Conceived as an independent B.Arch thesis, the project offered the freedom to define both the program and site. I chose my hometown, Varanasi, using its cultural landscape and riverfront communities as the foundation for a research-driven architectural intervention.
Year
2022-23
Category
Community + Vocational Design
Tools
AutoCAD, SketchUp, Enscape, Adobe Creative Suite, Site Mapping and Field Documentation
The cultural identity of Varanasi lives through its people, particularly the boatmen (Mallah) community whose livelihoods are tied to the river Ganga. As cultural brokers guiding visitors through the ghats, they sustain the city’s living heritage yet remain economically vulnerable, especially during monsoon seasons when boating is prohibited. Located on a site overlooking the ghats, the project emerged from fieldwork examining the community’s daily routines and seasonal income patterns, revealing the need for lternative livelihoods that support resilience without disconnecting them from their cultural roots.
The Skill Development and Community Centre acts as a bridge between tradition and adaptation, introducing training programs derived from research into Varanasi’s local crafts and economic networks.
Skills such as Gulabi meenakari, stone undercut carving, glass beading, agarbatti making, wooden toy production, sewing, carpentry, language, and computer training expand livelihood opportunities while reinforcing local cultural identity. Inspired by Varanasi’s spatial character, the design reinterprets narrow lanes, arches, and layered thresholds to create porous workshops and circulation paths that encourage visual interaction between visitors and artisans. Stepped retail terraces and pause points connect movement across the site while offering spaces for rest and observation.
Overlooking the river, the centre becomes an extension of Banaras’ everyday life, fostering learning, interaction, and economic resilience. The project enables cultural continuity through adaptation, allowing the boatmen community to sustain both livelihood and identity in a changing future.
