ZOOHAUS
[karachi]
1
#dar
win
mee
ts k
arac
hi[upg
rade
]#j
ugaa
d[prototyping
]
#gui
lds&
mar
kets
[hum
anne
twork]
[catalog
]#j
ewel
s
#int
elig
enci
as c
olec
tivas
#pak
ista
n ch
owk
#int
elig
enci
as c
olec
tivas
[karac
hi]
IV/IV
32
InteligenciasColectivas
Every region of the world has its own repertoire of construction techniques. The coexistence of different degrees of industrialization and development allows for the mixing of semi-industrial products with old and enduring techniques; however, they are only considered valid in informal environments. While many of these construction solutions lack proper design planning, they generate a wide range of procedures through popular and generational wisdom. Few standardized products exhibit such great improvisation.
Inteligencias Colectivas draws its inspiration in part from this very ethos. Rooted in real-life examples of intelligent construction, this online platform and free database brings together knowledge considered to be on the fringe of traditional construction practice. This methodology is used in order to promote a type of technical know-how that is at once inclusive and public. A horizontal learning system — through tinkering with material prototypes — helps to weave together a tight network of people and collectives.
54
[estación ecológica
las malvinas]
INTELIGENCIACOLECTIVA 2.0
MINISTERIO M.AMBIENTEUNIBE
IX/2011 - XII/2011
INTELIGENCIACOLECTIVA
OFFFFICINAPROGRAMA EL RANCHITO
MATADERO - MADRID
VIII/2011 - XII/2011
INTELIGENCIACOLECTIVAOIZ EGINSEPTIEMBRE 2012-
JUNIO 2013
INTELIGENCIACOLECTIVATAIWAN
JULIO 2013
INTELIGENCIACOLECTIVA
SEÚLMAYO 2015
INTELIGENCIACOLECTIVAPAKISTÁN
OCTUBRE 2016
INTELIGENCIACOLECTIVASÁHARA
MINISTERIO M.AMBIENTEFESTIVAL FISAHARA
2011 - 2012
INTELIGENCIACOLECTIVA
RED BATACCEBATA
FEBRERO 2013
INTELIGENCIACOLECTIVA
RED MALABOCCEMALABO
FEBRERO 2013
INTELIGENCIACOLECTIVA
DONOSTIAUNIVERSIDAD
DEL PAÍS VASCO
1/III/2011 - 10/III/2011
INTELIGENCIACOLECTIVA
BUDAPESTMOHOLY-NAGY
1/VI/ 2011 - 10/VI/ 2011
INTELIGENCIACOLECTIVA
SANTIAGOC.C.E. SANTIAGO DE CHILE
23/XI/2010 - 26/XI/2010
INTELIGENCIACOLECTIVA
CHILEF.A.U. UNIV. CHILE
29/XI/2010 - 10/XII/2010
INTELIGENCIACOLECTIVA
LIMAUNIVERSIDAD CATÓLICA
ESCUELABFABLAB
08/XI/2010 - 19/XII/2010
INTELIGENCIACOLECTIVA
RED LIMACCELIMA
SEPTIEMBRE 2012
INTELIGENCIACOLECTIVA
RED MANAGUACCEMANAGUA
OCTUBRE 2012
INTELIGENCIACOLECTIVA
MONTEVIDEOUNIVERSIDAD
DE LA REPÚBLICA
13/XII/2010 - 17/XII/2010
BINTELIGENCIA
COLECTIVAS. AIRES
06/XII/2010 - 10/XII/2010
INTELIGENCIACOLECTIVA
MEDELLÍNVII BIAU
REDES LOCALES
8/X/2010 - 18/X/2010
INTELIGENCIACOLECTIVA
PALOMINOUNIVERSIDAD JAVERIANA
DE BOGOTÁ
2010 -
INTELIGENCIACOLECTIVABOGOTÁ
CONSEJERÍA CULTURAL DE PAÑA EN COLOMBIA
22/XI/2010 - 26/XI/2010
ES
INTELIGENCIACOLECTIVASANTO
DOMINGOC.C.E.SANTO DOMINGO
UNIBE11/VII/2011 - 30/VII/2011
VAINTELIGENCIA
COLECTIBILBOCAÓSTICA
XII/2011
76
InteligenciasColectivas[Karachi]
After 20 days in Karachi in which we discovered nearly 60 amazing objects (a term we use for non-standardized intelligent constructions), met more than 200 people, designed and built an urban structure using local techniques in collaboration with Marvi Mazhar and her team, engaging a human network of more than 30 people, we were still far away from knowing Karachi in all its complexity. However, for us Karachi is a city full of jewels.
Karachi is naan bakers, pomegranate juice stands, motorbike covers, kites, steel handmade tools and all kinds of cook and chill in public space.
Moving around Karachi with open eyes and as close to what was happening around us (other than walking, our preferred means of transportation was the rickshaw), we perceived from the very first second the city’s strong manufacturing character and the Pakistani way of doing things “better done than perfect” with unexpected intelligent design solutions that solve specific problems and are determined by the materials and technologies available at the time. Recycling is a leitmotiv in Karachi.
