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What is a Market?
Ontologies & Genealogies

The studio takes up one contemporary institutional programme that has emerged historically over the years and asks students to trace its genealogy. Architecturally it traces different spatial configurations that have developed across history under the same programme through case studies, with the help of which students are asked to speculate on the societal structures for each spatial configuration, establishing the relationship between societal structure, programme of the institution and spatial configuration. Through this analysis students learn to ask the question ‘What is?’  What is the genesis of the programme? What is the deep structure of space? Was this configuration produced by the society? Did it produce the particular society?

The studio focuses on the question, ‘What is a market?’. and undertakes genealogical studies of key shifts on the structures of markets and their resultant typologies. Through an analysis of these shifts, the studio approaches a given swatch of city in Borivali West Mumbai at the intersection of various market conditions; the Borivali Municipal market, the hybrid conditions of malls and shopping centres and natural markets that have emerged as informal transactions. 

Case Study-
1. JITO , Ahmednagar -2019
The international association of businesspeople, industrialists, professionals, and knowledge workers is known as JITO (Jain International Trade Organization). It displays the brilliance of commercial institutions.It is a global organization whose objective is to promote cooperation around the world, community welfare, value-based education, and compassion through practice.Ahmednagar is a small town that has not developed as much as surrounding Maharashtra.The Pavilion sought to address the issue of lost identity by communicating via heritage. ere, a porous structure and a semi-permeable area were created using a locally available waste paper tube that was used to roll flex paper and was supposed to be thrown away after usage.Utilizing waste paper rolls helps conserve other resources.The entire exhibition is made up of 12 pavilions, of which 7 are display pavilions for fraternities (automobile, real estate, construction industry, IT electrical & digital, agriculture, education & ngo, service industry), in addition to large-scale individual stalls, dining & kitchen, nursery was displayed. In 2019 the expo was visited by almost 75000 visitors in 5 days. Jito exhibition is a reversible operation where it is constructed in short period and it has ability to  disassemble as quickly it uses low-tech construction techniques and materials used are recycled which promotes regional economies and local industries .It has heterogeneous structures organised around Combinatory system  that relies on minimal building strategies which is reputation and re-combination of basic module . It is a flexible model of special construction that is temporal and cyclic.

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2.Kumbh Mela, Allahabad

Kumbh mela is one of the largest Hindu festivals, which occurs every three years. Both the Purna Kumbha Mela and the Maha Kumbh Mela are only hosted in Allahabad every 12 years and every 144 years, respectively. There are millions of people attending this largest gathering from all over the globe. Each revolution Brihaspati (Jupiter) completes is celebrated in a cycle of about 12 years at four riverside pilgrimage sites: Prayagraj (where the Ganges, Yamuna, and Sarasvati rivers converge), Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain. Around 644 BC, Harshavardhana founded the Kumbh Mela organization in Allahabad. 

The temporary city is erected for 55 days and is the largest public gathering.  It mimics how a city might operate in real life.Allahabad as a city becomes more flexible in order to respond and organise.It deploys its own architectural elements, such as bridges and roads . The city of Kumbh Mela challenges the idea of sustainability by engaging us to think about urban design as a reversible operation.In this case, the almost complete absence of massive walls replaced by thin sheets or membranes of different kinds nuances much more subtle divisions between spaces. The porous borders of kumbh mela manifest the physical and planning structure of the city, while forming interesting patterns of space occupation and internal organisation, motivated by deep sense  of communality.In the Kumbha mela public, private and sacred spaces are at the same time blended and distinguished; for instance, how food was arranged throughout the festival helped form patterns of occupation.The city of Kumbha mela challenges the idea of design as a linear down planning effort over an integrated and contextual effort.

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Site - Dattani Trade Center
The Dattani Trade Centre (B1+G+4) is commercial building situated along the Chandavarkar Road, which connects the Borivali Station on SV Road to the Link Road. The dattani trade centre, has a Haveli, a banquet hall and an accommodation space which belongs to the haveli’s trust, in the same premises. The commercial building is around 30-40 years old and contains around 100 shops and offices. The entire building has various shops like xerox shops, courier companies, CA offices, coaching classes, investment companies. A cloud kitchen, an ATM, Shiv Sena office and shops catering to devotees visiting the haveli on the ground floor.
 

Site problems-
The façade of the building and the market leading to Haveli receives maximum interaction where as shops inside receives less attention.

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Congestion informing  of store of street which leads to Haveli causing problem to the pilgrims
The existing architectural elements used as pocket spaces by vendors 

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Focused group discussion-
 

-From the focused group discussions the conclusion got was The building forms rigid boundaries loosing connection of inside and outside.
-Inadequate space for smooth functioning.
-All structures are unfit for holding public activities. 
-It also shows how different commodities does the site holds which leads to involvement of diverse user group.

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The argument proposed is
"How can architectural design adapt to accommodate diverse programmatic needs, fostering a porous and accessible environment that responds to varying user groups and integrates seamlessly with the urban context?"

Speculations: Program & People-
Considering the existing site, there is an influx of various commodities that depend on each other. The envisioned program includes a mix of shops, offices, coaching institutes, and a Haveli, creating a density that attracts people from various age groups.

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Form Development-
 The initial phase of form development involved categorizing programs based on their visual accessibility requirements. This included programs like cloud kitchens and courier services, which needed visibility, and those like coaching classes, which required isolation. The existing shops were rearranged . Various arrangements were explored to create tailored environments, ultimately culminating in the selection of the most suitable composition that aligns with objectives.

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Program Diagram-
-Idea is to generate a multi influx Space , where the terraces, bridges, and the modules allow a constant relationship between spaces and allow its users to adapt the space to their liking
-Condition of having several levels allows us to separate the most public uses on the first floor and the commercial sectors happens on 1st and 2nd . 
-Major bends along the path to create a sense of curiosity among the user.

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Intervention 

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 Plan-
The ground floor is designed to accommodate easily accessible walk-in stores, a cloud kitchen, and a restaurant. Printing shops are strategically placed adjacent to the BMC building to cater to their specific user group. The site has an open layout extending from the station to attract people. Additionally, different levels with plinths provide sitting spaces, and the spaces between columns are designed with plinths that can be utilized by vendors. The office block and coaching institutes happens on another 2 level as it demands for isolation .the corridor opens up at places to become co working spaces and pause spaces .

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Sections-
 The section illustrates the of vendors occupying plinths, with outdoor seating areas for the restaurant and shops leading to the Haveli dedicated to this purpose. These plinths also contribute to the creation of a spacious amphitheater-like area.

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Views-
The space serves as an office passage during the day and the place can be used for recreational activities by the people .it shows hoe plinths are habitated.
The cantilever provides an appropriate shelter for vendors as semi open space to hold vending zones 
The wall adjacent to Haveli is made inhabitable .

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