Global Talk: Architect & Activist

Walking the thin line between professional practice and social & environmental outreach There is a constant division of our cities into unequal parts, both in social and spatial terms. Our cities are producing and re-producing backyards of exclusion, discrimination, neglect and abuse; even natural habitats are being systematically destroyed, leading to increasing levels of intolerance and social unrest, undermining the very idea of cities. And while cities are expanding, public spaces are rapidly shrinking, in both physical and democratic terms, which means space for wider public participation and dialogue are also shrinking. PK Das’s key objective is to use his architectural and design activities to unify these unequal and conflicting fragments of cities, all the while engaging closely with social and environmental movements. His priority is to establish a close relationship between people and architecture, and this can be achieved by placing strong emphasis on participatory planning at every stage of design. In this way, PK Das hopes to contribute to larger struggles for the democratization of cities.