PEOPLE'S PLACES
A Fundraising Campaign

In the last 5 years of our existence, we have become increasingly convinced and have committed ourselves to create more critical literature around built environment. Covid lock-down threw us off-gear and our model was disrupted. Thus the past year was directed towards raising funds for the research and publishing of some (long-due) important projects. So far our maneuverings in the fund raising world hasn't been easy. And hence we decided to open this crowdfunding campaign, for our three projects-- People Called Kochi, City Mosaic fellowship and Building Sense.

We aim to raise 14 Lacs, that will support the research and release of the projects, campaigning from Feb 1 to Feb 28.

The questions that have guided us: Whom does the place truly belong to? Who and why do narratives become invisible? Can we understand a place through stories of the people? Can sharing narratives become a tool to make a sense of place, not only for the reader but also for the community? ... for the next 28 days, as we campaign to raise funds, we also open these questions to you.

We hope you are evoked - to ask what kind of future are we walking towards. Looking forward to your support and please do share the word.

Warmly,

Nisha Nair-Gupta

Founder

1. People Called Kochi

AIM TO RAISE 5.5 lakhs

To be used for: Funding the research, writing and editorial

What is the book about? An anthology of 50 stories that captures Kochi through the eyes and lives of the people - the people who are the living archives of Kochi’s history and its future aspirations. It is an attempt to unfold the story of Kochi, from now and of yore, some known while many hidden, through people-centric narratives that allows us a whole new reading of the city.

To be published by: June-Aug 2023

2. City mosaic fellowship

Childrens Stories for building an empathetic future.

AIM TO RAISE- 4 lakhs

To be used for: Providing grants to 6 fellows (3 illustrators and 3 writers), mentor fees and host a seminar.

What is the CIty Mosaic fellowship about?: This program hopes to build and mentor writers and artist that are interested in creating children's book that are concerned about about communities and their places. It offers collaboration and/or mentorship for 3 writers and 3 Illustrators. Aimed to be a bi-annual fellowship, this is the first edition.

Fellowship period - 4 months.

3. Building Sense

AIM TO RAISE- 4.5 lakhs

To be used for: Funding the the writing, editorial and production

What is the book about? As the ‘built’ in our environment increases, there is also a simultaneous and urgent need for not only a critical discourse but more awareness and consciousness about ‘What to Build’ and ‘How to Build’. We begin this discourse with Building Sense, a catalogue of architecture typologies, meant for creating engagement in the architecture of everyday. The conceptual framework that looks at our specific Indian context, will also be reference for architectural practitioners, students of architecture and construction industry at large.

To be Published by: August - September 2023