A Temporal Reverie of Punjobiyot through the Poetic Narratives ot No man's land

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.