Home for the abandoned: A step towards independence and interaction

Abstract

Wabi sabi is a Japanese philosophy of finding beauty in broken and old things. It expresses that the flaws of its shape is hidden from inspection but embraced with golden significance. It is not simply any mended object that increases in its vanity of pristine appearance and the fractures are manifestation of mortal fate which deepens its appeal. The proof of its fragility and its resilience is what makes it beautiful. The thesis makes an effort towards illuminating the lives of age groups that are torn and tattered. It is the purpose of this design dissertation to design a home for the abandoned that does not only provide them shelter but also calculatively fulfills all their needs be it physical, mental or emotional. This will give their lives a new significance and a new identity. The strategy used here is to merge the vulnerable groups of the elderly and the orphans and develop interconnectedness. The motivation of this thesis is to also bridge the gap between the vulnerable groups and the society. This design dissertation endeavors to reconcile extreme perspectives to create a healthy environment with interchange of ideas and values for collective upliftment. This research aims at addressing the root problems faced by this vulnerable class and to find solutions through architecture. As stated above the art of imperfection “Wabi sabi” is the acceptance of transience and imperfection. It is a philosophy not of replacement but of awe, reverence and restoration. The title of the thesis reflects these principles and embraces the perfectly imperfect just like the art of imperfection. It is a step towards the independence and interaction of the abandoned which affirms that the fractures of a ceramic bowl don’t represent the end of the object’s life but rather an essential moment in its history. The intention behind this design dissertation is to thus fill the gaps of these imperfect abandoned age groups with a golden significance.