Reimagining the Vernacular - TOI 4

In reference to this studio, “vernacular” refers to the cultural practices and crafts of Himachal Pradesh and is often described as “for the people, by the people.” This studio unit aimed to introduce students to various craft, architecture, design, and culture-based practices and organizations across India and Europe to expand their understanding of vernacular culture. The goal is to create interactive educational games based on the narratives of these indigenous vernacular practices through craft-design collaboration during fieldwork and handson workshops in the Himalayas. The output will amalgamate interdisciplinary fields like game design, graphic design, storytelling, and vernacular architecture and building crafts. This unit is part of a four-year-long international academic collaboration called “Threads of Innovation” between the Faculty of Design at CEPT University and the Department of Architecture and Technology at NTNU, Norway. The studio draws the research from Design Innovation and Craft Resource Centre (DICRC).