in the slum area that can contribute to these particular functions, so as to not destroy or harm the existing dwellings. Apart from that, the architect chose to expand the settlement vertically, providing spaces various zones for different functions.

Fig. 6.21 Diagram showing the whole site and its parts for the proposal

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FUNCTIONS/ZONING OF THE PROJECT The different parts of the vertical expansion of the settlement include a ground floor for commercial purposes, the middle one for dwelling and the roof would be used which was previously abandoned, for farming and outdoor playing areas.

Fig. 6.22 (Right) Diagram showing the concept stages according to the contextual and site Fig.6.23 (Next Page - Left) Diagram showing the three different zones of the proposal Fig. 6.24 (Next Page - Right) Diagram showing some of the new activities space places on the ground and top floor

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REGENERATION ELEMENTS 1. The slum dwellers did not have adequate access to the outside of their houses previously. Thus, new entry points have been incorporated. 2. The ground floor is developed with commercial and market services for the dwellers to sell their produce and hence limit their travel to the city for income. 3. New public spaces on the roof for optimum usage. 4. Construction of the new dwelling with steel profiles, making it stronger than before.

Fig. 6.25 (Right) - Diagram showing the selected dwelling roof turned into green roofs Fig. 6.26 (Next Page - Left) - Diagram showing the new access and entry points for the dwellers Fig. 6.27 (Next Page - Right) - The neighbourhood view of the favela

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MATERIALITY AND STRUCTURE The new construction involved removing of bricks and insertion of steel into the concrete framework. In addition, the foundation is improved stronger than before. The façade involves of glazed materials to highlight the culture of the community.

Fig 6.28 Diagram showing the new construction methods

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CIRCULATION The dwelling consists of three floors plus the roof. Because the proposal is for selected dwellings, the circulation is limited to the house. The three floors plus the roof are connected by stairs.

Fig. 6.29 Floor plan showing circulation

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REGENERATED SPACES The regeneration of the 12 selected dwellings consists of a variety of spaces on the ground, first and second floor. The ground floor consists of a school, medical center, community spaces, police station etc. The second and third floor consists of the living spaces – bedroom, kitchen and bathroom, interconnected with the roof, the upper floor and the ground with a staircase.

Fig. 6.30 Ground Floor Plan Fig. 6.31 (Next Page - Left) - First Floor Plan Fig. 6.32 (Next Page - Right) Second Floor Plan

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PROGRAM TABLE This regeneration project proposed different functions and activities for the low-income families to indulge in. Some of them include community spaces like farming areas, cinemas, open public spaces etc.

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Project: Modular Social Housing – Casa Hilo Architect: Zeller & Moye Location: Apan, Mexico Design and Construction: 2019 Project Size: 90 sq.m.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION & CONTEXT Casa Hilo is a prototype approach to housing suitable for warm weathers, based on modules. These modules are shaped in a way in which it can be later customized, adapted and even multiplied to the circumstanes, family needs and site factors, allowing a wide variety of horizontal and vertical configurations. This type of housing is a result of an analysis based on the living conditions and traditions of the inhabitants of countryside Mexico. Each space incorporated has its own roof, covered terrace and door as well as being connected to each other freely. Due to the rooms connecting to terraces and into the garden, the dwellers are provided with an opportunity for producing local vegetation. The basic typology of the house consists of two bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom as well as windows and doors constructed with foldable bamboo blinds for optimum ventilation and privacy. The structural frame of the house consists of handmade adobe blocks by inhabitants, to promote local culture and traditions, working as a thermal insulator, making it an example of sustainable rural house.

Fig. 6.33 Interior view of the bedroom Fig. 6.34 (Next Page - Left) - Diagram showing the different typologies of the house Fig. 6.35 (Next Page - Right) - View of the interconnected spaces of the house

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Project: Rural House in Puebla Architect: Comunal Taller de Arquitectura Location: Ciudad de Cuetzalan, Mexico Design and Construction: 2016 Project Size: 60 sq.m.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION & CONTEXT In order to comply with the new housing laws by the National Housing Commission, Tosepan Titataniske and Tosepan Ojtatsentekitinij Indigenous Cooperatives along with the architects decided to propose different exercises for the construction of houses. To endorse the autonomy of the indigenous people of the community, traditional and local materials were used for the construction, consisting of a modular and prefabricated building system panels made with bamboo oldhamii. Reducing site construction time, these elements are combined and hence also reducing labor costs. A local tissue to make coffee sacks called “ixtile” is coated on the bamboo panels as well as a layer of mortar. The last layer that is fixed is a product made of aluminium waste which provides acoustic, thermal, and antibacterial protection. An optimal environmental performance is carried out by the villagers by indulging in rainwater harvesting in case of rain and wetlands for the reuse of gray water. Belonging to the Nahuatl people, the house contributes to their culture and heritage by having a main hall, a central element, and a space to dry the coffee and corn crops.

Fig. 6.36 Interior view of the house Fig. 6.37 (Next Page - Left) - Diagram showing the different elemnts of the house Fig. 6.38 (Next Page - Right) - Exterior view of the of the house

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Project: Expandable House Architect: Urban Rural Systems Location: Batam, Indonesia Design and Construction: 2018 Project Size: 36 sq.m

PROJECT DESCRIPTION The project aimed to tackle the challenge was to design self-sufficient housing for the influx of migrants due Batam being a fast-growing city in recent times. The housing is configured around the idea of the fluctuating patterns of consumption of the natural resources and financial statuses of its residents – which means understanding and analyzing the depth of income, use of water and energy as well as waste produce. Thus, it is important for the architecture to cater to these factors while managing its own water, electricity, and waste locally.

Fig. 6.39 Exterior view of one of the houses and the village street

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PROJECT CONTEXT The project is located in the strong-growing city of Batam, Indonesia, experiencing a number of incoming young migrants to build their future due to the developing trade and market - new free trade agreement and Batam’s proximity to Singapore. To battle with the rapid urban sprawl, the architects focused on a sustainable response through which a “seed” is designed to generate many types of dwellings instead of a one-off design strategy.

