Universal Design (UD) has long been romanticized within architectural pedagogy and professional r... more Universal Design (UD) has long been romanticized within architectural pedagogy and professional rhetoric as a panacea for equitable spatial access. Yet, behind the utopian promises lies a pervasive architecture of illusion, a meticulously constructed simulacrum of inclusivity. This paper critically interrogates the ideological veneer surrounding Universal Design by examining its profound failures, particularly within two contrasting yet structurally analogous urban paradigms: Mumbai, India, and New York City, USA. We posit that UD, far from being an inherent design imperative, is frequently reduced to a performative addendum, imposed through top-down regulations rather than embedded within contextual, tectonic, and phenomenological logics. This study exposes the profound dissonance between academic ideals and the built reality, critiques the insidious limitations imposed by development economics, restrictive zoning bylaws, and a political apparatus that views accessibility as a ceremonial act. Through a detailed architectural critique of public and private projects from sprawling rail networks and municipal offices to ultra-luxury condominiums and historic cultural institutions this paper unveils the architectural absurdity of tokenistic ramps, misaligned vertical conveyance systems, and symbolic wayfinding that actively perpetuate spatial exclusion. We argue that the current discourse and practice of UD, fixated on prescriptive mandates and prosthetic additions, functions as a sophisticated political and market-driven hoax, creating a deceptive semblance of inclusivity while preserving a fundamentally exclusionary architectural syntax. Concluding with a radical reconceptualization, we propose a revolutionary design paradigm: Integrated Adaptive Design (IAD) a framework that eschews post-facto compliance and instead fuses technological intelligence, spatial empathy, and volumetric integration into the very DNA of architectural thought, forging environments that are inherently, rather than superficially, universal.
The Ship of Theseus paradox questions whether an entity remains the same after total material rep... more The Ship of Theseus paradox questions whether an entity remains the same after total material replacement. Traditional approaches—mereological essentialism, four-dimensionalism, and psychological continuity—fail to fully account for identity's historical and biological dimensions. This paper proposes a new resolution: identity is sustained not through static composition or memory alone, but through historical continuity and adaptive integration. For objects, unbroken historical context preserves identity; for humans, identity emerges from the capacity to integrate biological and psychological change over time. Supported by research in neuroscience, organ transplants, and AI learning models, this framework offers a unified, empirical, and philosophical approach to resolving the paradox.
Architecture shapes emotions, behaviours, and mental well-being. This study examines how architec... more Architecture shapes emotions, behaviours, and mental well-being. This study examines how architectural elements such as spatial layout, lighting, colour, and materials impact human psychology, from promoting calmness to encouraging creativity. Through a synthesis of literature review, case studies, and theoretical analysis, this paper highlights the interplay between creative freedom and psychological impacts in shaping the built environment and its effect on human wellbeing.
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Papers by Parth Maladkar