Considered possibly the longest continuously inhabited settlement in the world, Mehrauli holds within itself various secrets and possible learnings.A settlement that precedes the existing ideas and images of the City of Delhi, it could well be a point of reflection and re-engagement with the principles of survival and sustainability that guided the choices of settlement making in earlier times.
Locating Mehrauli Ecologically – a two day workshop on 5-6 November, will look at Mehrauli and understand its presence at its geographical location.The workshops seeks to explore, by first hand experience on the ground, possibilities of discovery of these ideas and patterns, both within the settlement and also within its wider context of the city and region to perhaps rediscover ideas that may be critical to the future of settlements, old and new alike.
The workshop is structured in four sessions across the two days:
- Session 1: Looking Within - Looking at Mehrauli, and the existing Environmental condition.
- Session 2: Looking for an Edge - Discover edges of Mehrauli and their linkage with wider context, environmental and geographical positioning.
- Session 3: Looking at Water (and forests and fields)- Looks at water, water systems and sources in the settlement.
- Session 4: Discussions and Exchange - collective brainstorming towards understanding Mehrauli better
MENTORS: The workshop would be collectively mentored by:
- Rohit Negi, Assistant Professor at Ambedkar University,School of Human Ecology
- Gauri S Gandhi, Landscape Architect, Plan Loci
- Henri Fanthome, Architect, HFOA
Rohit holds a Master's degree in Urban Planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign and PhD in Geography from the Ohio State University and engages in subjects of social theory, critical perspectives on development, and political ecology.
Gauri is a Landscape Architect and is principal of a New Delhi based Design Consultancy called Plan Loci and works on landscape, architectural and interior works.Plan Loci, which stands to find the balance between the tangible and the intangible, believes that each requirement in its context presents a unique solution, the designer acting as a conduit to channelize experiences.
Henri is the Principal at Henri Fanthome Office for Architecture, an architectural practice based in New Delhi with projects in New Delhi, Haryana and Uttarkhand in India, and also in Bhutan. HFOA works on aspects of appropriate technologies, ecologically responsible design, mountain architecture and writing on architecture and design practice. Henri is also a visiting faculty in School of Planning and Architecture and School of Design at Ambedkar University
ORGANISERS: Greha1, Sehreeti2 and Investigating Design3- part of the Mehrauli Collective4 are exploring the resilience and regeneration of historic areas. They are together organising series of urban workshops in Mehrauli for multidisciplinary graduate and postgraduate students as well as young professionals.
REGISTER: info[at]mehraulicollective.com