Fig. 6.40 A rendered 3D illustration of the house through a contextual sense

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PROJECT CONCEPT The housing is based on five principles: 1. Sandwich Section – In this section, the residents also get to participate by infilling the house as per their choice regarding roof and foundations, while the main components of the roof and foundation are provided by the developer. The roof can be hoisted, and the foundations can withstand threeadditional floors. 2. Domestic Density – This strategy helps in reducing the settlement footprint by boosting domestic compression through the path of vertical development. 3. Decentralized Systems – In order to avoid expensive centralized strategies for basic amenities, rainwater harvesting, solar and electricity-generating technologies, sewage and septic tank systems and passive cooling principles are integrated. 4. Productive Landscapes – Bamboo plantations and kitchen gardens are implemented to increase food and building materials production for the residents. 5. Seed Package – The house encompasses of technologies, planning guidelines and material approaches that have a capability to develop in different forms depending on the local, cultural, social, and environmental conditions.

Fig. 6.41 Exterior view of one of the houses showing the structure

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MATERIALITY AND FLEXIBILITY The housing mainly consists of a 36 sq.m. area which can be expanded according to the resident’s wishes. Not only dwellings, but also the “seed” or the prototype can be converted into other functions such as shops, market, medical facility etc. making it a mixed-use tropical town. Primarily, these buildings are made up of modular bamboo claddings for the façade in order for customization to be possible. Foundations are made of reinforced concrete and the roof consists of solar cells that generated 60% of the domestic energy needed. The other materials used are concrete blocks for the construction of the building. The main framework of the building is a steel structure frame.

Fig. 6.42 Elevation drawings showing the materiality of the building

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MIXED USE NEIGHBOURHOOD Due to the adaptive technologies, the built area of the dwellings can be adjusted according to the resident’s choices. This can include the commercial, domestic and the service areas of a resident’s house. Hence, this strategy can offer a mixed-use scenario in the neighbourhood.

Fig. 6.43 Diagrams of different typologies that can be integrated

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ADAPTATION OPPORTUNITIES The dwellings which are expandable and adaptive, also offer different interior choices for the resident according to their domestic needs. Some of the choices include a 36 sq.m. built area on a 60 sq.m. plot with various alternatives for interior furniture as well as buildings with a 72 sq.m. and 108 sq.m. built area.

Fig. 6.44 Diagram showing the different adaptation approaches

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FRONT FAÇADE POSSIBILITIES Because the building can be customized, the façade of the building can vary according to the function – either a dwelling or a shop. The resident can also contribute the front area of the house to sell their domestic produce or open small cafes and restaurants for the community.

Fig. 6.45 Diagram showing the facade alternatives

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DIVERSE NEIGHBOURHOOD SCENARIOS The “seed” building offers a platform for the residents to build a whole community neighbourhood. The various scenes from the neighbourhood can encompass of the commercial sector, semi-public spaces, public spaces, and interior spaces.

Fig. 6.46 Illustrative collage showing the neighbourhood scenario Fig . 6.47 Illustrative collage showing the semi-public area Fig. 6.48 Illustrative collage showing interior of a commercial space

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VARIOUS FUNCTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY The community involves not just dwellings, but also other functions and activities like large blank spaces on the walls of the house in order for them to advertise, bamboo forest for harvesting to produce materials for buildings etc.

Fig. 6.49 Diagram illustrating the components of the whole town

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CONTENTS OF THE SURROUNDINGS The village not only consists of the dwellings but also an aquaponic system and a bamboo nursery for gathering produce and a proper drainage system for the houses.

Fig. 6.50 Site Plan

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CONTENTS OF A DWELLING A typical house encompasses of a porch at the entrance, a courtyard, a basic kitchen and bathroom, a storeroom to keep their produce and a sufficient sized living room. It also includes a space for commercial purposes as a source of income.

Fig. 6.51 Typical Ground Floor Plan

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CIRCULATION AND ACCESS The design provides a feasible access to every corner of the village. The farming area and the rainwater harvesting tanks are very close to the dwellings for optimum convenience. A street runs along the entire village for sustainable transportation like usage of bicycles as well as walking, as no other vehicles are allowed. The access to the house consists of a main entrance and secondly, an entrance through the porch.

Fig. 6.52 Diagrams showing circulation and access

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PROGRAM TABLE As analyzed previously, this mixed-use town consists of a variety of functions ranging from different housing typologies to shops and convenience stores.

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Project: Aaranya Farmstay Resort Architect: d6thD Design Studio Location: Sasan Gir, India Design and Construction: 2019 Project Size: 502 sq.m.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION An agricultural farm stay resort in the rural edge areas of the Sasan Gir Lion Sanctuary, Gujarat, Aaranya was designed as a simple, established, and honest practice obtainable by vernacular architecture. The instilled terracotta tiled roof is a symbol of the ancestral heritage and culture evoking a strong sense of nostalgia. It is a twin cottage plan to sustain heavy rainfall off the sloped roof and to offset the heat in summer. The elongation element of the roof is embedded into the landscape, connecting it to the natural surroundings, hence a biophilic approach. The aim is to cover the entire roof with creeper plants and vegetation, making it metaphorically entrenched in the nature. Old construction methodologies and materials were used such as rubble stone packed foundation, brick dome with china mosaic, load bearing exposed natural sandstone walls and clay tiled roof, which in turns creates job opportunities for the villagers.

Fig. 6.52 Biophilic element integrated in the building Fig. 6.53 (Next Page - Left) - Brainstorming sketch Fig. 6.54 Bird eye view of the resorts

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Project: Participatory Housing Approach For Conservation-Induced Displacement Architect: Jay Kapadia (Student Supervised by Faculty) Location: Karnataka, India Design and Construction: 2021 Project Size: 600 sq.m.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION Tribal communities in India often face human-wildlife casualties living in shanty towns. The project is based on the neighbourhood where the Indo-African Siddi community lives, which is located in the premises of the Kali Tiger Reserve, surrounded by rich biodiversity. Due to displacement of these groups induced by the conservation of the biodiversity of the reserve, they faced various challenges along the way where they had no part in the decision-making process and had a loss of socio-cultural aspects and their traditional ways of living. The project aims to promote participation of these communities by holding design workshops for children and adults. Thus, settlement patterns are communicated through community participation, which also in turn brought up certain issues that need to be solved like lack of adequate housing and supporting amenities and facilities. Based on the community and site analysis by the architect, the result was to have six parent typologies for housing that are ample for the families as well as integrating biodiversity and nature in it.

