Urban Studies Studio Project

This webpage, is the second iteration of the semester long studio project, undertaken by the students of M.A. Urban Studies, Ambedkar University Delhi. Keeping the pandemic in mind, the studio has taken an online route, which gives us an opportunity to imagine the whole transaction in countless ways: the most important being our experiences with the pandemic. As all of us are in different geographical locations, we realize our experiences vary widely as well. Considering these experiences as well as the COVID-19, the studio picks up this situation to craft three major topics: Urban Material Economy, Virtual Spaces, and Neighborhood Life.

Any physical/non-abstract object/item that contributes to the economy of a region may be included within the umbrella term, ‘Urban Material Economy’. While there could be a number of things that require imperative inclusion within the larger meaning of this phrase, the group conducting research on this topic has chosen to focus on five topics, the relevance of each of which has changed dramatically since the onset of the pandemic. Where transportation had come to a standstill, and people’s cars and bikes were parked in their garages for almost the entire length of this year, what was the effect on their market sales? When different kinds of immunity boosters and masks were to be introduced in markets, how did people respond? Finally, what was going on in the context of a sudden digital push to everything? Did people buy new smartphones and laptops in times of financial crisis or were they able to manage somehow with whatever they had? These questions form only the tip of the iceberg. A look at their research projects reveals other, interesting details.

The idea or a basic understanding of the virtual, brings about the essence of inter-connectedness over networks. What needs to be understood is how do we interact with this network. The main idea behind this theme is to understand how the virtual has adapted or emerged during this pandemic. We try to bring out questions of usage of different applications that are based on different aspects of this inter-connected world. But, at the same time, we look at a cause and effect relationship that has emerged during this time. We also come with the view, that not everyone shares the same interaction with the virtual world, therefore disparities become another point of focus. Though these ideas seem broad to a large extent, the members have picked up strands or entry points to open up the virtual as a point of discussion, by also bringing in their own personal experiences.

Lastly, Neighborhood life captures the rhythms of our lives in our immediate surrounding amidst the pandemic. The project deals with urban governance and its preparedness; transient and permanent nature of spaces in an industrial town; shock mobilities; socio-political attributes of balconies; and the primary agents of our neighborhood–guards, domestic helps–who with their labor make our spaces livable.

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