What happens when these intelligent design solutions for everyday problems are shared and replicated again and again all around the city? The result is a city where the amount of dif ferent kinds of trolleys, bikes, canopies, street kitchens etc. becomes infinite.
As object, types these solutions shape the perception and use of public space. Every user customizes objects for his/her own purpose, creating a diverse family of the same object. The families of objects are made by different people who specialize in a certain trade and usually live and work in a certain neighborhood typical for their field of work, thus creating markets and commercial areas where the products on sale are built in backyard workshops. Streets full of nothing but car parts lead to streets full of textile products or food, rerouting needs and demands, influencing the urban landscape and peoples’ movement around the city to the point of rendering sidewalks irrelevant.
The systems of urban objects and bottom-up infrastructure (trash collectors, goods delivery, transportation) are in fact the cornerstones of urban behavior in the city. Urbanism in Karachi is handmade, built by objects and manufactures.
98 “Ruk
ko,
ru
kko
ru
kko”
(com
mon
exp
ress
ion
hear
d du
r-in
g ou
r ric
ksha
w s
afar
i res
earc
h ar
ound
the
city
)
“Why should we import it if we can make it” “S
idewalks?
Of course, but
maybe…
”(com
mon expression heard
during our rickshaw safari
research around the city)
1110
jewels Inteligencias Colectivas (IC) is about developing an online researching tool to categorize and taxonomize intelligent urban solutions concerning informal knowledge, citizen agreements, citizen-experts and non-driven urban processes. We are uploading and sharing them under Creative Commons licenses.
[catalog]
1312
UR
BA
N E
VID
ENC
E C
ATE
GO
RIE
S
TEC
HN
OLO
GIE
S A
ND
M
AT
ERIA
LSE
mer
gin
g co
nst
ruct
ive
det
ails
, sp
ecifi
c se
lf-
mad
e o
bje
cts,
to
ols
or
infr
astr
uct
ure
s, h
ybri
d
con
stru
ctio
n t
ech
niq
ues
, p
op
ula
r in
ven
tio
ns
and
oth
er in
tere
stin
g ad
apte
d in
nov
atio
ns
un
der
stan
din
g al
so
inn
ovat
ion
in t
he
way
u
rban
life
is d
evel
op
ed
wh
ere
wh
at’s
imp
ort
ant
is n
ot
som
eth
ing
mat
eria
l b
ut
the
way
it’s
use
d,
shar
ed o
r in
terc
eded
.
WO
RK
ING
CO
MM
UN
ITIE
SIn
man
y so
ciet
ies
aro
un
d
the
glo
be
they
flo
uri
sh
wo
rkin
g co
mm
un
itie
s th
at c
reat
e th
eir
ow
n
job
s an
d g
uild
s. T
his
co
mm
un
itie
s ar
e o
ften
on
th
e ve
rge
of t
he
law
bu
t th
ere
are
alw
ays
a p
erfe
ct
soci
oec
on
om
ic d
escr
ipti
on
o
f ho
w a
cit
y, a
co
un
try
and
eve
n a
co
nti
nen
t w
ork
s. In
a g
lob
aliz
ed
wo
rld
th
ese
com
mu
nit
ies
ho
ld a
lot
of e
xper
tise
in
hyb
rid
ing
bo
th w
este
rn
and
tra
dit
ion
al k
no
wle
dge
.
UR
BA
NO
PP
OR
TU
NIT
YP
lace
s to
rec
laim
or
u
nd
eru
sed
an
d c
ou
ld b
e u
sefu
l to
ho
ld c
erta
in
acti
viti
es o
r fu
lly w
ork
ing
spac
es w
ith
sp
ecifi
c p
olit
ical
sit
uat
ion
th
at
cou
ld b
e re
pro
gram
med
u
nd
er n
ew u
rban
ru
les
for
a m
uch
bet
ter
pu
rpo
se.
It’s
ver
y im
po
rtan
t to
map
th
em a
nd
mea
sure
th
eir
po
ten
tial
.
MA
NA
GEM
ENT
STR
AT
EGIE
SLe
arn
ing
fro
m lo
cal
“Tac
tica
l urb
anis
m”
as
a w
ay o
f un
der
stan
din
g ci
ty-l
ivin
g an
d c
ity-
mak
ing
by t
he
stu
dy
of t
hei
r in
tern
al, s
om
etim
es t
acit
, p
acts
bet
wee
n c
itiz
ens
. T
hes
e ar
e ab
le t
o m
anag
e an
d r
epro
gram
me
pu
blic
sp
aces
un
der
ru
les
that
ar
e n
ot
wri
tten
bu
t ag
reed
. An
oth
er w
ay o
f d
oin
g ‘u
rban
pla
nn
ing’
fr
om
wh
ich
act
ual
p
lan
ner
s ca
n le
arn
a lo
t fo
r a
mo
re li
vab
le a
nd
ag
ile c
ity.