Fig. 6.55 Activity node as social spaces Fig. 6.56 (Next Page 1 - Left) - Drawings for Type 3E house typology Fig. 6.57 (Next Page 1- Right) - Bird-eye view of the cluster community Fig. 6.58 (Next Page 2 - Left) - Housing typology evolution Fig. 6.59 (Next Page 2 - Right) - Different spaces on site

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Project: Lixiang Village Public Space Architect: AESEU Architectural Technology and Art Studio Location: Nanjing, China Design and Construction: 2019 Project Size: 4950 sq.m.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION The project is revolved around the idea of renovating the Lixiang village, located 60 kms away from the city of Nanjing, as the locality attracts a high amount of tourists due to the blueberry planting industry and the significant historic culture of the district. The increasing influx of tourists and village dwellers could not be sufficed by the current infrastructure. Thus, the architects decided to redevelop some of the abandoned houses and specifically creating spaces for public and tourist facilities. As a result of this project, many aboriginal and indigenous communities have returned to their hometowns who were once forced to be displaced, giving them an opportunity to sell their agricultural produce. In addition, the architects also had included bridges for the village population for access over the naturally formed lakes and rivers as well as solving a parking issue for the visitors and tourists. This project aims to reestablish the connection between the villages and the external modern world based on preserving the rural environment and culture. Furthermore, the sanctity of the village trees – the metasequoias is also considered when planning the revitalization, as they share a spiritual relationship

Fig. 6.60 The sacred metaseqouia trees on site

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PROJECT CONTEXT The site conditions around the project involved a forest with mountain ranges around as well as canals and ponds formed by the rivers. Furthermore, large plains of rice fields also exist on the site, offering an abundance of aesthetic scenic visuals.

Fig. 6.61 A bird-eye view of a part of the project showing the contextual surroundings

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PROJECT CONCEPT The project’s concept was to solve three main issues that came up during the rural revitalization: 1. Parking for Tourists - To tackle the traffic congestion due to the incoming population of visitors and tourists. Thus, the parking was re-planned and organized. 2. Centralized Accommodation - The current condition of the village only provides housing for the villagers, but the architects decided to include a place to stay for the visitors. 3. Public Spaces - Due to the lack for public spaces, it was decided to integrate more public spaces to avoid overcrowding of people and to set a smooth sailing of the activities. Apart from these issues, the architects also kept important points in mind while designing, such as to preserve the sanctity of the rural culture and its characteristics as well as cater to the responsibilities to serve to the quality of life of the villagers and the needs of the tourists, to strengthen the connection between the villagers and visitors.

Fig. 6.62 Diagram showing the developement of the village

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PRIMARY ELEMENTS OF THE PROJECT Essentially, the main parts of the project included: 1. Rural Hostels for Tourists – To accommodate tourist population, hostels were designed for them to stay. The ATA design team decided to renovate and expand the original three-story office building and replanned the original linear shape layout into an L-shaped layout for the guest room area and an inner courtyard enclosed by pergola. The rural multi-function and the courtyard is accessible to both villagers and tourists, for holding cultural gatherings. The activities and behaviors of the villagers is hoped to be befall at these spaces.

Fig. 6.63 View of the hostel accommodations enclosing a public space for gatherings

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PRIMARY ELEMENTS OF THE PROJECT 2. Pedestrian Bridges – The village consists of an irrigation ditch which is an important water conservancy facility in the village. It is a 30 meters wide bridge which has a floor discharge system. Thus, the architects were not permitted to design bridge piers in the river. In order to meet the influx flow of people entering the region, the width of the bridge had to meet certain requirements, structurally.

Fig. 6.64 View from the foot bridge

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PRIMARY ELEMENTS OF THE PROJECT 3. Public Spaces at the Entrance - The village was in dire need of a space to hold communal meetings and handle affairs. Thus, the design team planned a public space for these functions and activities outdoors so that the people can feel the nature around. The architects called this area as the “village alley” which was bounded by buildings and the sacred metasequoia trees, which the villagers have a nostalgic connection to. The visitors are directed from the bridge to this small square.

Fig. 6.65 The small square at the entrance for villagers to gather

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MATERIALITY AND STRUCTURE The structure and construction of the spaces is done keeping sustainability in mind. There are different factors and construction strategies adopted considering the function and space. 1. Pedestrian Bridge – For the bridges, the restrictive factors like span, width, transportation of people, installation etc. were taken into consideration. Keeping in mind the features of the suburban village and the road network of the Yangtze River Delta, a bean string structure with string beams was decided on. It is a rigid-flexible hybrid structure composed of a strong beam and high strength string connected by many struts. The large span structure used form resistance and pretension to resist the loads. The reason to implement this particular form is to decrease the cross-sectional size of the bridge, avoiding the large and heavy pedestrian bridges which does not fit in the rural environment. The bridge is acquired with a fish-belly shape formed by the downwardly curved cable. The curved forms of the bridge changes in the two dimensions which are linked together by nine butterfly-shaped abdominal rods. Glued bamboo pieces of different lengths and widths have been integrated in the railings, which accentuates the lightness and ruralization of the bridge.

Fig. 6.66 View of the footbridge showing the butter-fly shaped rods and the fish-belly form

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MATERIALITY AND STRUCTURE 2. Village Spaces – The main material used in the construction is bamboo, due to China being the world’s largest producer of the low-carbon and environmentally friendly material. The architecture is completed by the technology of prefabricated construction and glued bamboo to reduce carbon emissions. The inspiration for the style of the architecture of the project is drawn by the traditional local buildings. Modern technologies combined with the rural construction approaches is executed that has the potential to promote the upgrading of the rural construction technologies. In addition to this, steel is also used with glued bamboo and small-sized structural components to build larger indoor spaces.

Fig 6.67 The aesthetic view of glued bamboo framework Fig. 6.68 Exploded axonometric of structure of a building Fig. 6.69 The combination of the use of glued bamboo and modern technologies

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SECONDARY ELEMENTS OF THE PROJECT Other contents of the project present refer to the ancestral temple, visitor’s parking lot, public toilets, banquet halls, tea sheds and village halls.

Fig. 6.70 Axonometric diagram showing the different elements on site

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CIRCULATION AND ACCESS The access to the village for the visitors is from the parking lot through the footbridge to the village square, to enter the other facilities. While the villagers have a free-flowing circulation and access to all the spaces inside the project. However, the visitors have admission to all the public spaces except for the dwelling spaces of the village residents.

Fig. 6.71 Site Plan Fig. 6.72 First Floor Plan Fig. 6.73 Second Floor Plan

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PROGRAM TABLE As mentioned before, the redevelopment project has several functions and spaces for the villagers and the visitors. Apart from the rooms for the hostel, there are some of other important spaces that include a public space gathering space, village halls, conference rooms, offices etc.

