Alan Joseph bags the Council of Architecture (COA) National Awards for Excellence in Architectural Thesis 2021

Alan George Joseph, alumni of Avani Institute of Design, Kozhikode has won the Council of Architecture (COA) National Awards for Excellence in Architectural Thesis 2021. The final year Thesis was titled ‘Punarjeevanam’ – Regeneration of the indigenous tribes in Wayanad, through a locally sourced participatory design approach. The award was announced on Saturday, 26th February 2022 by Ar. Habib Khan (President, Council of Architecture) during the 76th Council meeting and Awards Declaration Function 2021.

The project aims in building community resilience and regeneration of the dying tribal groups through a community inclusive design, empowering their vernacular from getting endangered. With a resurgence of native arts, languages, construction technologies, and ceremonies, the centre has the potential to become a valuable tool in establishing a new united identity and cohesion among various tribes of Wayanad. The project also envisions the regenerative potentials of architecture for creating a sustainable, ideal ecosystem by using nature as a building material.

The Thesis project started with a deep affection towards the indigenous tribes of Wayanad, Kerala with research questions and architectural inquiries addressing tribal community resilience by empowering their vernacular from getting endangered. The project also envisions the regenerative potentials of architecture for creating a sustainable, ideal ecosystem by using nature as a building material.

The “Adivasi” – tribal group of Wayanad, who refer to themselves as the ‘Ippimala makkal’ (children of ‘Ippi hill’- Banasura peak of Wayanad) is one community that urbanized non trials left their bad influence on. Poverty and illiteracy are the two major reasons that led to the decline of the community. A group of people who have been living, sustaining, and celebrating with a lot of values passed on from traditions and in-depth knowledge – skill sets of herbs, leaves, food and medicines are currently on the verge of extinction. They need to be sustained without their cultural heritage and values lost. Their future generations can grow up benefiting the entire world. As they now try to adapt to the rest of the society they are not only finding it difficult to merge but also their own values and traditions end up getting lost. They are getting discriminated against and are facing a lot of pressure in life. Thus they end up as unskilled labour at construction sites and unproductive fields.

Thus the project aims in building community resilience and regeneration of the dying tribal community through a participatory design approach by upbringing a communal gathering and space for education, uniting the 5 main tribal groups of Wayanad, namely – Paniya, Adiya, Kattunaikka, Kurumar, Kurichiyar along with the external N.G.O and Government organizations.

A resurgence of Native arts, languages, construction technologies, and ceremonies, creating a new united identity and cohesion among various tribes. The centre has the potential to become a valuable tool in establishing tribal identity using locally sourced materials such as bamboo, earth, and hay.