HU
MA
NN
ETW
OR
KLi
vin
g re
po
sito
ries
of a
ll th
is w
isd
om
. Nec
essa
ry
con
sult
ants
to
un
der
stan
d
tech
niq
ues
or
cult
ure
. A
n in
terc
on
nec
ted
gri
d
of u
rban
sp
ecia
list
that
m
ust
be
enro
lled
in e
very
p
roje
ct.
SPEC
IAL
SEA
LST
hes
e ar
e ap
plic
able
to
cat
ego
rize
d E
vid
ence
in o
rder
to
un
der
stan
d s
om
esp
ecifi
c fe
atu
res
con
cern
ing
thei
r m
ater
ials
, le
gal a
gree
men
ts, r
eplic
abili
ty, e
tc.
To in
dic
ate
that
an
‘E
vid
ence
’ its
mad
e fr
om
reu
sed
mat
eria
l or
asse
mb
ling
oth
er o
bje
cts
into
a n
ew o
ne.
Evi
den
ce o
n t
he
verg
e o
f le
galit
y o
r al
egal
. No
rmal
ly
resp
on
din
g to
lack
of
avai
lab
le s
tan
dar
d r
ule
s o
r so
luti
on
s.
Wh
en y
ou
can
fin
d t
he
sam
e so
luti
on
as
a p
art
of
a ‘fa
mily
’ in
th
e sa
me
city
o
r in
an
oth
er c
ou
ntr
y o
r ev
en c
on
tin
ent.
Wh
en y
ou
cat
alo
gue
a u
niq
ue
‘Evi
ence
’ .
1514
Loca
tion
: Bac
k st
reet
, A
bdul
lah
Har
oon
Rd.
Dim
ensi
ons:
12
0 x
60
x 1
20
cm
app
rox.
Tech
nolo
gy: W
ood,
Nai
ls a
nd ir
on jo
ins
Inte
llige
nce:
Tra
sh m
anuf
actu
re in
city
cen
ter
All
over
th
e ci
ty o
f Kar
ach
i (es
peci
ally
ear
ly in
th
e m
orn
ing)
yo
u c
an fi
nd
peo
ple
colle
ctin
g pl
as-
tic,
can
s o
r pa
per.
Th
is is
no
t n
ew. B
ut
we
wer
e al
mo
st s
ho
cked
to
fin
d a
pap
er a
nd
car
db
oar
d
pres
s 5
0m
aw
ay fr
om
a m
ain
str
eet
in K
arac
hi.
Th
e o
pera
tio
n c
ou
ldn’
t b
e si
mpl
er: a
fter
pu
ttin
g th
e ca
rdb
oar
d in
sid
e, t
wo
peo
ple
mov
e a
turn
ing
leve
r th
at m
oves
th
e to
p pi
ece
thro
ugh
a
gear
, pre
ssin
g th
e m
ater
ial.
Th
e b
est
part
of t
he
inve
nti
on
is n
ot
the
tech
no
logy
invo
lved
bu
t it
s pr
esen
ce in
th
e ci
ty c
ente
r.
Loca
tion
: Kar
achi
, Pak
ista
nD
imen
sion
s: 1
0 x
15
x 3
cm
app
rox.
Tech
nolo
gy: I
ron
wor
kIn
telli
genc
e: A
way
to h
ang
(lite
rally
) obj
ects
from
a b
eam
str
uctu
re
Two
fold
ed ir
on
str
ips
pres
sed
by
a b
olt
han
g ov
er t
he
win
gs o
f th
e co
ncr
ete
bea
m. I
t is
a
crea
tive
so
luti
on
to
so
lve
the
pro
ble
m h
ow
to
att
ach
so
met
hin
g to
a m
assi
ve c
on
cret
e el
emen
t.
[Bea
m A
ttac
hmen
t]
[Man
ual B
alin
g Pa
per P
ress
]
1716
Loca
tion
: Pak
ista
nD
imen
sion
s: V
aria
ble
Tech
nolo
gy: t
ensi
oned
fabr
ics,
rope
, bam
boo
Inte
llige
nce:
Sim
ple
and
refin
ed d
etai
ls o
f ten
sile
str
uctu
re
IIt
is c
om
mo
n in
Kar
ach
i to
inst
all s
mal
l or
med
ium
siz
ed a
wn
ings
to
sh
ade
sho
p fr
on
ts, r
esta
u-
ran
t te
rrac
es, p
olit
ical
or
relig
iou
s m
eeti
ngs
an
d m
ob
ile c
om
mer
ce u
nit
s lik
e tr
olle
ys. I
n s
om
e d
ense
are
as li
ke b
azaa
rs it
bec
om
es a
mai
n p
art
of t
he
urb
an la
nd
scap
e. S
ince
th
is is
a c
hea
p te
chn
olo
gy e
very
bo
dy
adap
ts it
an
d fi
nd
s cr
eati
ve s
olu
tio
ns
for
join
s, a
nch
ora
ges,
dra
inag
e...
