Adreja Dey

AR3596

The study of landscapes emphasizes the relationship between humans and nature, highlighting the responsibility of communities to sustain and respect their surroundings. Salt production is such an essential practice in India which is dependent on the landscape and holds a strong social and economic significance for the Indigenous communities. It also acts as a spatial marker of placemaking in architecture. This research paper discusses the Agariya community of Kutch, Gujarat, and Salt farmers of Sambhar Lake, Rajasthan, and how they adapt to changing seasons, build temporary shelters, and modify the landscape to extract salt. These two ecological study areas represent distinct salt production methods that influence the built environment differently. By studying these practices, we could understand the idea of placemaking in architecture and how it shapes the spaces temporarily through spatial practices. By comparing Kutch and Sambhar through tangible and intangible attributes of spatial practices, territorial markings, and ephemeral architectures, the study analyzes how Indigenous salt workers construct, inhabit, and transform the landscape through their traditional knowledge system. This research reveals the connection between the history of such vast landscapes and their territorial markers by documenting oral stories of Indigenous communities and translating them into architectural documentation. It involves qualitative documentation methods, and data is collected through ethnographic study, field visits, and interviews with people within these communities. Hence, it can be concluded that this approach will not only capture the traditional knowledge of the communities but also provide a form of data that serves as a testament to the deep connection between people and their surroundings.