reform toxicity bhopal india by yousufali.n from india

reFORM toxiCITY. Bhopal, India.

“The scar is a deeper level of reconstruction that fuses the new and the old, reconciling, coalescing them, without compromising either one in the name of some contextual form of unity. The scar is a mark of pride and of honor, both for what has been lost and what has been gained. It cannot be erased, except by the most cosmetic means. It cannot be elevated beyond what it is, a mutant tissue, the precursor of unpredictable regenerations. To accept the scar is to accept existence. Healing is not an illusory, cosmetic process, but something that -by articulating differences- both deeply divides and joins together.”
_ Radical reconstruction. Lebbeus Woods

The unimaginable potential of industrialization changed the entire political, social, and economical character of the cities around the globe. It opened new, rapid opportunities and progressive visions for the economy of developing countries. It also changed the skyline of cities and land uses with new patterns, trends and meanings. But in history, there are incidents which turned these dreams into nightmares. They altered the lifestyle so miserably that people even failed to have the basic amenities.
On December 2nd 1984, world witnessed one of its worst industrial disasters till date. Bhopal gas tragedy killed more than 8000 people and also resulted in chronic illnesses among thousands of people. Even after 28 years, the site and context are still left unanswered with the degrading structures as a symbol of pain, fear, and trauma.
The project reFORM toxiCITY. Frames the possibilities of developing the 67 acres of Union carbide factory land with new programmatic interventions that can revitalize the urban fabric of old Bhopal. Strategies are synthesized in a way that, it answers the local and global significance of the context. To answer the local needs, various surveys and analysis are conducted, which later helped to generate a very clear picture of social, economic and cultural scenarios. In order to answer the global relevance, detailed comparative studies are made with other post tragic scenarios around the globe where architecture cleverly perform as a labyrinth of social change with new means of expressions and symbolism.
Design process explores the possibilities of interactive computational systems that are capable of producing efficient city networks and programmatic distribution with a new perception on genesis and architectural character of the city.