Ove
r ti
me
succ
essf
ul s
olu
tio
ns
are
copi
ed. T
he
resu
lt is
an
ext
rem
ely
refin
ed a
nd
sim
ple
con
-st
ruct
ion
so
luti
on
.
Loca
tion
: Kar
achi
, Pak
ista
nD
imen
sion
s: V
aria
ble
Tech
nolo
gy: B
ambo
o, h
emp
rope
, woo
d ba
tten
sIn
telli
genc
e: L
ocal
sup
plie
d m
ater
ial.
Sim
ple
cons
truc
tion
tech
nolo
gy
As
a lo
cal p
rod
uct
, bam
bo
o is
wid
ely
use
d a
s co
nst
ruct
ion
mat
eria
l in
Pak
ista
n. U
nfo
rtu
nat
ely
it is
per
ceiv
ed a
s a
“po
or”
mat
eria
l an
d w
e o
nly
co
uld
fin
d e
xam
ples
of i
ts u
se in
sca
ffo
lds
and
la
dd
ers.
Ho
wev
er it
is s
till
inte
rest
ing
to le
arn
ab
ou
t h
ow
eas
ily a
ver
y lig
ht
lad
der
up
to 6
or
8
met
ers
can
be
bu
ilt. T
he
bam
bo
o is
car
ved
an
d w
oo
d b
atte
ns
as r
un
gs a
re in
sert
ed. F
or
scaf
fold
-in
gs 1
0 t
o 1
4 fe
et (3
to
4.5
m) l
on
g b
amb
oo
pie
ces
and
2-3
feet
of h
emp
rope
are
use
d. B
amb
oo
is
usu
ally
dri
ed a
nd
its
surf
ace
trea
ted
(aga
inst
inse
cts)
bef
ore
usi
ng
it a
s co
nst
ruct
ion
mat
eria
l.
[Bam
bo
o L
add
ers
& S
caff
old
s]
[Aw
nin
g &
Can
op
ies]
Loca
tion
: Lee
Mar
ket,
Pape
r Are
a, K
arac
hiD
imen
sion
s: 1
60
x 6
0 x
75
cm
app
rox.
Tech
nolo
gy: S
teel
wor
kIn
telli
genc
e: E
xpan
d co
mm
erci
al a
rea
with
out e
ffort
. Tak
ing
adva
ntag
e of
the
pres
ence
of a
fli
ght o
f sta
irs to
tran
sfor
m it
into
usa
ble
spac
e
Th
e o
wn
er o
f th
is p
aper
sh
op
atta
ched
a r
ailw
ay t
o t
he
to s
teps
in fr
on
t o
f his
sh
op.
Th
e ra
ilway
is
mad
e by
wel
ded
ste
el U
PN
th
at s
erve
s as
a g
uid
e fo
r th
e w
hee
ls a
ttac
hed
to
th
e st
and
. Th
is
allo
ws
to p
lace
th
e 6
0cm
sta
nd
ove
r th
e st
airs
du
rin
g w
ork
ing
ho
urs
. Th
ese
kin
ds
of s
ho
ps a
re
appr
ox. 2
,20
x 4
m s
o it
bec
om
es a
hu
ge g
ain
of i
nn
er s
pace
. At
clo
sin
g ti
me
the
ow
ner
mov
es t
he
stan
d in
sid
e an
d t
he
railw
ays
stay
in t
he
stai
rs, s
ecu
red
fro
m t
hef
t b
y th
eir
bo
tto
m a
ttac
hm
ent.
Loca
tion
: Ibr
ahim
Hid
ery,
Kar
achi
Dim
ensi
ons:
30
x 6
0 x
30
cm
app
rox.
Tech
nolo
gy: S
teel
Wor
kIn
telli
genc
e: A
n ob
ject
mad
e ou
t of s
impl
e m
ater
ials
On
ce y
ou
see
it it
is e
asy
to im
agin
e b
ut
we
hav
e n
ever
bef
ore
see
n a
n a
nch
or
mad
e o
f ste
el
bar
s an
d p
late
s. It
is m
ade
ou
t o
f on
e si
ngl
e m
ater
ial a
nd
th
ree
or
fou
r d
iffe
ren
t pi
eces
th
at c
an
be
man
ufa
ctu
red
usi
ng
a fo
rge
and
a w
eld
er. S
impl
e an
d c
leve
r.
[Rea
dy-
Mad
e A
nch
or]
[Sh
op
pin
g E
xte
nsi
on
]
1918
Loca
tion
: Kar
achi
, Pak
ista
nD
imen
sion
s: 4
x 6
x 3
m a
ppro
x.Te
chno
logy
: woo
d an
d st
ell w
ork
Inte
llige
nce:
mob
ile s
hopp
ing
stan
d
Aro
un
d t
he
city
yo
u fi
nd
man
y d
iffe
ren
t ty
pes
of t
rolle
ys s
ellin
g go
od
s, fo
od
, ju
ices
... b
ut
alm
ost
al
l of t
hem
hav
e th
e sa
me
stru
ctu
re. T
he
fram
e is
mad
e u
sin
g st
eel fl
at b
ars
that
are
ben
t an
d
twis
ted
. Tw
o p
airs
of r
ibs
rece
ive
the
wh
eels
. Usi
ng
fou
r ri
bs
inst
ead
of t
wo
allo
ws
each
wh
eel
to m
ove
ind
epen
den
tly.