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6.2 Summary and Synthesis

In order to understand the spaces needed to “regenerate” the space, the analyzation of the case studies was essential. The spaces enclosed by all the case studies exhibit different characteristics that can cater to the project. In addition, there are certain key words that can help compose a program for the project and the concept further.

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7.1 Proposed Program

The proposed program for the redevelopment of a community has several important functions and spaces to be considered for the villagers and the visitors. Some of the important spaces that include are public gathering spaces, village halls, conference rooms, offices etc.

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The proposed program of a total area of 8833 sq.m. offers a variety of spaces that can be useful when considering a dense area of tribal villages, where interactive spaces and work opportunities play a key role in the livelihood of the community as well in developing a rapport with the visitors.

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7.1 Program Study

Fig. 7.1 Bubble Diagram - 1

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Fig. 7.2 Bubble Diagram - 2

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Fig. 7.3 Relationship Matrix

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Fig. 7.4 Program Relationship Diagram

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8.1 Contextual Analsysis of the Potential Sites

After drawing a parallel between the conditions between the UAE and India, most of the factors furnish various potentials for regeneration, in India. There have been multiple cases in India which represent ill conditions of the underprivileged population and that they need maximum attention.

In addition, the park has different levels of management hierarchy which are, the system of the Forest Department, the system of the municipal government and the activists from NGOs.

The location selected is on the periphery of the nfamous Sanjay Gandhi National Park in the city of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. The Sanjay Gandhi National Park is one of the very few spaces in the state which is rich in biodiversity and hence is protected under the law. The park encompasses thousands of variety of flora and fauna and is a major tourist attraction for visiting ancient caves and even wildlife. However, the park has another side where many indigenous communities, classified as the lowest caste – Scheduled Tribe by the government, live in informal settlements since the origin of the park. The communities have had a spiritual connection with the forest and the park since hundreds of years and have made plenty of efforts to protect it. The communities have fought for their rights on the land, whereas the government and real estate holders have grabbed the opportunity to buy lands for minting money. Amidst the crossfire, the indigenous communities were served their rights on their land to a certain extent, but still face challenges everyday due to the rapid urbanization around the park and hence fear displacement from their own ancestral land. Some of the groups were indeed forced to relocate because of the hindrance caused for the preservation of the forest. Hence, the communities have settled on the borders of the park and created a congested area, leaving the park to be on the risk of destruction and losing its identity. Due to this, the communities are living in poor conditions and do not have basic amenities and survive under low-wage and odd jobs.

Fig. 8.1 Mapping of the Site

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Fig. 8.2 Views at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park

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Fig. 8.3 Settlements at the SGNP

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Fig. 8.4 Mapping of the informal settlements Fig. 8.5 Living conditions of tribal communities Fig. 8.6 (Next Page - Right) - Contextual views of the sites

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8.2 Plot Selection

The three sites selected are based on various attributes such as location on the border of the park, an opportunity to relink the citizens with the tribal community and proximity to the informal and formal settlements. The sites are surrounded by either the biodiversity/ nature of the park or the city infrastructure to focus on the convergence point of the tribal locality and the city dwellers. The site topography was also considered to not disturb the natural topography. Thus, the above-mentioned characteristics sum up to the three sites eligible for the project.

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8.3 Analysis of Selected Plot

At Ketkipada, the occupations of the tribal people vary from working odd jobs like drivers and maids to selling agricultural produce like rice crops in the city. They also sell flowers, fruits, and vegetables that they cultivate. Some of the tribal groups practice their art forms of pottery and travel to the city to sell their products.

The site is located near to bus stand and closer to an Adivasi hamlet called Ketkipada. The main road network is very close to the site, making it more accessible to the maximum. Since the site is located on the border of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, a part of the forest is at an optimum distance for the tribal communities.

Some of the unfortunate families must resort to begging on streets and even go to the extent of stealing and selling other illicit stuff to make a living.

Since the 1980’s, half of the tribal settlements in this area were occupied by the original Adivasis, where as some houses have been built illegally by non-Adivasis, in recent times.

According to a survey done in 2015, 66% of the population in the settlement are satisfied with their income whereas 34% are not.

Due to the ongoing crisis of the national forest under the law, the Adivasis were displaced due to their houses being destroyed. Hence, some of thetribal groups resettled by re-building their houses. Since then, the Adivasis are asked to pay 7,000 rupees as a form of rent, which is contradictory to the fact that it is their own land and they are being charged to be a part of it. There are various NGOs and support groups, who believe the SGNP belongs to the indigenous, to provide assitance to the tribal communities facing the demolition at any given time. Fig. 8.7 Activities of the Adivasis

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The houses in the hamlet vary according from whether the family has been living through generations, who are the Adivasis, to the slum dwellers who have been living in vicinity illegally and don’t belong to the tribal community. These slum dwellers are not native to the city of Mumbai and have migrated from northern Indian states like Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. The houses in which the Adivasis live are mostly “kutcha” houses, which are constructed with materials like mud, dried leaves, and wood. Very few of the communities live in pucca houses made with proper materials like concrete, having wooden sloped roofs. However, these families are still deprived of basic amenities and sanitation. The slum dwellers in the area have built their settlements with whatever was available such as metal and tin pieces and cloth. On the attempts of the government, certain residential buildings off three floors were constructed for the relocation of the tribal community.

Fig. 8.8 The house typology of the Adivasis

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The buildings around the site are old-school and are far from modern or contemporary architecture. Most of the buildings range from mid-rises of 10 floors to high-rises of at least 20 floors. Other than the mixed-use and residential buildings, the low-rise buildings consist of the bus stations, the clinic and the religious spaces in the vicinity. The materials used for these buildings are the usual ones like rendered concrete and bricks. Some of the buildings on site are still under construction and have been left abandoned. On the attempts of the government, certain residential buildings off three floors were constructed for the relocation of the tribal community.

Fig. 8.9 Materiality of the contextual buildings Fig. 8.10 (Right) Other elements around the site Fig. 8.11 (Next Page - Left) - Views towards the site Fig. 8.12 (Next Page - Right) - Activities around the site

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The activities around the site, range from mostly the tribal community practicing their everyday routine of transporting goods from one place to another, either for their living or to sell in the city. In addition, the community also participates in frequent meetings and gatherings held by the village heads. The city dwellers also are seen around the site to use the buses to travel, as a bus station is located on the site.

The views mostly consist of the open ground for the buses to park. Other views include the residential, commercial, and mixed-use buildings. The site is mostly road for the buses with scattered barren lands and very minimal greenery around. Towards the east, a part of the green forest is seen with further small informal settlements. Apart from this, the site is occupied by a number of builders to construct new residential projects, indicating the rapid urbanization at the border of the SGNP.

