Architects do not merely build structures but shape a particular place and pave the way to infrastructural growth. Syed Suhaib Naqashbandi (31), an architect from Kashmir, is one such outstanding architect who received the Global Urban Thesis Award earlier this year. He received this accolade for his remarkable solutions around Srinagar’s water management and is one among four who researched within the same area.
Who is Syed Suhaib Naqashbandi?
Syed Suhaib Naqashbandi is an architect and Urban Regeneration Specialist who belongs to the Lal Bazar vicinity of the old city. He is a young and visionary architect who based his research on reviving the conventional water linkage system of Khuls across Srinagar at the Jamia Millia University, Delhi.
According to his LinkedIn profile, he is an inquisitive learner with a keen interest in research around core issues of urban resilience, green infrastructure, and flood vulnerability.
(Source – https://in.linkedin.com/in/syed-suhaib-naqashbandi-60805264)
The Need for Water Management Research
The below are excerpts of Syed Suhaib Naqashbandi’s interview with Free Press Kashmir.
Kashmir’s documented history denotes that the region has had many floods. However, the valley’s prosperity helped the area recover easily. One of the most significant reasons for it is the indigenous water systems (Khuls). These systems prevented floods from causing damage. According to him, the past rulers understood the significance of these water systems and created them across various regions of the valley.
Some examples include Martand Khul in Anantnag, Nalemaar Khul in Srinagar, and Zangeer Khul in Baramulla. Nevertheless, in the modern context, these systems may not prove as meaningful. For instance, Nalemaar Khul was filled back in 1975 to construct an arterial road. Furthermore, according to him, the 2014 floods could have been avoided had the latter authorities preserved the water systems.
Since 2014, Kashmir has witnessed many failed engineering solutions. That’s precisely where the role of traditional water linkage systems comes into the picture, which he has emphasized in his thesis. Besides, his research stresses the change in people’s attitude toward water bodies to preserve them.
The young architect from Kashmir has also devised some strategies to enhance the human-water relationship. In other parts across the globe, people follow a water-sensitive urban design. It means water remains at the nucleus of every urban design. But in Kashmir, the situation is the opposite. This is despite the valley being a water-centric settlement. So, people must understand the significance of the water system with a change in attitude towards it.
Suhaib’s guides in this research are Dr. Inthekhab Alam and seniors from Kashmir in the Urban Regeneration Department at Jamia Millia Islamia.
(Source – https://freepresskashmir.news/2021/03/02/kashmiri-architect-wins-global-urban-thesis-award-for-water-management-solutions/)
The Young Architect’s Visionary Move
Suhaib’s research and urge to bring in a transformation demonstrate his exceptional capabilities and, of course, his vision to make a positive change concerning water management across the valley. We hope his research proves helpful to Kashmir, fosters more efficient infrastructural growth, and helps it avert and tackle calamities better.
About the Global Urban Thesis Award
The Global Urban Thesis Award is awarded by the Netherlands-based DAIDA foundation. The award aims to acknowledge and support master graduates that help improve urban infrastructure and living conditions for vulnerable groups across fast-growing cities of developing countries.
