A House in the Making

"A House in the Making" documents the craftsmen behind a family’s dream home in Ahmedabad. The clients, a newlywed couple and the husband’s father—all architects by profession—embarked on the journey of designing and building their home. I was invited to document this process as it neared completion, capturing the essence of the construction and the people involved.

Using my Nikon FE and limited to just 36 images, I faced the challenge of photographing the workers and the still-unfinished house without disrupting the ongoing work. My focus was on the groups of craftsmen, from stone carriers to gardeners, each contributing their unique skills to the construction. This approach allowed me to emphasise the often-overlooked contributions of these workers, highlighting their crucial role in bringing architectural visions to life.

This project offered an unparalleled opportunity to explore the confluence of architecture, human endeavour, and social fabric within the skeletal frame of the emerging house. This assignment was more than just a commission; it was a playground that resonated with my deepest passions. "A House in the Making" weaves together narratives of architecture, people, politics, and social structures, embodying the collective effort behind creating a space called home.

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Ahmedabad ID
2024
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Ahmedabad ID
2024
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Ahmedabad ID
2024
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Ahmedabad ID
2024
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Ahmedabad ID
2024
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Ahmedabad ID
2024
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Ahmedabad ID
2024
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Ahmedabad ID
2024
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Ahmedabad ID
2024
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Ahmedabad ID
2024
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Ahmedabad ID
2024


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Ahmedabad ID
2024
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Ahmedabad ID
2024




Fiona Cuypers-Stanienda is a Swiss-German-American photographer whose work blends architecture and social documentary. Specialising in analogue photography, she explores the profound connections between people and the spaces they inhabit. Her projects focus on how architecture shapes identity and experience, capturing the quiet yet powerful interactions between humans and their environments. Through her practice, Fiona creates a dialogue between photography and architecture, inviting a deeper reflection on space, memory, and the built world.