Purohit Vidisha Hemendrabhai

CR4001

Building Resilience through Public History

Historic edge of WHS is more susceptible to change due to its positioning as an interface between core zone and buffer zone. Hence, this project focuses on part of such historic edge located between Sarangpur Gate and Panchkuva Gate including multi modal transit location situated in buffer zone. The study area comprises of several strands of the history starting from Sultanate period to Mughal to Maratha and then British Period. 
History is systematic narrative of past events as relating to a particular people, country, period or person. Majority of the history recognizes events or person who have significantly contributed to the society or were in powerful position. Sometime some parts of the past events are consciously or unconsciously unrecognized or neglected by the narrators or the history. Public history constitute of history of people, their memories, and their cultural practices & shared meanings. It comprises all the strands which has been part of the past that is sensitive to all citizens and their diverse heritage. Hence, it becomes powerful tool for regeneration of the urban area. 
This project focuses on building resilience of part of historic edge through recognising public histories and proposes strategies to interpret and understand the importance of such histories. It emphasises on the significance of unexceptional buildings for public memory not as an expression of significant history and Enabling shared authority giving power to community to define their own collective past. 
The Studio began with a 2 week exercise to critically read and analyse the World Heritage (WH) Site of the Historic City of Ahmedabad which formed the base for individual work. This exercise was done in groups of 2-3 students. Click on the button below (view additional work) to view the group's work.  

View Additional Work

Report Content

Site Selection - Rational

Historic Timeline

Cultural Mapping

Cultural Mapping

Value Assessment and Statement of Significance

Issue Identification

Assessing Issues and Building Framework

Public History as a tool

Proposal Stategy