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8.4 Summary and Synthesis The context around the site involves heavy traffic most of the times on the main roads. A green patch/garden exists on the other side of the road as seen from the views.

According to the analyzation, the selected site caters to all the physical attributes needed to design the project. Scoring in every judging criterion, the site also offers optimum accessibility for the to-and-fro movement of the people. Furthermore, visual and aesthetic connections are also offered on site due to the forest being in close proximity to the site, rich is biodiversity and greenery. This serves as an opportunity for the tribal community to be close to their homeland within the laws and regulations of the government.

Fig. 8.13 (Previous Page) Streets and main roads views

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Not only this, but this site also has the potential to set a welcoming tone for the visitors and tourists.

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9.1 Concept Approach and Strategy Thesis Summary The word “sustainable” has been a buzz word for long enough to brainwash the people for commercial interests. Architects now a days use sustainability in their design but do not maintain it. Same goes for the other industries like fashion, textile etc. On the other hand, regenerative culture offers an approach that moves beyond sustainability to improve and repair the conditions conducive to life. According to the thesis research, there are certain principles that can be incorporated in order to achieve regenerative design like considering less as more and designing spaces have a programmatic duality. In addition, each system in the design should corelate to each other and should be ecologically efficient. The regenerative system must be constructed with natural materials that are responsive to the nature around and in turn provides a positive net input to the design. This type of design calls for a responsible product that can strengthen relationships between a particular place and its people through inculcating ecological design, where nature is considered as a major factor. From the research, many indigenous communities around the world use technologies that ecologically acceptable in terms of regeneration. These can be later combined with modern technologies in terms of material, spaces, or structure to reach the regenerative potential. Regenerative architecture allows people two live in harmony with the surrounding nature by adaptation of regenerative systems in the realm of architecture as well as establish a reconnection with the ecosystem.

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Case Studies Summary Indigenous communities in India and UAE differ massively based upon their culture, heritage, and lifestyle. After drawing a parallel between the two, the underprivileged communities in India are in dire need of change and restoration. These communities go through various hardships and are ill-treated by the outsiders. The case studies were chosen on a broad basis of targeting an underprivileged community India, having four layers – regenerative architecture, self-construction, low-cost housing and sustainability/biophilic design. In addition, the aim was to explore possible ways to regenerate the cultural and social importance of communal relationship of a place or region.

This project focused on building a healthy rapport with the village community and the tourist/city dwellers by renovating the important parts of the village, that were once abandoned. The architects inculcated a pedestrian bridge, hostel accommodations for the visitors, a cultural and visitor center, and open public spaces for activities that the village community can indulge in.

The case studies investigated for the first layer of self-construction were The SHED Project, Box House, and PROTO SELF-BUILD. All these projects had their unique technologies in creating self-constructed designs, whether it was a full-fledged house or a small adaptable room on wheels. The designs were all sustainable and affordable as well as easy to construct through the help of a manual. The second layer for regenerative architecture consisted of the case study – Regeneration of the Favela de Rocinha. This project involved the innovative design strategies to make life easier to live for the community by vertically expanding their houses and introducing public spaces that can establish better connection to the city. The third layer of low-cost housing consisted of the Expandable House which catered to the influx of migrants and opportunities to the city of Batam, Indonesia. The design planning was done by envisioning a community made of adaptable and expandable buildings, which can encompass a variety of functions according to the dweller. Not only this, but the town also comprised of agricultural bamboo fields and an aquaponic system for agricultural farming to accommodate the financial livelihood of the people. The fourth layer of sustainability/biophilic architecture is an important layer, since it gives an opportunity to discover different design strategies to reconnect and involve nature in the project. The case study chosen was that of the Lixiang Village Public Space located in China.

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Site Analysis Summary The site chosen is located in the city of Mumbai, Maharashtra in India, targeting the community of Adivasis. These tribal communities have been dwelling for 50 years now, in and on the outskirts of the famous Sanjay Gandhi National Park. The Adivasis have been facing several socio-political issues regarding their status in the social system. These indigenous communities are regarded as Scheduled Tribes (lowest caste) and have been snatched from their freedom to live on their land and forced to relocate themselves at the borders. In addition, rapid urbanization of the city is further making it difficult for these communities to live in peace, as real estate projects are being initiated almost everyday in any empty plot available. Most of these are secluded in the border areas of the park, making the forest endangered for the future generations. The aim is to reestablish a connection between these tribals and the city dwellers as well as create awareness to protect the forest from urbanization. Thus, the site chosen was on one of the borders of the national park which is in the suburb of Dahisar East. The site satisfies all the criteria needed for the project and is not isolated from the main road network or the city. Therefore, the city dwellers can easily spot it from the main roads. It is close to the forest, hence providing an opportunity to connect the project to it. Furthermore, the site has formal settlements up in the north direction and informal settlements in the south. This offers a neutral space in between to design the project for both the communities.

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9.2 Preliminary Designs The concepts revolve around the idea of regenerating the region on the border of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, where there is a clear distinction between the city dwellers and tribal communities. The aim is to revive the rapport between the two by introducing cultural spaces, visitor centers, exhibitions, and museums to support the indigenous community’s heritage and history as well as creating awareness for the forest, which is at stake due to the industrialization of the city. In addition, the housing conditions of the tribal community is almost in ruins with no adequate amenities and financial livelihood. Thus, having a community-based project has the potential to offer them with opportunities. The concept is based on the strategy of firstly reflecting the forms of both the informal and formal settlements in the area and bringing them together. These forms are further materialized by combining and forming masses to accommodate specific programs. Regenerative design calls for a minimalistic approach (less is more). Henceforth, the spaces comprise of simple shapes and forms for easy circulation and access for both the parties. The main program of all the three concepts consists of cultural spaces, private housing, open public spaces for both the communities, convenience, and services for the tribals and green spaces to connect to green surroundings of the forest. Additionally, an alternative concept strategy to tackle this situation is by firstly analyzing the different maps of the national park which includes all the tourist spots, pathways, and roads. The second step would be overlapping all these maps including the ones with different informal settlements that are near the entrances of the park. Consequently, this can help in finding a site that can cater to the aspects of the informal settlements, formal settlements, and the entrance present there by a planning of spaces like visitor or community center and related functions.

