Animals that find themselves amid traffic are typically perceived as a source of inconvenience and sometimes even danger. ‘Problems’ of cows blocking our roads, dogs chasing vehicles, and the bad luck cats bring if they cross our paths, are part of everyday life in Indian cities. Unfortunately, these encounters with stray animals don’t always end well for the creatures themselves. They are often vulnerable to accidents and may lose their lives due to collisions with vehicles or other mishaps on the road
There are 461 million people living in Indian cities, however, there are no official records of stray or pet animals cohabiting in urban areas. Some shower love and care on these animals and some may despise them, but the fact remains that humans are not the sole species in existence and animals possess an equal right to these spaces. Why is it that more often than not, we neglect to integrate animals into our urban environments? Approximately 70 per cent of the infrastructure needed for the year 2050 remains to be constructed, presenting us with the opportunity to plan for coexistence.
Indian cities are filled with diverse wildlife, both domesticated and wild, coexisting with human populations. Yet, in our capacities as architects, urban designers, and city planners, we frequently fail to integrate designs that take into account the requirements of the animals that share our surroundings, who possess an equal entitlement to these spaces. This then begs the question: why do we so frequently disregard the incorporation of animals into our designs?
Taking another example, monkeys pose a unique urban wildlife challenge, as their instincts drive them to explore and interact with human surroundings. Mitigating the associated nuisances requires balanced approaches that consider both the preservation of urban environments and coexistence with these creatures.
Urban areas have also been home to diverse bird species like pigeons, sparrows, mynas, and parakeets. Meanwhile, one of the most commonly available market items called bird spikes is used in every second building. After all, only humans have the right to build homes! Our urban areas have driven away most of the birds.
One of the most prominent examples is the decline of the “common” sparrow population in India to the point of extinction in most cities. Some of the main causes of the decline are deforestation, buildings without balconies and windows, fewer cracks for sparrows to make nests in, noise pollution, and the use of chemicals to kill insects, their food, which in turn destructs native plants and trees that house birds.
Mohammed Dilawar, of the Nature Forest Society, who established the custom of celebrating March 20 as World Sparrow Day in 2010, said that human involvement is crucial for sparrow survival. “Sparrows cannot prosper without humans, their nesting and feeding are dependent on humans and their lifestyles. It is also important to understand how everything is connected. Depletion of native plants has led to a decrease in insects which has further removed the first food option for sparrow chicks,” Dilawar said in an interview. After more than a decade of conservation efforts, the house sparrow population is rebounding, but the bulk of its population is now in rural India.
Human Centric Design
Pets are perhaps the most privileged of all the inhabitants of a city after humans. But, even they are kept in spaces that were designed for human use. Architecture and design have always concentrated on humans and their needs, neglecting any other species using a space or product. This results in direct adverse effects on non-human species.
The framework of architecture is based on anthropometry (comparative study of the measurements and capabilities of the human body), which means that it is Anthropocentric architecture. This practice of design needs to be challenged and hence, the study of spatial requirements from the viewpoint of animals is significant. This would generate an example of ‘Non-Anthropocentric Architecture’.
I started exploring this subject as an architecture student, studying the needs of animals that we bring into our homes and how this affects the design of a space. Not to my surprise, there was very limited research and case studies in the entire country. When we bring in another species as a user in a space, their experience of the space is completely different from that of humans. They have different vision and eye levels, different senses of smell and hearing as well as different ways of moving in a space. This topic is unnoticed, overlooked, rarely discussed, and far from inclusion in mainstream design.
Most of the challenges faced in terms of cohabitation with animals are raised due to anthropocentric architecture and planning. This approach and consideration should expand to include not just animals, but plants and all other natural creatures for they are as much a part of the environment as humans are.
COVID-19 A respite to wildlife
The COVID-19 outbreak resulted in an unexpected sight on city streets throughout the world: animals reclaiming their land. As human activity halted, cities became temporary retreats for animals. Peacocks strutted down pavements, deer wandered through residential neighbourhoods, dolphins were seen along the coastlines of Kolkata as well as Mumbai, unusual visit of Indian civet in Kozhikode Street, and many more such sightings across India and the world. This exceptional situation of people locked within houses conveyed that we have taken up so much space that we’ve driven away other animals, leaving next to no healthy co-existence. It also emphasized the necessity for cohabitation measures as cities and ecosystems interact in our quickly changing world.
Shifting Paradigms
One may argue that these animals like the stray dogs, cats, monkeys, pose a challenge to our lives on various scales, from mild inconvenience to health hazards and safety concerns. Another may ask, if there isn’t enough space to accommodate people in these highly dense cities then why bother about animals? The problem here is that our cities have completely taken over natural land and built concrete jungles with no consideration for the existence of other species. The consequences of this are in front of us: Climate Change, Environmental Degradation and Wildlife Extinction.
As we reflect on the challenges posed by neglecting the needs and rights of other cohabiting species, it becomes clear that the current approach to urban design needs re-evaluation. The prevalence of anthropocentric architecture and planning results in inconvenience and sometimes harm to animals sharing our urban spaces. A shift towards ‘Non-Anthropocentric Architecture’ can promote cohabitation and uniqueness in our built environments.
“While we, as designers, are experts who specialize in shaping the functionality, aesthetics, and user experience of spaces, and we employ our skills to tackle and resolve various challenges, it begs the question: why do we so frequently disregard the incorporation of animals into our designs?”