What is an act
of Colonial Hangover?

The end of 20th century has seen a shift from a manufacturing economy to a service economy. Platform economy, a branch of service industry, also called as Gig Economy, pushes its working operations using digital technology as its backbone. The efficiency of the industry is highly depended on how fast the service is delivered by its workers. Despite its seemingly modernized way of service giving, the faced paced work life of its workers and their everyday experiences often remain concealed. One direct example of Platform economy is the food delivery service sector. Through this research I became aware of the fragility of the relationship between the working condition of the Food delivery riders and society which enjoys its labor.

The project raises awareness of the social challenges and precarity faced by these labourers and addresses remnant models of colonial labor. Not only I was amazed at the visible traces of modern-day slavery, but also had a chance to witness this, through the experiences faced by the
riders. The research sheds light on the way slavery’s past and its remnants are preserved, welcomed, and retained in the name of modern-day gig economy labor conditions, being carried into the future.

Its Delivery Time: Master Design Project

The project also insists on bringing the intrinsic value of human dialogue, communication and collaborations, as part of the food delivery service industry. The concept of the project as a model of cultural and social transformations was, infact, one of the my fundamental beliefs. With the help of artisitic and design approaches, I was keen to witness the transformation in the work life of Food Delivery Riders. The kind of work which promotes individualism, deregulation, flexible working hours and impermanent spaces, where mental labor goes hand in hand with physical labor.

Eindhoven with its multi-layered cultural diversity, provides an ideal conceptual framework for this project to start with. The research addresses the daily struggles and dehumanizing experiences of food delivery riders in Eindhoven's public life. Visiting the current hubs of Food delivery companies like Thuisbezorgd, Flink and Deliveroo, and interviewing local and their groups, working in the city, made me feel the urgency of questioning the relationship between the riders and the society which they serve. By questioning the element of design justice, Its Delivery Time addresses the daily struggles and dehumanizing experiences of food delivery riders by providing them with a dedicated space in Eindhoven's public life.

Using my performative design practice, I came up with a hand-pushed cart service, walking through the city, this initiative offers refreshments to cater to riders’ immediate bodily needs and a sense of welcome that challenges their prevailing sense of anonymity in public spaces. By initiating dialogue and belonging between the riders and the general public, Its Delivery Time challenges the typically anonymous and alienated encounters between riders and customers to become meaningful interactions.

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