Fig. 9.1 Mood board

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Concept 1 TRANSITION

The concept consists of 3 stages: 1. The forms of informal and formal settlements from the context of the site are taken into consideration to form a transition and are placed. 2. These forms are then arranged into combined forms to convert them to a mass, by taking the main access points into consideration. 3. These forms are extruded to heights, which reflect the hierarchy of heights on the site and re-arranged to form different functions and spaces.

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Concept 2 TRANSITION WITH CIRCULAR FORMS

The concept consists of 3 stages: 1. In this concept, different forms of informal and formal settlements are taken from the context to form a transition and are placed. 2. These forms are then arranged into combined forms to convert them to a mass, by taking the main access points into consideration. Here, circular forms are added as open space functions. 3. These forms are extruded to heights, which reflect the hierarchy of heights on the site and re-arranged to form different functions and spaces.

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Concept 3 TRANSITION WITH PARK BORDER

The concept consists of 3 stages: 1. In this concept, while imitating the forms of the informal and settlements around the site, these surfaces are placed according to the border of the park. 2. These forms are then arranged into combined forms to convert them to a mass, by taking the main access points into consideration, following the border of the park. 3. These forms are extruded to heights, which reflect the hierarchy of heights on the site and re-arranged to form different functions and spaces.

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10.1 Works Cited

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“Buildings.” Regeneration.org, regeneration.org/nexus/buildings. “Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.” RMJM, 16 Oct. 2019, rmjm.com/portfolio/khoo-teck-puat-hospital-singapore/. Caballero, Pilar. “Aaranya Farmstay Resort / d6thD Design Studio.” ArchDaily, ArchDaily, 5 May 2020, www.archdaily.com/938713/aaranyafarmstay-resort-d6thd-design-studio?ad_medium=gallery.

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Caballero, Pilar. “Expandable House / Urban Rural Systems.” ArchDaily, ArchDaily, 3 Apr. 2018, www.archdaily.com/891811/expandable-houseurban-rural-systems?ad_medium=gallery.

Landy, Frédéric. “‘Eco-Ethnic Identity’: Being an Indigenous Agriculturist in Nairobi and Mumbai National Parks.” Environmental Development, Elsevier, 4 Feb. 2014, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2211464514000177.

Chen, Collin. “Lixiang Village Public Space / AESEU Architectural Technology and Art Studio.” ArchDaily, ArchDaily, 21 June 2021, www.archdaily.com/963533/lixiang-village-public-space-aeseu-architectural-technology-and-art-studio?ad_medium=gallery.

Leiva, Sabrina. “Rural House in Puebla / Comunal Taller De Arquitectura.” ArchDaily, ArchDaily, 10 Apr. 2017, www.archdaily.com/868726/ vivienda-en-puebla-comunal-taller-de-arquitectura?ad_medium=gallery.

Clingham-David, Jaia. “How the Fast Fashion Industry Destroys the Environment.” One Green Planet, One Green Planet, 24 May 2021, www. onegreenplanet.org/environment/how-the-fast-fashion-industry-destroys-the-environment/.

Lizzie Crook | 10 May 2019 Leave a comment. “Studio Bark’s Modular U-Build System Lets Anyone Self-Build Sustainably.” Dezeen, 28 July 2020, www.dezeen.com/2019/05/10/ubuild-studio-bark-modular-architecture/.

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Mammen, Sneha Sharon. “Kutcha House: Meaning, Types, and How It Is Different from Pucca Houses.” Housing News, 20 Oct. 2021, housing. com/news/kutcha-house/. Marcus Fairs | 5 May 2009 89 comments. “Incremental Housing Strategy by Filipe Balestra and Sara Göransson.” Dezeen, 19 Oct. 2016, www. dezeen.com/2009/05/05/incremental-housing-strategy-by-filipe-balestra-and-sara-goransson/. Matylda Krzykowski | 12 November 2008 35 comments. “Quinta Monroy by Alejandro Aravena.” Dezeen, 20 July 2021, www.dezeen. com/2008/11/12/quinta-monroy-by-alejandro-aravena/. Mazloum, Nadine, and U4YNNap67K04jDjv. “Meet the Arabian Tribe Made Infamous by a Viral YouTube Video.” StepFeed, 12 Jan. 2017, stepfeed.com/meet-the-arabian-tribe-made-infamous-by-a-viral-youtube-video-6393. Millar, David. “Are the Reclusive Shihuh People of Musandam the Original Arabians?” Ancient Origins, Ancient Origins, 31 Oct. 2015, www. ancient-origins.net/history-ancient-traditions/are-reclusive-shihuh-people-musandam-original-arabians-004399. Moreira, Susanna. “How Community Participation Can Assist in Architectural and Urban Post-Disaster Reconstruction.” ArchDaily, ArchDaily, 25 May 2020, www.archdaily.com/939759/how-community-participation-can-assist-in-architectural-and-urban-post-disaster-reconstruction.

UAB_info. “Wildlife Conservation Undermines the Rights of Indigenous People in India.” EurekAlert!, www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/557401. Ugochukwu, Nnaemeka, and Nnaemeka Ugochukwu. “Regenerative Sustainability: The New Frontier in the Sustainability Movement.” Eco Warrior Princess, 25 May 2020, ecowarriorprincess.net/2020/05/regenerative-sustainability-new-frontier-sustainability-movement/. Urban Protected Areas: Forces of Justice or Injustice for Indigenous Populations? The Cases of Xochimilco and the National Parks of Mumbai and Cape Town. Mar. 2017, www.researchgate.net/profile/Karl-Heinz-Gaudry/publication/315489193_Urban_Protected_Areas_ Forces_of_justice_or_injustice_for_Indigenous_populations_The_cases_of_Xochimilco_and_the_national_parks_of_Mumbai_and_Cape_Town/ links/58d24281458515b8d285f6f2/Urban-Protected-Areas-Forces-of-justice-or-injustice-for-Indigenous-populations-The-cases-ofXochimilco-and-the-national-parks-of-Mumbai-and-Cape-Town.pdf. Vinnitskaya, Irina. “Regeneration of the Favela De Rocinha Slum / Jan Kudlicka.” ArchDaily, ArchDaily, 1 July 2011, www.archdaily.com/146314/ regeneration-of-the-favela-de-rocinha-slum-jan-kudlicka?ad_medium=gallery. Wahl, Daniel Christian. “Regenerative Cultures Are Cultures of Empathy.” Medium, Medium, 3 Dec. 2019, designforsustainability.medium.com/ regenerative-cultures-are-cultures-of-empathy-ad08a4783369. Wahl, Daniel Christian. “Regenerative Cultures, Regenerative Economics & Bioregional Regeneration.” Medium, Activate The Future, 3 May 2020, medium.com/activate-the-future/regenerative-cultures-regenerative-economics-bioregional-regeneration-607d26c28d54.

