Hannah Broatch, Highly Commended
Hannah Broatch
Photo by Simon Wilson
Hannah Broatch, from Unitec Department of Architecture, was highly commended for her project ‘Housing for Construction Workers in Ahmedabad, India’.
Project description
Many of the workers building large-scale residential developments for India’s growing middle-class live on-site in temporary and rudimentary settlements. Based on research into such labour colonies in the city of Ahmedabad this project aims to ameliorate the living conditions of labourers and their families by improving the quality of housing and providing basic infrastructure and social spaces. The intention is to make incremental improvements using materials that are cheaply and readily available, and that may be installed or assembled by the workers themselves.
Citation
This proposal to provide improved living conditions for migrant construction workers is intelligently defined and thoughtfully executed. The work is thorough and sympathetic, and benefits from its author’s fieldwork at the site. The proposed settlement is grounded in a strong understanding of local social and economic realities and available building technologies. The elegant and beautifully illustrated project reveals a palpable awareness of community sensibility, and a realistic appreciation of what might be possible.
