Women in construction - design-build research.
As a standard practice, women are present on the construction sites in India. Either as a companion to the husbands who live and work on site or getting hired for the most tedious, mundane jobs like sand sifting or carrying bricks. Yet, regardless of their hard work, the pay tends to be set at half of that of the lowest-skilled men on the construction site. Changing the status quo and redefining their role is difficult due to the resistance to any hierarchy changes from both men and, surprisingly, women themselves.
One of the co-operative’s continuous efforts is to present new opportunities to the women present on site. This involves encouraging them to participate in creative and responsible tasks and introducing an equal pay, often formalising women’s role of site managers which they tend to already informally perform. The coordination of the material storage, keeping an eye on count and order of the tools - all this without actually being given an official role or remuneration. As part of the initiative, women accopaning their partners at the construction site’s are invited to participate in all the training opportunities organised by the cooperative. A higher ratio of women and validation of their roles has an proven to have a positive effect on the work-flow and the site organisation.
One of the co-operative’s continuous efforts is to present new opportunities to the women present on site. This involves encouraging them to participate in creative and responsible tasks and introducing an equal pay, often formalising women’s role of site managers which they tend to already informally perform. The coordination of the material storage, keeping an eye on count and order of the tools - all this without actually being given an official role or remuneration. As part of the initiative, women accopaning their partners at the construction site’s are invited to participate in all the training opportunities organised by the cooperative. A higher ratio of women and validation of their roles has an proven to have a positive effect on the work-flow and the site organisation.
︎︎︎(image at the top) A simple stove prepared by the women working on the construction team. Made from the materials readily available on the construction site. The place surrounding this makeshift stove, became an assembly point, a decision-making space as well as one used during leisure time. It gradually expanded and gained new functions, becoming a make-shift architectural site office and naturally constituting a hang-out area for all the cooperative members for the duration of the construction.
︎︎︎related work: Design-Build Cooperative - Reserch on Working Methods
A series of carpentry workshops organised in collaboration with the Senior Experten Service (Germany) and WeCan (India).
all drawings by Kaja Deleżuch
copyright © 2010-2024 Kaja Deleżuch
all rights reserved