Construction is the quintessential feature of contemporary South-Asia. Every aspect of material and social life is being built and rebuilt. This perpetual mode of constructing the place, people, ideas, their environment, and surroundings provides newer avenues for engagement and discussion. This forum, titled and themed as ‘bUILT-Up SOUTH-ASIA’, offers a novel way to think anew- ‘what was before’ and ‘what is after.’ The formative idea for this digital forum emerged to understand, and more importantly, document the transformation and transmutation of places and their utilities, both in spatial and temporal forms. Conceived as an interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary initiative, the forum seeks to address the transitional nature of built-up and to deepen understanding of the material conditions that are continually fabricated, restructured, removed, or added, along with their broader implications. While the concept of 'built-up' originated in academic inquiry into issues such as infrastructural development and urban expansion, and their environmental and ecological impacts, it is intended to foster dialogue across a wide range of sectors. This approach encourages exploration of emerging spaces in both material and symbolic forms, prompting a reconsideration of what constitutes a ‘new South-Asia’ as it is actively constructed in both tangible and representational terms.

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This forum thus brings together scholars, artists, practitioners, policymakers, concerned citizens, and others to think anew about how various aspects of life are continually affected by large-scale built-up projects. It envisages creating a platform for discussion on the experiential and the sensorial impact of the built-up. Rather than an academic treatment of the issue, it strives to create a viable platform for dialogue on how different facets of life, from home to work, from leisure to rest, are surrounded by a buildup of one kind or another. The scale and magnitude of the built-up vary; the intention and the outcome also differ in terms of approach, design, planning, and execution, leading to differential consequences. With this broad vision in mind, we are pleased to introduce the first set of contributions we have received for our inaugural issue. Diverse in nature, we have tried to include various forms of expression, such as articles, photo essays, poetry, paintings, and comics. The idea is to document and also experiment with different formats that informs people's understanding of built-up. This first edition is an attempt towards taking the issues surrounding the theme to a larger group of people, and not just academicians, initiating the dialogue. Additionally, the idea behind writing ‘bUILT-Up’, in this form is strictly for stylistic purposes. It also intends to break away from the quotidian nature of construction and infrastructure and aims to be an informal space to engage on these issues affecting us all. We truly hope that you enjoy reading the first issue, as much as we have enjoyed compiling it.