Press & Awards
An article was recently published about our project in the 2019 article ‘A Pulse in the Nebula’ on the Medium website, which includes a very thorough introduction into the typical conditions for labourers, the construction industry and explains a bit about why they are the way they are.
“…Nebula Infraspace LLP and Hatch Workshop are moving to the possibility of concretising the strategies towards legitimisation of their workforce by the year 2020, and they hope to be able to further study its benefits and forward credible research and insights into the functioning and cost-benefit analysis of their pilot programme to the world. And if their research shows, that the retention rate and productivity of their workforce has increased, it will be the very first successful project of its kind that will be nothing short of revolutionary considering the vast possibilities that might unfold consequently — that pulse in the nebula, which will mark the beginning of many solar systems!”
Our Nebula Labour Colony Project was written about in the 2018 article ‘Importance Of Inclusive Development-Housing Colony By Hatch Workshop’ on the World Architecture website
“…As a result of the common lack of consideration for migrant work forces, workers typically house themselves in shanties. Labour colonies are prone to inundation and water-borne diseases, open defecation, resultant diseases and inhaling smoke fumes. The Changodar housing colony is a project that directly addresses these issues as a well-rounded service for the migrant workers.”.
Our Nebula Labour Colony Project was written about in the 2018 article ‘Labourers Should Have Better Living Conditions’ in The Times of India (third largest newspaper in India).
“…Experts from Ajeevika Bureau cited the example of a model labour colony which has been set up by a city-based construction company at one of its construction sites in Changodar, located some 19km from Ahmedabad. The colony has been designed by Hannah Broatch – a post graduate student from Auckland, New Zealand, during her project, which was a winning entry during Archiprix 2017, held at CEPT – along with another New Zealand based architect Mason Rattray.”
Our Nebula Labour Colony Project was written about in the 2018 article ‘Nebula Social Initiative: Building the Future of Those Who Build Our Future Homes’ in The Asian Venture Philanthropy Network
“…To execute this mission, Nebula partnered with Hannah Broatch and Mason Rattray of Hatch Workshop to design a reusable, low-cost and realistic housing solution for construction workers and their families. Its innovative feature lies in its easy dismantling and reassembling capabilities, which is particularly useful for migrant workers who move from site to site. The housing framework thus provides the workers and their families a better quality of life and ensures their lives are not disrupted because of the nature of their work.”
Our Binsar Farm Worker Housing project was featured in the exhibition ‘Scaffolding’ in NYC at the CFA/ AIA
“October 2, 2017 - January 18, 2018
Scaffolding curated by Greg Barton, examines the extraordinary applications of scaffolding as a kit-of-parts technology to provide novel forms of inhabitation and access. Through an installation designed by Shohei Shigematsu and OMA New York with graphic design by MTWTF, Scaffolding will disrupt the architectural space of the Center for Architecture, instilling a new appreciation of scaffolding and its transformative potential…”
Our Nebula Labour Colony Project was written about in the 2018 article ‘USING ARCHITECTURE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE – NEBULA WITH HATCH WORKSHOP’ in Gallopper
…”The temporary workers’ housing project implemented by Nebula at Changodar is a contextual adaptation of an Archiprix winning thesis design by architectural graduates Hannah Broatch. Nebula has endeavored to address problems faced by the migrant workers and set a benchmark on improving their living conditions and social provisions and partnered with Hatch Workshop for implementing the project….”
Hannah’s research project ‘Housing for Construction Workers’ was featured in the article ‘Are These "The World's Best Graduation Projects" of 2017?’ on Arch Daily
“Once every two years architecture schools around the world are invited to submit their single, finest graduation project to the Archiprix International competition and exhibition. This year, the event selected Ahmedabad, in India, to exhibit the results. Here Arjen Oosterman, Editor-in-Chief of Volume, reviews the event and the work on display…”
Nebula releases a video on the Nebula Labour Colony Project on YouTube
Interview in Paper Boy, August 2017. ‘Activist Architecture’
Video by the Archiprix team on Hannah’s research project & basis for our built work for migrant workers. Filmed in Ahmedabad at one of the labour colonies Hannah studied & at CEPT University.
Our Nebula Labour Colony Project was written about in the 2018 article ‘CSR of Nebula Infraspace : Building the futures of those who build our Future Homes’ on the India CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Network website.
“Nebula Infraspace is an organization working towards creating inclusive, affordable and sustainable housing in India. Through their Aavaas initiative, they aim to provide affordable housing to all segments of the society, and extend this ideology towards the construction workers of their housing projects, as well. Since the inception and establishment of Aavaas, two projects have been initiated, in Changodar (Ahmedabad) and Miyapur (Hyderabad) with over 6000 affordable apartments under construction, and approximately 5000 in the development stage…”
Hannah’s research project ‘Housing for Construction Workers in Ahmedabad, India’ mentioned in The Times of India (India’s 3rd largest newspaper) in the articled ‘Project on labourers’ colony among 8 best at Archiprix’
Mason won the 2016 NZIA Central Innovation Student Design Awards with his project ‘Tipping the Balance’.
“While ostensibly this project is about the planning and construction of dairy farms in India, its real concern is the treatment of people and how lives can be rapidly improved through a holistic combination of agriculture and society. This is a people-centred project, ambitious in its aim for efficient and healthy farming, and a vehicle for overcoming, or at least softening, long-established social mores. Specifically of its place but adaptable to many places, this is elemental architecture of a most engaging, poetic and compassionate kind.”
Our Nebula Labour Colony Project was written about in the 2018 article ‘Gujarat: Housing firm provides creche, homes on site for labourers in Changodar’ on DNA, a Mumbai based media website.
“In what could be a first, a realty company in the city has set up a housing colony for the over-400 labourers working at the site in Changodar. While companies and contractors building labour housing facilities is not new, what sets this initiative apart is that unlike others, this isn't a basic shelter made of tin sheets. The colony that provides temporary residential units to both single labourers as well as those with families, also provides gas cylinders, drainage, water facilities and even sanitary napkins. It has also developed a creche at the campus, a play area and also provided health check up facilities for the labourers…”
Hannah’s research document ‘Housing for Construction Workers in Ahmedabad, India’ featured as a resource on Wiego (Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing)
Hannah was highly commended for her project ‘Housing for Construction Workers in Ahmedabad, India’ at the 2015 NZIA Student Design Awards
“This proposal to provide improved living conditions for migrant construction workers is intelligently defined and thoughtfully executed. The work is thorough and sympathetic, and benefits from its author’s fieldwork at the site. The proposed settlement is grounded in a strong understanding of local social and economic realities and available building technologies. The elegant and beautifully illustrated project reveals a palpable awareness of community sensibility, and a realistic appreciation of what might be possible.”
Hannah’s Archiprix award written about in the article ‘Making her mark’ on the website ArchitectureNow
“…Hannah Broatch won one of the prizes for her graduate project Housing for Construction Workers in Ahmedabad: Jugaad urbanism to empower a labour colony. The jury commented, “The project is an excellent example of the social relevance of architecture.”..