Pedagogical Approaches For Responding To The Context (Vernacular Design Studio For Bachelor Of Architecture)

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Prajakta Wadwalkar, Parag M. Rawool

Abstract

The context and Architecture go hand in hand when we look at the traditional/vernacular built form. Architectural language for a particular region is the result of conscious efforts taken by the users to answer their exact needs. As the development takes place, the gap between contextual language and the newly built form increases. This is also the reflection of a shallow understanding of the relationship between context and the built form. Academically making architectural students sensitize towards this issue can be one way in which this gap can be addressed. The study aims to address this particular gap through an academic discussion along with aspiring architects who have to struggle hard to understand the idea of responding to the context. The study showcases three different approaches adopted in a second-year bachelor of architecture design studio in three consecutive years. As every year, the site for the studio was selected in a different context, challenges faced by faculties as well as students were different each time. Studios integrated the design briefs for users in rural contexts of different nature. Each time, the studio was inventive to address the context, exploring local building materials through hands-on workshops, etc. The paper intends to look at all three approaches and lay certain observations that can be adopted in other design studios to strengthen the relationship between context and built form.

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