Ove
r th
is fr
ame
a w
oo
d b
oar
d m
ade
ou
t o
f ch
eap
wo
od
bat
ten
s is
pl
aced
. Sta
rtin
g w
ith
th
is s
impl
e st
ruct
ure
eac
h o
wn
er c
an a
dd
par
ts t
o a
dap
t th
e tr
olle
y to
his
o
wn
nee
ds.
Loca
tion
: Sou
th A
sia
Dim
ensi
ons:
3 x
4” w
oode
n ba
tten
sTe
chno
logy
: Woo
d w
ork
Inte
llige
nce:
Pic
kup
basi
c tu
ning
that
allo
ws
furt
her e
xten
sion
s
A s
impl
e ad
dit
ion
to
eve
ry s
ingl
e pi
cku
p m
ade
ou
t o
f a 5
x10
cm w
oo
d b
atte
n t
o t
he
edge
of t
he
rear
car
bo
dy
and
gat
e. T
he
wo
od
mak
es it
eas
y to
inst
all n
ails
an
d o
ther
sm
all m
etal
pie
ces
that
ca
n h
old
ro
pes
or
fab
rics
ove
r th
e ca
r lo
ad. I
t se
rves
als
o a
s se
at a
nd
fou
nd
atio
n o
n w
hic
h r
ear
bu
mpe
rs a
nd
late
ral f
ence
s ar
e in
stal
led
. It
usu
ally
sh
ow
s pl
enty
of d
eco
rati
on
th
at m
akes
th
e ve
hic
le u
niq
ue.
[Mo
bil
ity
Exte
nsi
on
]
[Tro
lley
s]
Loca
tion
: Ind
ian
subc
ontin
ent
Dim
ensi
ons:
Usu
ally
3 x
6 fe
et a
ppro
x.Te
chno
logy
: Net
ting
Inte
llige
nce:
Ext
ensi
on o
f com
mer
cial
are
a w
ithou
t effo
rt
Th
e ch
arpa
i, w
hic
h is
use
d fo
r sl
eepi
ng
and
do
ub
les
up
as a
day
bed
, is
said
to
be
5,0
00
yea
rs o
ld.
Ho
wev
er, t
he
han
dm
ade
char
pai,
wit
h it
s si
mpl
e st
ruct
ure
, is
ind
igen
ou
s to
th
e In
dia
n S
ub
con
-ti
nen
t. T
rad
itio
nal
ly t
hey
wer
e b
uilt
wit
h w
oo
d a
nd
co
tto
n b
ut
thes
e d
ays
you
can
fin
d s
teel
fr
ames
an
d a
cryl
ic c
olo
rfu
l fab
ric
use
d fo
r n
etti
ng.
Surp
risi
ngl
y th
ere
is n
ot
so m
uch
info
rmat
ion
in t
he
inte
rnet
ab
ou
t th
is a
maz
ing
ob
ject
bes
ides
h
un
dre
ds
of d
eco
rati
on
sit
es t
hat
an
no
un
ce a
nd
sel
l it
at c
razy
hig
h p
rice
s. H
ow
ever
on
yo
utu
be
you
can
fin
d v
ideo
s ab
ou
t h
ow
it is
mad
e.
Loca
tion
: Kar
achi
, Pak
ista
nD
imen
sion
s: V
aria
ble
Tech
nolo
gy: -
Inte
llige
nce:
Low
-cos
t and
eas
y to
mak
e fo
unda
tions
A k
ind
of d
etai
l th
at is
co
mm
on
ly fo
un
d in
co
nte
mpo
rary
ver
nac
ula
r ar
chit
ectu
re. C
itie
s ar
e fu
ll o
f all
kin
ds
of c
on
tain
ers
that
eve
ntu
ally
can
be
fille
d w
ith
co
ncr
ete
to s
erve
as
fou
nd
atio
n.
Som
eth
ing
inte
rest
ing
abo
ut
this
kin
d o
f co
nst
ruct
ion
so
luti
on
is t
hat
it h
as n
o s
cale
; th
at m
ean
s th
at y
ou
can
fin
d it
fro
m X
S to
XX
XL
size
dep
end
ing
on
wh
at it
use
d t
o c
on
tain
. Mo
st u
sed
m
ater
ials
are
pai
nt
can
s an
d t
ires
.
