Margins of Territory
This project reimagines the 1947 Partition of Punjab through architecture, asking how we might respond today if a similar rupture unfolded. Rooted in personal memory and inherited loss, it draws from my family’s journey from Lahore to Amritsar and the broader trauma experienced by millions. As a second generation Sikh in the UK, Partition is not just a historical event, but a living force that continues to shape identity, belonging, and cultural continuity.
The work proposes a phased self build settlement system for displaced communities. It begins with the immediate provision of water, sanitation, and basic shelter, using a government issued kit of parts. The masterplan is flexible, expanding or contracting based on need. Over time, people construct homes, kitchens, courtyards, and shared spaces using vernacular materials and local skills.
Drawing from Punjabi architecture and the textile tradition of Phulkari, the design uses bamboo, rammed earth, and thatch to create a low impact, climate responsive palette. Homes are clustered around centralised courtyards to foster collective care, social resilience, and environmental comfort.
Across Studio 1, 2, and 3, I developed an approach that strips architecture back to its essentials. Open courtyards, rough walls, and bare interiors hold dignity at their core. The project does not sanitise displacement but makes space for its rawness to exist without judgement.
This is not about charity or victimisation. It celebrates the resilience, skill, and culture of displaced communities, supporting them to rebuild, reclaim, and reimagine their futures on their own terms.
