Tajdid in its essence refers to the idea of taking something that is in a dilapidated state, and making it better. The ideals of innovation, and rejuvenation come under this umbrella. If often involves reimagining things beyond their conventional or typical use. The project explores the concept of Tajdid in terms of architecture (abandoned Heritage structures), and users (people who need rejuvenation).

The architectural shell selected for this thesis was an obscure, unlisted heritage building on M.A Jinnah Road. The site was originally a residential building, and consisted of separate primary and secondary structures. Currently, it had been abandoned for more than 50 years. The context analysis revealed that the site had elements of Tajdid in the context, like wood and metal dismantling workshops in Doli Khata, and junkyard industry in Hindu Para.

The proposed typology combines an assisted living community for the female senior citizens of post-retirement age, with a daycare for children of ages 1-12. The reciprocal symbiotic relationship between the older and younger generation provides the younger generation with mentorship, life skills, and stories the elderly have acquired throughout their lives, and brings the much needed energy and zest into older generation’s.

The thesis looked at spaces for older and younger generations that exist in our context, and analyze how they differ aesthetically and/or programmatically. The case studies chosen for this were Mehr Ghar Art and Production (Lyari) and Bint-e-Fatima Old People’s Home (DHA), as they both catered to identical economic strata, and were designed by laypeople based on the preconceived ideas of what spaces for young and old people should look like.

The thesis aimed to harmonize, and bridge the aesthetic and programmatic distance between spaces for the young and old people, and therefore, an exploration into the basics of harmony as a design principle was conducted through study models. These were then used to derived design strategies.

The guidelines for designing for senior citizens was also studied based on ADA guidelines for accessibility.

Ground floor plan with lighting coding and RCP. The main building was used as the main interactional space, with a dining and lounge, kitchen, and multipurpose room (where children and elderly could do activities like cooking, watching TV, eating, playing, and singing together). The dining and lounge area had a singular element going throughout the space, which became furniture, like chairs, dining benches of variable heights (19” for the elderly, and 22” for the children) and ceiling. This harmonized the space, and user groups, where a child could sit beside an old woman and be able to eat at the same table, and aligned with their ergonomic needs.

Views for the lounge and dining area on ground floor.

A user upon entering the lounge and dining space would see a snake and ladder installation. This was inspired by the Patina Effect (a symbiotic relationship between architectural materials, like stones, and fungi, which creates a bluish-green layer on the stone to protect is from corrosion, making the stone more aesthetically pleasing). The game installation would use stone, which would age and change appearance over time, and blue-green acrylic cubes, to accentuate this change. The installation would convert the game of snake and ladder into a fun group activity, with metallic numbers and magnetic payer keys. The kitchen was designed keeping in mind the age and physical range of the user groups (elderly, as both wheelchair and non-wheelchair users, and children of various ages and heights), keeping the counter heights variable. Music / Multipurpose room was designed keeping in mind the layering of functions, through lighting design.

Multipurpose Room View

Annexe had been designed like a recycling art and handicraft studio, where children could paint on doors, mesh (materials from site context) etc. instead of just paper and canvases. Art and handicraft (like embroidery, crocheting) will also become a group activity, where elderly and children can interact. The back wall was designed to be an evolving mural, which would get splatters of paint from the activity happening in the studio and keep evolving as the space ages. The ceiling was designed taking inspiration from the threads that come together as an ode to the crafts the older women will bring to this facility. The MS pipes emerge from back of the bench for the elderly and end into luminaires that spread throughout the space.

Daycare Area. Designed as an interactive indoor play area, for children and toddlers, with staff present to aid them. The space used powder coated PVC pipes (from the context) to create an engaging space for children.

First floor was reserved for the elderly, with their private lounge, kitchenette and accommodation spaces. It also included an in-house nurse station in case of emergency. The internal walls were MDF cladded, in accordance with the design guidelines for senior citizens.

The corridor had handrails as a part of the MDF wall. The wall ended in a child-like rendering of mountains along the wall at 11’, with backlighting that accentuated the original gizri stone of the architecture.

Section A-B

Project Animation