[Fo
un
dat
ion
s]
[Ch
arp
ai]
2120
Loca
tion
: Kar
achi
, Pak
ista
nD
imen
sion
s: -
Tech
nolo
gy: P
aint
ing,
woo
d an
d st
eel w
ork
Inte
llige
nce:
Bea
uty
as a
sin
g of
pro
ud a
nd id
entit
y
Fro
m o
ur
fore
ign
er p
ersp
ecti
ve K
arac
hi i
s a
pro
ud
an
d e
lega
nt
city
. We
det
ecte
d a
ver
y st
ron
g cu
ltu
ral f
eelin
g o
f bea
uty
an
d u
niq
uen
ess.
Eve
ryb
od
y tr
ies
to t
ran
sfo
rm t
hei
r pr
ope
rtie
s in
to
som
eth
ing
un
iqu
e. N
orm
ally
peo
ple
hav
e ve
ry li
mit
ed r
eso
urc
es b
ut
that
do
esn’
t st
op
them
in
th
eir
purs
uit
. Car
s, m
oto
rcyc
les,
tra
cks,
faca
des
, win
do
ws
and
eve
n t
hei
r b
eard
s an
d t
hei
r m
ust
ach
es a
re p
ush
ed t
o s
ho
w t
hei
r u
niq
uen
ess
and
bea
uty
.
Loca
tion
: Ib
rahi
m H
ider
y, K
arac
hi, P
akis
tan
Dim
ensi
ons:
-Te
chno
logy
: -In
telli
genc
e: C
lust
er o
f wor
ksho
ps a
nd c
omm
erce
rela
ted
with
the
sam
e ta
rget
mar
ket
Ibra
him
Hid
ery
ho
mes
th
e fis
her
man
gu
ild w
hit
hin
all
kin
d o
f go
od
s an
d s
ervi
ces
rela
ted
wit
h
bo
at c
on
stru
ctio
n a
nd
su
pplie
s. T
hey
mak
e an
d s
ell e
very
sin
gle
part
of a
bo
at: f
rom
an
cho
rs
wit
h w
eld
ed s
teel
bar
s, a
nd
alu
min
ium
co
mpo
nen
ts u
sin
g sa
nd
cas
tin
g m
old
s to
wo
od
or
fiber
glas
s h
and
craf
ted
bo
ats.
Th
ey o
nly
nee
d fr
om
th
e cu
sto
mer
th
e to
tal l
engt
h a
nd
wid
th t
hat
th
e b
oat
sh
ou
ld h
ave.
Acc
ord
ing
to t
hat
th
ey b
uild
th
e ke
ll an
d t
he
cen
tral
rib
. Th
en t
hey
bu
ild
the
exte
rnal
sh
ape
wit
h s
lim a
nd
flex
ible
wo
od
bo
ard
s. T
he
nat
ura
l wo
od
cu
rvat
ure
giv
es t
he
shap
e o
f th
e b
oat
.
[Ib
rah
im H
ider
y]
[Bea
uty
Cit
y]
Loca
tion
: Pak
ista
nD
imen
sion
s: V
aria
ble
Tech
nolo
gy: M
ostly
ste
el w
ork
Inte
llige
nce:
Reg
ulat
ion
of fi
re in
pub
lic s
pace
s fo
r priv
ate
uses
Bar
bec
ues
, bre
ad o
ven
s, m
etal
forg
es, h
eate
rs...
fire
is p
rese
nt
in K
arac
hi s
tree
ts. B
arb
ecu
es
and
forg
es a
re u
sual
ly b
uilt
in w
eld
ed s
teel
str
uct
ure
s th
at a
lso
ho
ld fa
ns
and
co
oki
ng
supp
lies,
u
mb
rella
s, li
ght
bu
lbs.
.. B
arb
ecu
es a
re li
ght
and
po
rtab
le s
tru
ctu
res
that
are
mov
ed d
aily
in a
nd
o
ut
of t
he
sho
ps w
hen
no
t in
use
. So
me
of t
hem
are
als
o e
qu
ippe
d w
ith
wh
eels
to
bec
om
e so
me
kin
d o
f tro
lleys
.
Loca
tion
: Kar
achi
, Pak
ista
nD
imen
sion
s: -
Tech
nolo
gy: -
Inte
llige
nce:
Clu
ster
of w
orks
hops
and
eco
nom
y of
sca
le
In P
akis
tan
tru
cks
are
pro
fuse
ly d
eco
rate
d. I
t gi
ves
the
ow
ner
a k
ind
of s
tatu
s. T
he
mo
st p
opu
lar
part
of t
his
tru
ck a
rt is
pai
nti
ng
bu
t th
ere
is a
wh
ole
gu
ild a
rou
nd
it. H
orn
ets,
bu
mpe
rs, g
arla
nd
s,
com
plet
e in
teri
or
refu
rbis
hm
ent,
refl
ecto
rs, a
nd
eve
n c
om
plet
e n
ew s
tru
ctu
ral p
arts
of t
he
tru
cks
like
cab
ins
and
tan
ks a
re m
ade
in t
he
sam
e ar
ea. T
his
kin
d o
f pro
xim
ity
is a
lso
use
ful
in t
erm
s o
f co
mm
un
icat
ion
an
d t
ran
spo
rt o
f go
od
s. G
uild
s al
so p
rovi
de
a pl
ace
in t
he
city
for
acti
viti
es a
nd
peo
ple
kno
w w
her
e to
go
wh
en t
hey
nee
d a
ny k
ind
of s
ervi
ces
or
goo
ds.
