In a culture where community has long shaped the rhythms of daily life, Indian architect Vinu Daniel is redefining the act of ‘building’ as a form of communal, social and emotional healing. In his early days, a sense of satisfaction meant seeing his vision take shape in stone and mortar. Today, it’s about the recovery of people – craftsmen, artisans, bricklayers, carpenters, welders – who transform that vision into reality. ‘Architecture, unlike other art forms, is never a one-man show,’ he says. ‘Ninety per cent of the job is done by others. It’s a coalition of people from different communities, teaching and learning from each other. Every site becomes its own community.’ For Daniel, recovery begins here, in the beauty of the building site and the people within it. ‘When…
