Abstract:
Afragile sense of anxiety has become an inherent part of mankind. It's
been instilled In us so much that we have stopped questioning why we
have to feel this way all the time. The answer may lie in the existence of
Binaries. They are found in nature and sometimes are created by
humans on the notion of us v/s them or human v/s human.
This binary has caused years of division and violence due to power dynamics and intolerance in the form of borders. The reality is that
conflict Is an everyday global phenomenon and borderlands
tend to be the most hostile environments to exist. Since
architecture could aid in creating this binary, why is the architectural
community not focused on its counter affects and consequences? Have
we forgotten that the birth ot architecture was intended to help man
find
a better tomorrow rather than living in
a continuous state of passive aggression? Or was It ever the goal?
Therefore, this thesis explores one such binary formed under colonial
impact, the Radcllffe Line and Its byproduct the 'no man's
land.' The exploration begins by unfolding fhe role of architecture in
conflict and peacealongside its fundamental myths which would be led
by realizing archifecfure as an agent of reconciliation in the face of
a
hostile environment.
It will attempt to question this binary existing between East and west
Punjab by counter acting against the hauntings of the border with the
dissolution of identity in the no man's land. Architecture would act as a
mediator through
a space that transforms the spatial nature ofthis void
into
a porous one in the form of an Interpretafion Centre. It would be
a
place of reunion, rediscovering one's roofs, and celebrating the
interdependencies ot a common identify. This approach would allow porosity in a rather confined barrier between people
who once cohabited peacefully.
