Reimagining post-conflict urban reconstruction: the role of design in industrial restructuring

Abstract

In post-conflict Jaffna, architectural reconstruction has often prioritised symbolic visibility over revitalisation of local construction economies, resulting in spatial forms disconnected from cultural, labour and material realities. This research-by-design (RbD) study reimagines a public infrastructure – Kokuvil Railway Station – as a socio-technical platform for reorganising the construction supply system. Framed within the concept of “the landscape of production”, the study integrates five interrelated domains: prefabrication as a technical base, production networks, supply routes, labour systems, and organic stakeholder links. Drawing on theoretical insights from urban production, infrastructure studies, and construction research in the global south, the project proposes a contextually adaptive prefabrication strategy that supports skill development and economic autonomy. The research challenges the limitations of the “one-off” procurement model by proposing a co-creative delivery model that treats architecture as both spatial and productive infrastructure. While situated in Jaffna, the framework offers scalable insights into inclusive and resilient urban recovery. The project contributes a grounded methodology for integrating design, construction, and economic restructuring, transforming urban regeneration into a platform for institutional and industrial reintegration.