Artist village

Abstract

RESEARCH QUESTION: How to create an artist village, providing a platform for vocational training and retail, a mixed-use organic development, cherishing the Art and Craft heritage of India?

This research document aims to strategize a comprehensive design, establishing a link between urban and rural sectors through preservation and revitalisation of craft sector of India. The intent is to unite the various pieces of crafts, scattered in the country, to build a community cherishing the Indian heritage: a place to practise, teach, demonstrate culture. With the aim of fostering this heritage community, the concept of crafts village has been selected as the cornerstone of this research project. Thus, the research question: “How to create an artist village, providing a platform for vocational training and retail, a mixed-use organic development, cherishing the Art and Craft heritage of India?”

Despite Industrialization, a large population of India still depend on native methods of manufacturing using traditional techniques to earn a living based on handmade products. These craftspeople are the backbone of the non-farm rural economy of India.1 There is crucial necessity for philanthropy to understand the monetary potential of the crafts sector by financing in high impact scalable models that can strengthen livelihoods in sustainable manner. Harnessing the potential of craft sector, the concept of artist village promotes forgotten values of art in the modern world. Artisan village reinforces the upliftment of rural craftsmen by providing them a place to reside, practice and earn with their skills. 1 "Dasra." Dasra | Catalyst for Social Change. Accessed November 2016. https://www.dasra.org/.

As the research centres around the current scenario, the findings indicate the highest concentration of rural artisans in the state of Gujarat. Belonging from a city of great heritage (Surat, India) and having a deep appreciation of art and crafts, the observation suggests the need to revitalise the city Surat with the value of heritage. Thus, informing the choice design site in Surat, India, a second largest city in the state of Gujarat. The city has always provided a platform for Artistic events and traditional festivals. Taking the initiative to a step further, the research document aims to develop an artist village with mixed activity of education, retail and recreation incorporating Indian architectural elements in design.

Design methodology incorporates the deeper comprehension of type of activities and environment required with each art and craft, to develop typical housing model which holds the incremental possibilities and Indian architectural characteristics. The circulation and spatial organization study is the essential element in developing the master layout. Few planned and organically developed artist villages of India, provide the inferences to develop the best possible strategy to design an artist village.