Public facing Waste Infrastructure
The conventional approach to waste infrastructure is to tuck it away from common sight, left to be managed by workers who risk their health every day.
Architecture for Dialogue was invited by Waste Warriors to conceptualize a new genre of waste infrastructure for Dharamshala — a sorting facility that uplifts waste workers and builds better public engagement with waste.
Architecture for Dialogue was invited by Waste Warriors to conceptualize a new genre of waste infrastructure for Dharamshala — a sorting facility that uplifts waste workers and builds better public engagement with waste.
Team
Abhimanyu Singhal, Depanshu Gola
Client
Waste Warriors
Timeline
4 weeks
Time active (if relevant)
Month (Year) — Month Year
Abhimanyu Singhal, Depanshu Gola
Client
Waste Warriors
Timeline
4 weeks
Time active (if relevant)
Month (Year) — Month Year
Context
The invisibility of waste infrastructure encourages neglect and irresponsible behaviours around waste - like lack of segregation at source. What is out of sight remains out of mind.
Backend infrastructure [like water, food, energy, and waste systems] that makes urban living possible is often tucked away into oblivion. Cities in that sense, are deep models of obscurity.
![Neighbourhood garbage collection centres or 'dhalaos' in Delhi are dilapidated structures serving as open bins.]()
![Segregation is often left up to informal waste workers who risk their health without proper tools and support.]()
![Landfill sites are strategically planned outside city limits impacting only the surrounding local communities.]()
Backend infrastructure [like water, food, energy, and waste systems] that makes urban living possible is often tucked away into oblivion. Cities in that sense, are deep models of obscurity.
Nobody wants waste facilities near residential areas. The idea is that people should not complain about the location of such facilities.
— Prof. Ajay Kalamdhad, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology – Guwahati (Course on Municipal Solid Waste Management)
Opportunity
How might we design waste infrastructure for better visibility and engagement?
Waste infrastructure like collection centres, sorting sheds and processing facilities can serve as opportunities for engaging the surrounding community and improving behaviours around waste.
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Link︎︎︎
Cost-effective design interventions can transform urban waste infrastructure sites to act more than mere transit points — incorporating aspects of public engagements and waste worker upliftment.
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Focus ︎︎︎