[Tru
ck A
rt G
uil
ds]
[Fir
e in
pu
bli
c sp
ace]
2322
Around the city you find many different types of trolleys selling goods, food, juices... but almost all of them have the same structure. The frame is made using steel flat bars that are bent and twisted. Two pairs of ribs receive the wheels. Using four ribs instead of two allows each wheel to move independently. Over this frame a wood board made out of cheap wood battens is placed. Starting with this simple structure each owner can add parts to adapt the trolley to his own needs.
The upgrades allow us to take a deeper look at some of the objects found in the research. The objects are measured and explained from their manufacturing process. The objective pursued is twofold: on the one hand to allow the informal knowledge that treasures the object to be codified as a technique. On the other hand this form of cataloging allows the object to be replicable in contexts different from the original.
darwin meets karachi [upgrade]
2524
#Karachi Trolley
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2928
3130
jugaad[prototyping] Planning and building critical constructions (“prototypes”) from an assortment of evolved “jewels” found in Karachi, in collaboration with know-how local agents, becomes an equal and equitable design methodology for cultural exchange.
These prototypes are centered on architectural and urban planning techniques that combine conventional know-how with present-day needs. Many materials – recycled, semi-industrialized, crafted and manufactured – are integrated into such customized constructions. These solutions need to be incorporated into the building process as a way to make longstanding social traditions and our ever-changing built environment commensurable.
3332
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#jugaad
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#jugaad
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pakistan chowk
“We know that urban spaces, arts and cultural nexus and organizations are what make our neighborhoods livable, walkable, and vibrant.”
Marvi Mazhar
In Inteligencias Colectivas, our final aim is to understand “tactical urbanisms” around the world as intelligent emergent city-living-making and to uncover human creativity as evidences of local culture, concerns and political situations. If we can document, share and implement such knowledge and hybridize it with scientific city-development, we will be able to ensure decent, healthy and safe living conditions in more liveable and grassroots planned urban environments.
We plan 21st century cities with citizen-curators, and this endeavour wouldn’t be possible without the cooperation and support of a vast network of agents, administrations, cultural and social entities.
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From Then to Now...an ongoing initiative
Architecture starts with desire on the part of its makers, whether for security, or grandeur, or shelter, or rootedness. Built, it influences the emotions of those who experience and use it, whose desires continue to shape and change it. Desire and emotion are overlapping concepts, but if ‘desire’ is active, directed towards real and imagined ends, and if ‘emotion’ implies greater passivity, describing the ways in which we are moved, architecture is engaged with both. Buildings are intermediaries in the reciprocation between the hopes and intentions of people, in the present and the past. They are the mineral interval between the thoughts and actions that make them and the thoughts and actions that inhabit them. Heritage is knowledge. Architecture is Life.
In the fast growing cities of developing countries most parks have been reduced or even been replaced by buildings. This reflects callous disregard for health and recreation of the citizens. Moreover the parks have been stratified according to socio-economic status of the urban dwellers with very little consideration to the recreational needs of the low-income urban lot.
Pakistan Chowk is a landmark heritage public space of Karachi. It lies in the District South, Karachi, where Strachan Road meets Aram Bagh, covering an area of 6633 sq.ft. approximately. The Chowk is surrounded mostly by pre-partition buildings, few new developments, famous educational buildings and restaurants. The Chowk and its surrounding dust covered buildings tell the story of the journey of the city of Karachi into decay and dearth of aesthetics.
Historically, the Rambagh Quarters’ (now known as Arambagh Quarters) importance arises from the water tanks (talao) and innumerable wells that once occupied a large area and were the initial water source to the Artillery and others.
Pakistan Chowk was formerly called the educational heart of Karachi. It was from here that the Sindh College Association and D.J Science College began to operate. It also promoted tourist activities and housed the busiest taxi and Victoria Station in the city, known as the Purana Tonga Stand.
The basic vision was to rehabilitate the Chowk back to its glory, to revive the concept of Public Square free of any commercial hoardings, redundant wires, and through the tool of design, develop the space. The aim of the rehabilitation was not beautification, but rather making it a sustainable and adaptable space for the neighborhood and the local stakeholders in three phases.
• Phase 1: analytical study and oral history of the space and its inhabitants and development of associations through dialogues with stakeholders, also known as Mohalla Baazi• Phase 2: designing and implementation of interventions at the Chowk • Phase 3: dealing with the issues at urban level with the help of local stakeholders and establishing a Cultural Art Center in Old Downtown
5554
Design Intervention and ProcessThe Chowk was previously surrounded by a solid wall. There was no vertical access to the platform and the Chowk had turned into the largest public bathroom and dump in the neighborhood, populated by homeless and drug addicts.
