Srinagar has been prone to change and political conflict for major part of its recent history. The continuous unrest in the region has overtime led to a lack of public gathering spaces that offer leisure, social, educational and cultural activities for the youth and families alike. The Solina Silk Factory or Reshamkhana is a 22-acre campus with 22 heritage buildings in Rambagh, Srinagar is what once stood at the entrance of the city as the symbol of the industrial prowess of the Dogra dynasty, this industrial precinct has now become a derelict oasis amidst the dense residential and commercial community that it is surrounded by.
Our goal was to preserve the open and industrial character of the site and re-activate it for public use as an Arts and Crafts Centre. The various buildings are carefully selected for appropriate adaptive reuse to regenerate the site as a place of gathering, leisure and Centre for the arts and crafts of Kashmir apart from being used as an active silk factory. The proposed masterplan will transform the Solina Silk Factory into a proud cultural, economic, diverse and vibrant community asset providing arts, crafts, cultural, recreational and employment opportunities for the locals. A cultural and leisure destination with use and experiences that is connected through the intangible thread of time and theme of silk.