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10.2 List of Figures/Illustrations

Chapter 1 - Cover Page https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20150218-indias-amazing-living-root-bridges

Chapter 4 - Cover Page Watson, Julia. Taschen, 2020.

Fig. 1.1 By author

Fig. 4.1, Fig. 4.2 Watson, Julia. Taschen, 2020.

Fig. 1.2 https://sdgs.un.org/goals

Fig. 4.3 By author

Fig. 1.3 https://digitalbankeronline.com/events-2/

Fig. 4.4 Watson, Julia. Taschen, 2020.

Fig. 1.4, Fig. 1.5 https://www.ecowatch.com/fast-fashion-riverblue-2318389169.html

Fig. 4.5, Fig. 4.6 By author

Fig. 1.6, 1.7 By author

Fig. 4.7 Watson, Julia. Taschen, 2020.

Fig. 1.8 https://www.edblecomplex.com/adventures/sweatshops-unfair-labor

Fig. 4.8 Watson, Julia. Taschen, 2020.

Chapter 2 - Cover Page Watson, Julia. Taschen, 2020.

Fig. 4.9 By author

Fig. 2.1 By author

Fig. 4.10 Watson, Julia. Taschen, 2020.

Fig. 2.2 https://www.storey.com/article/beyond-sustainability-permaculture/

Fig. 4.11 Watson, Julia. Taschen, 2020.

Fig. 2.3 https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/blogs/market-matters-blog/blog-post/2021/09/27/2021-spring-wheat-crop-good-quality

Fig. 4.12 By author

Fig. 2.4 By author

Fig. 4.13 Watson, Julia. Taschen, 2020.

Fig. 2.5 https://www.archdaily.com/590066/minghu-wetland-park-turenscape#:~:text=The%20submitted%20Liupanshui%20Minghu%20Wetland,city%20by%20the%20landscape%20architect.

Fig. 4.14 By author

Fig. 2.6 https://www.nbwla.com/projects/park/centennial-park Chapter 3 - Cover Page Watson, Julia. Taschen, 2020. Fig. 3.1, Fig. 3.2, Fig. 3.3, Fig. 3.4 By author

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Fig. 4.15 https://www.artzolo.com/traditional-art/warli-art-20-0?id=112575 Fig. 4.16 Watson, Julia. Taschen, 2020. Fig. 4.17, Fig. 4.18, Fig. 4.19, Fig. 4.20 By author

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Fig. 4.21 Watson, Julia. Taschen, 2020.

Chapter 6 - Cover Page https://living-future.org/lbc/case-studies/omega-center-for-sustainable-living/

Fig. 4.22 https://www.dakshin.org/rethinking-community-wellbeing-in-coastal-odisha/

Case Study 1 – Cover Page 104 https://studiobark.co.uk/projects/the-shed-project/

Fig. 4.23 http://infrapolitics.c4sr.columbia.edu/studentProjects/Ko/index.html

Fig. 6.1 https://studiobark.co.uk/projects/the-shed-project/

Fig. 4.24 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/building-mumbai/tribals-navigate-forest-homes-and-city-jobs-in-mumbais-aarey-colony/

Fig. 6.2 By author

Fig. 4.25 https://drivethruhistory.com/the-bedouin-people/

Fig. 6.3 https://studiobark.co.uk/projects/the-shed-project/

Fig. 4.26 By author

Case Study 2 – Cover Page 110 https://studiobark.co.uk/projects/box-house/

Fig. 4.27 https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-ancient-traditions/are-reclusive-shihuh-people-musandam-original-arabians-004399

Fig. 6.4 https://studiobark.co.uk/projects/box-house/

Fig. 4.28 By author

Fig. 6.5, Fig. 6.6, By author

Fig. 4.29, Fig, 4.30 https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/environment/villages-hope-life-will-remain-unchanged-1.13543

Case Study 3 – Cover Page 116 https://www.matthijslaroi.com/portfolio/proto-self-build/

Chapter 5 - Cover Page https://www.designboom.com/architecture/32-solar-trees-shanghai-marketplace-koichi-takada-architects-05-05-2021/

Fig. 6.6, Fig. 6.7, Fig. 6.8, Fig. 6.9, Fig. 6.10 https://www.matthijslaroi.com/portfolio/proto-self-build/

Fig. 5.1 https://www.sbsun.com/2017/10/19/san-bernardino-valley-college-to-unveil-engraved-walkway-friday/

Fig. 6.11 By author and https://www.matthijslaroi.com/portfolio/proto-self-build/

Fig. 5.2 https://hmcarchitects.com/portfolio/higher-education/pierce-college-library-learning-crossroads/

Case Study 1 – Cover Page 126 https://www.archdaily.com/942222/liyang-yangwan-visitor-center-origin-architect

Fig. 5.3 https://www.archdaily.com/967991/santiago-calatrava-reveals-design-of-the-uae-pavilion-for-the-expo-2020-dubai

Fig. 6.12, Fig. 6.13, Fig. 6.14 https://www.archdaily.com/942222/liyang-yangwan-visitor-center-origin-architect?ad_medium=gallery

Fig. 5.4 https://www.ktph.com.sg/ Fig. 5.5 https://www.archdaily.com/10775/quinta-monroy-elemental Fig. 5.6 https://www.archdaily.com/447381/villa-verde-housing-elemental Fig. 5.7 https://arquitecturaexpandida.org/el-tr3bol-de-ciudad-de-cali/

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Case Study 2 – Cover Page 132 https://www.archdaily.com/906235/shangwei-village-plugin-house-peoples-architecture-office Fig. 6.15 https://www.archdaily.com/906235/shangwei-village-plugin-house-peoples-architecture-office Fig. 6.16 By author and https://www.archdaily.com/906235/shangwei-village-plugin-house-peoples-architecture-office Fig. 6.17 https://www.archdaily.com/906235/shangwei-village-plugin-house-peoples-architecture-office

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Fig. 6.18 By author and https://www.archdaily.com/906235/shangwei-village-plugin-house-peoples-architecture-office

Fig. 6.37 By author and https://www.archdaily.com/868726/vivienda-en-puebla-comunal-taller-de-arquitectura

Fig. 6.19 https://www.archdaily.com/906235/shangwei-village-plugin-house-peoples-architecture-office

