Liberty in Property

Liberty in Property

Pooja Jaiswal
Architect


From saint huts to planned cities, we have exploited all places to make them habitable.
Indian Independence has not only brought a drastic revolution to Industries and their outcome, which eventually profited their subordinate allied branches. It brought a humungous change in Building Industry and Trend that is currently prevailing in our society. Not only Independence but the effect of Industrial Revolution has made it possible to construct their desired building and their desired form. Independence and growth of thoughts in our System have helped to generate more designs and freedom of expression has made it possible in practicality. Gone are the days when ground was the place to live. Rocks, Mountains, Underground, Water all these mediums have been concurred to make building industry flourish and make habitable spaces. Trends have evolved in progression with continuous experimentation in these different forms of habitable spaces.
Ajanta Ellora Caves had habitable spaces which were not created but carved out spaces from Rocks. Tracing their presence in the South of India even Rock Cut Temples have been evidences of human experimentation of spaces and livable areas. Long back when they were devoid of huge construction machines to lift rocks and create spaces with them, they exploited their freedom of expression to create spaces like Ellora caves have. Land as medium to build has always been exploited to the maximum. All set rules, people could apply to building profession is for the construction that happens on land. Building Byelaws, regulations and site restrictions are all a medium to control the construction going haywire. Freedom of expression on land had covered almost all areas of exposing itself and enveloping all building materials possible. Rather it would be better to conclude that almost all materials are expected to be used in building industry.
Considering mountains as a platform to build, Construction industries have not only covered the valleys of the terrain like Darjeeling has but also the contoured slope for construction of Resorts, Weekend Homes, Outhouses, Institutions, Private Residences and even planned cities like Lavasa. Liberty in terms of where the habitable spaces would be and where a person can own a land of its own is an unpredictable scenario in today’s context. Hill tops are no longer only tourist destinations they are places where one can live permanently and that too in the most contemporary building possible.
Space congestion is the story of every city, but design and trends are not always governed by these factors. Many a times it is designers call to create a language that he/she wants to create through building and the meaning that is supposed to be conveyed through the buildings. Doshi Gufa in Ahmedabad is an example where spaces below ground level is been exploited and various spaces have been created. So it is not always a modular typology that is expected from the building industry. Construction and Design Industry has come a long way in the due course of time and has marked its evolution in the form a timeline that is worth tracing. Air, Water, Soil, Fire, sky – the five elements of life has been taken very seriously by the professionals. The necessities that have to be fulfilled have been taken care by the professionals to make all spaces comfortable.
Considering water as a medium; Floating Cities, Resorts, Beach Houses and many private properties have made a benchmark in this material also. There is no limitation of executable idea, because everything is possible in the building industry with the onset of industrial revolution and the idea of freedom of expression. Gone are the days when the addresses are only situated on land. Soon the visiting cards will have the street which will be located at Moon. Liberation in terms of exploitable property has reduced and almost all the accessible places are made habitable.


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