The interventions carried out at the Chowk include the installation of 32 benches with names of Karachiites who worked towards civic engagement, plantation of 18 lignum trees around the Chowk, massive cleaning of the area, installation of lamp posts, dustbins, a history board and an installation by German-Spanish design team zoohaus. From the largest garbage collection platform to now an Urban Cultural Hub, we designed the space keeping the relevance and importance of its surrounding context.
The immediate context of Pakistan Chowk and architectural influences of the area have been well documented through Condition Survey Report (CSR), Cultural Mapping and Oral History documentation, and an anthropological study of the local immigrant community is in its process.
In the frame of “Urbanities – art and public space in Pakistan”, the German-Spanish architecture collective zoohaus/Inteligencias Colectivas carried out an investigative and constructive research of urban informal design practices and collective technologies.
The outcomes were realized in collaboration with Marvi Mazhar & Associates for the use of the community at Pakistan Chowk, where an outdoor space with red frames was designed with truck artists and welders. Through intelligent design intervention and scale, the space became a popular node for the locals.
Today, the space is inhabited by artists who come on Sundays to paint, sketch and teach – an informal Art Center has been established by senior artists, and we have hosted several cultural events like theatre, music, storytelling sessions, readings and art performances.
The intention to go to a place creates historical time: the place is a goal in the future. The future cannot, however be left open and undefined. It is an ongoing dialogue. What is a place? What gives a place its identity, its aura? Preparing an up to date assessment of the constitution of Public Space may seem an impossible undertaking since public space takes diverse shapes and faces increasingly multifaceted and complex demands. Many towns and cities, however, now recognize the importance of public spaces, which, alongside the major places of interest, form the bond that holds together a city’s landscape.
Marvi Mazhar, Heritage Consultant, principal architect Marvi Mazhar & Associates, Founder & Creative Head Pakistan Chowk Community Centre
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guilds&markets [humannetwork] We understand “human network” as an active knowledge network of persons and collectives that becomes essential to get into specific and inaccessible qualitative space design. In this case the act of building a 3x6x4 meter structure becomes an epic action that involves more than 30 people.
For this project, Karachi, the mega-creative city of makers, brought the guilds of Charpai, Truck Art, Masonry and Motorcycle Decoration together with Marvi Mazhar’s Architecture Office (Ali Raza), the curator Sara-Duana Meyer and the team of Inteligencias Colectivas to design and build “Jugaad”, a playful urban installation on Pakistan Chowk in the heart of the city. While this research and project is mainly geared towards amateur builders, it aspires to be something greater: to encourage and cultivate citizen science.
69 70 7168
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AcknowledgmentsIn the process of IC Karachi particularly noteworthy is the commitment of Sara-Duana Meyer and Stefan Winkler as initiators and curators of “Urbanities – art and public space in Pakistan”. Equally remarkable is the participation of initiatives like “Pakistan Chowk”, represented by Marvi Mazhar or the “Vasl Artists’ Collective” created and supported by Adeela Suleman and Naila Mahmood. We also want to express an immense gratitude for the ones who showed us the “real” Karachi and their streets: Ali Raza, Zoya Ahmed, Huma Tassawar, Shahana Rajani, Madeeha Syed, Basil Andrews, etc.
This network pushed the limits of Inteligencias Colectivas and enabled the development of new environments in a more sustainable, creative and common sense way.
Inteligencias Colectivas [karachi] took place as an an investigative and constructive research by zoohaus in the framework of Urbanities – art and public space in Pakistan.
Urbanities – art and public space in Pakistan is a critical exploration of the urban, its complexities and possibilities under the premise of individual artistic work and research approaches. Throughout 2016, the partner project between the Goethe-Institut Pakistan and the Lahore Biennale Foundation, in collaboration with Vasl Artists’ Collective, Annemarie-Schimmel-Haus, Marvi Mazhar & Associates, and other partners, incited discursive and artistic contributions related to Pakistan’s controversial and contested urban space. By recollecting Henri Lefebvre’s “right to the city” for critical discussion, the project aimed to enable a broad audience to engage with contemporary art and urban space, and to link the emerging generation of artists, curators and urban researchers in Pakistan with the scenes in Germany within the broader framework of the curatorial processes leading up to the Lahore Biennale.
The project Urbanities – art and public space in Pakistan was conceived by Stefan Winkler, Goethe-Institut Pakistan, and directed and co-curated by Sara-Duana Meyer.
Photo creditsAmna Abdullah and zoohaus
Marvi Mazhar & AssociatesPage 50-51, 62 bottom
DesignRizwan Hussainwww.lahoredesignstudio.com
EditorsSara-Duana Meyer and Stefan Winkler (Goethe-Institut Pakistan) www.goethe.de/pakistan
This publication is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SAISBN: 978-969-9697-01-2
Inteligencias Colectivas 2016www.inteligenciascolectivas.org
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