Fig. 6.38 https://www.archdaily.com/868726/vivienda-en-puebla-comunal-taller-de-arquitectura

Case Study 3 – Cover Page 140 https://www.archdaily.com/146314/regeneration-of-the-favela-de-rocinha-slum-jan-kudlicka?ad_medium=gallery

Case Study 3 – Cover Page 178 https://www.archdaily.com/891811/expandable-house-urban-rural-systems

Fig. 6.20 https://www.archdaily.com/146314/regeneration-of-the-favela-de-rocinha-slum-jan-kudlicka?ad_medium=gallery

Fig. 6.39, Fig. 6.40, Fig. 6.41 https://www.archdaily.com/891811/expandable-house-urban-rural-systems

Fig. 6.21 By author and https://www.archdaily.com/146314/regeneration-of-the-favela-de-rocinha-slum-jan-kudlicka?ad_medium=gallery

Fig. 6.42 By author and https://www.archdaily.com/891811/expandable-house-urban-rural-systems

Fig. 6.22 By author

Fig. 6.43, Fig. 6.44, Fig. 6.45 https://www.archdaily.com/891811/expandable-house-urban-rural-systems

Fig. 6.23 https://www.archdaily.com/146314/regeneration-of-the-favela-de-rocinha-slum-jan-kudlicka?ad_medium=gallery

Fig. 6.46, Fig. 6.47, Fig. 6.48 By author and https://www.archdaily.com/891811/expandable-house-urban-rural-systems

Fig. 6.24 By author and https://www.archdaily.com/146314/regeneration-of-the-favela-de-rocinha-slum-jan-kudlicka?ad_medium=gallery

Fig. 6.49 https://www.archdaily.com/891811/expandable-house-urban-rural-systems

Fig. 6.25 https://www.archdaily.com/146314/regeneration-of-the-favela-de-rocinha-slum-jan-kudlicka?ad_medium=gallery

Fig. 6.50, Fig. 6.51, Fig. 6.52 By author and https://www.archdaily.com/891811/expandable-house-urban-rural-systems

Fig. 6.26 By author and https://www.archdaily.com/146314/regeneration-of-the-favela-de-rocinha-slum-jan-kudlicka?ad_medium=gallery

Case Study 1 – Cover Page 210 https://www.archdaily.com/938713/aaranya-farmstay-resort-d6thd-design-studio

Fig. 6.27 https://www.archdaily.com/146314/regeneration-of-the-favela-de-rocinha-slum-jan-kudlicka?ad_medium=gallery

Fig. 6.53 https://www.archdaily.com/938713/aaranya-farmstay-resort-d6thd-design-studio

Fig. 6.28, Fig. 6.29, Fig. 6.30, Fig. 6.31 By author and https://www.archdaily.com/146314/regeneration-of-the-favela-de-rocinha-slum-jan-kudlicka?ad_medium=gallery

Fig. 6.54 By author and https://www.archdaily.com/938713/aaranya-farmstay-resort-d6thd-design-studio

Case Study 1 – Cover Page 166 https://www.archdaily.com/923626/hilo-house-zeller-and-moye

Fig. 6.55 https://www.archdaily.com/938713/aaranya-farmstay-resort-d6thd-design-studio

Fig. 6.32 https://www.archdaily.com/923626/hilo-house-zeller-and-moye

Case Study 2 – Cover Page 216 https://worldarchitecture.org/architecture-projects/hvzvz/participatory-housing-approach-for-conservationinduced-displacement-case-of-siddi-community-of-uttar-project-pages.html

Fig. 6.33 By author and https://www.archdaily.com/923626/hilo-house-zeller-and-moye Fig. 6.34, Fig. 6.35 https://www.archdaily.com/923626/hilo-house-zeller-and-moye Case Study 2 – Cover Page 166 https://www.archdaily.com/868726/vivienda-en-puebla-comunal-taller-de-arquitectura

Fig. 6.56, Fig. 6.57, Fig. 6.58, Fig. 6.59 https://worldarchitecture.org/architecture-projects/hvzvz/participatory-housing-approach-for-conservationinduced-displacement-case-of-siddi-community-of-uttar-project-pages.html Case Study 3 – Cover Page 224 https://www.archdaily.com/963533/lixiang-village-public-space-aeseu-architectural-technology-and-art-studio Fig. 6.60, Fig. 6.61 https://www.archdaily.com/963533/lixiang-village-public-space-aeseu-architectural-technology-and-art-studio

Fig. 6.36 https://www.archdaily.com/868726/vivienda-en-puebla-comunal-taller-de-arquitectura 346 | Thinking Beyond Sustainability

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Fig. 6.62 By author and https://www.archdaily.com/963533/lixiang-village-public-space-aeseu-architectural-technology-and-art-studio Fig. 6.63, Fig. 6.64, Fig. 6.65, Fig. 6.66, Fig. 6.67, Fig. 6.68, Fig. 6.68, Fig. 6.69 https://www.archdaily.com/963533/lixiang-village-public-space-aeseu-architectural-technology-and-art-studio Fig. 6.70, Fig. 6.71, Fig. 6.72, Fig. 6.73 By author and https://www.archdaily.com/963533/lixiang-village-public-space-aeseu-architectural-technology-and-art-studio Chapter 7 - Cover Page Watson, Julia. Taschen, 2020. Fig. 7.1, Fig. 7.2, Fig. 7.3, Fig. 7.4 By author Chapter 8 - Cover Page Watson, Julia. Taschen, 2020. Fig. 8.1 By author Fig. 8.2, Fig. 8.3 https://ruralindiaonline.org/en/articles/as-if-we-had-neither-a-village-nor-a-country/ Fig. 8.4 By author Fig. 8.5, Fig. 8.6 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09613218.2012.617516?src=recsys https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Idris-Bhatti/publication/316989443_Sanjay_Gandhi_National_Park_SGNP_A_Concise_Report/links/591c17114585153b6150e63e/Sanjay-Gandhi-National-Park-SGNP-A-Concise-Report.pdf Fig. 8.7, Fig. 8.8 https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/183444/19/15_chapter%207.pdf https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/183444/18/14_chapter%206.pdf https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/183444/17/13_chapter%205.pdf Fig. 8.9, Fig. 8.10, Fig. 8.11, Fig. 8.12, Fig. 8.13 https://earth.google.com/web/@19.25951986,72.87477798,12.50597477a,954.23409612d,35y,0.00000001h,3.05115052t,0r Chapter 9 - Cover Page Watson, Julia. Taschen, 2020. Fig. 9.1 By author

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