Devanshi Singhi

2561-A-3

Re-creation and identificationInThe urban landscape of India, one of the most visually appealing spaces is the walled city of Ahmedabad, known for its intricately carved wooden architecture and the neighbourhood settlements of pols.• Pols are enclosed residential clusters entered by gates, which used to be shut at nights.• The essence of a pol is a network of small streets, side lanes, shrines and open community spaces with a chabutaro, a birdhouse raised on a pole to feed birds in the neighbourhood.• The word pol is derived from the Sanskrit word pratoli meaning entrance to an enclosed area.• Pols were originally made as a protection measure when communal riots necessitated greater security. The exercise is an in depth exploration of the building elements found within pols and an analysis of the different features that are apparent within this distinct housing typology.