Publications
Books
2023- Rebel Bodies Rebel Cities
Authors: Victor Cano-Ciborro + Mansi Shah
ISBN: 978-93-83184-21-7
Link to buy- Amazon and Cept Press
Rebel Bodies Rebel Cities is a teaching and research project born from recognising complexities and self-organised systems within urban public spaces and the importance of recognising these dynamics to create more inclusive and equitable urban environments. For its first case study, fifteen students from the Bachelor of Urban Design at CEPT University work in Bhadra Fort Precincts, Ahmedabad, India. The book lays pedagogy taking students through three modules – one: Narrative cartographies, two: Performances and finally, the design that reflects on the context and the resistances. This book disseminates our approach, learnings and creative design interventions by students based on critical analysis of problems.
2013- Prathaa: Kath-khuni Architecture of Himachal Pradesh
Authors: Bharat D., Jay T., Mansi Shah
ISBN: 978-81-904096-8-1
Link to buy: Amazon
This book documents an indigenous technique called the kath-khuni construction, prevalent in Himachal Pradesh, India. The relative isolation of the hills and the demanding environment fostered the development and persistence of distinctive prathaa, i.e., traditions practised for centuries. These building practices combine material and environmental constraints with social and cultural beliefs and rituals. This book illustrates the role of indigenous building traditions in a dual sense: architecture as an outcome of specific material assemblies to fulfil specific functional purposes and architecture as a process to bind together people, places and resources to sustain particular cultural norms, beliefs and values.
Journal and articles
2023, Chakrabarti, M. Shah: Scaling up, scaling deep: Negotiating scales for productive urban landscapes.
ISBN 978-961-6379-81-6 (PDF)
Link: https://conference.eclas.org/eclas-conference-2022-scales-of-change/
June 2021, The King’s and Queen’s Tomb in Ahmedabad: Cartographies of contested heritage precincts
Authors: Victor Cano Ciborro + Mansi Shah
ZARCH 16 (junio 2021): 182-193. ISSN versión impresa: 2341-0531 / ISSN versión digital: 2387-0346.
Link: https://doi.org/10.26754/ojs_zarch/zarch.2021165099
June 2021, Unit Eco warriors [Edible to productive landscapes]
City Observer Journal- Volume 7, Pg- 140- 159
Authors: Mansi Shah + Chandrani Chakrabarti
Link: https://issuu.com/urbandesigncollective/docs/city_observer_-_june_2021_final
Unit Eco Warrior was taught in the Bachelor of Urban Design at CEPT University. It pivots on the link between city, food and ecology with an attempt to spatially integrate open, decadent or traditional public spaces into potentially productive landscapes. The paper disseminates the pedagogy and the outcomes produced in 3 months by students through strategic plans, views and landscape details at different scales.
2018, June: Interpreting a city through a planning lens
Authors: V. Herlekar, M. Shah
City Observer Journal, A Biannual Journal on Cities published by Urban Design Collective, Volume 4, Issue 1, June 2018, 166- 189
2018 The Himalayan Vernacular: Kath-khuni Architecture
Authors: Mansi Shah, Jay Thakkar
Sahapedia, September 19, 2018
Link: Sahapedia
2017 Ahmedabad City WaterWalks – Sabarmati beyond the Barrage
Authors: Dipani S., Renu D., Mansi S. and Vrushti M., VEDITUM, Feb 28, 2017
Link: https://www.veditum.org/editorial/ahmedabad-city-waterwalks-water-birds-beings/
2017 Ahmedabad City Water Walks – Of Water, Birds and Beings
Authors: Dipani S., Renu D., Mansi S. and Vrushti M., VEDITUM, March 20, 2017,
Link: https://www.veditum.org/editorial/ahmedabad-city-waterwalks-water-birds-beings/
2016, Ahmedabad Chowk Networks
Authors: Melissa S, Nikita S., Mansi S.
My livable City, 16-20
Link: https://www.myliveablecity.com/issue/list
2013, Being and Belonging in the Mountains- Indigenous Architecture of Himachal Pradesh, India
Authors: B. Dave, J. Thakkar & M. Shah
ARCHITHESE SEIN UND ZU-HAUSE-SEIN IN DER BERGEN: archithese: International thematic review for architecture, Zurich, ISSN: 1010-4089, 3May/June (3), 2013, 72-77.
Link: https://archithese.ch/produktedetails/schwaeche-fuer-materialitaet.html
2013, Architectural and Cultural Dimensions of the Sacred: Wood and Stone Temples of the Western Himalaya
Authors: B. Dave, J. Thakkar & M. Shah
ISBN: 978-93- 82343-09-7, 2013.
INTACH: Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, New Delhi
2012 Details of Resistance: Indigenous Construction Systems of Himachal Pradesh
Authors: B. Dave, J. Thakkar & M. Shah,
Context: Built, Living and Natural, Journal of the Development and Research Organisation for Nature, Arts and Heritage, DRONAH, ISSN 0973-502X, Vol. IX (1), Spring/Summer 2012, 5-17.
Link: https://www.dronah.org/publications/volume-ix-issue-1/
2011 Indigenous Building Traditions of Himachal Pradesh
Authors: B. Dave, J. Thakkar & M. Shah.
ABACUS, ISSN 0973 8339, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Monsoon 2011, 6(2), 14-20
Mentions
Getting to the root of it | IA&B 26 (5), January 2013, 112-121.
Prathaa: Kath-khuni architecture of Himachal Pradesh
Exhibition at Hutheesing Visual Art Centre in Ahmedabad by Design Innovation and Craft Research Centre,
presenting an overview of distinctive architectural heritage
Link: https://issuu.com/supriobhattacharjee/docs/di_16_debating_tactile_engagements
Reports
2012, Himachal Field work report
By Bharat Dave, Jay Thakkar, Mansi Shah
Link: https://issuu.com/mansi.arch/docs/himachal_report__a3
End Semester Catalogue by CEPT University
