EPIPHANY

"Shelter for Soul"- International Design & Installation Competition- arranged by The Korean Institute of Architects(KIA)

Description:

Among the preset definitions of shelter and belongingness, imagine a person living his/her entire life neither in land nor in water, but in between. The Mantas are such a homeless floating fishermen population in the river belts of Bangladesh, whose lives have been defined by the uncertainties of various climatic disasters. Due to being cultural minority and lack of acceptance, they have been excluded from the main land and have adapted to a floating lifestyle on boats for generations. Even their name has evolved as a local slang and are considered to be a trash for the society. Moreover, the invasive approaches of the consumerist society are endangering their only abode i.e. the water bodies with dangerous pollutants. In consequence the natural disasters take the toll upon them, putting their identities at stake.

How do we imagine a soul shelter for a person whose physical shelter is itself under question? The Mantas are subjected daily to the challenges of surviving with basic food and shelter- where the question of one's soul remains far beyond reach. A redemption from the burden of ensuring these basic needs might be the threshold for the quest of soul. It is the journey that will remind him/her the fact that after all the mishaps, they are still synchronizing with nature and have created a new dimension of livelihood within the water.  From this perspective the 'Shelter for soul' is imagined to be a module for one person, with the facilities to store some daily necessities. Here, for a time being, one will not have to worry about food, clothing or shelter. In such a place, one might be able to explore the in depth feelings of one's soul. The glory of this revelation will itself provide a space for the soul.

The physical form of the shelter is inspired from the morphology of Water Hyacinth. While considered as a weed by many, the hyacinths have important roles in absorbing pollutants from water and purifying it. The abandoned Manta people were treated to be a waste of the society, but through the decades they have created a unique harmony with the nature, playing an important role in the fishing network. As like their lives, the shelter for their soul might ignite from the purification of nature. The entire module is proposed to be built by injection molding of collected plastic wastes from the water bodies, which are considered the most hazardous pollutants. The Manta people could collect the plastics from the polluted rivers where they go for fishing, and in exchange of certain amounts of plastic they have collected, they would be provided with parts of the module, which could be readily assembled. Gradually each module will emerge cleaning a major amount of waste from the rivers. As like the plants, the shelters will create a balance within the water bodies, consuming the wasted energy to transform into a space, which ensures its inhabitants physical as well as emotional needs.

In the long run, the mass collection of waste by the Mantas and converting them to soul shelters will signify their worth to the society. The authorities would value such a positive contribution and promote them to inspire the world towards humanity. This is an approach to the dream a soulful space for the Manta population, which ignites their hope for regaining the lost paradise they once belonged to.

Team Member:

Patrick D'Rozario,

 A.K.M. Tanvir Hassan Niru,

 Pankaj Nath Joy,

 Tanzim Rachana