Mumbai

Architecture in India has many influences and attributes to the styles and designs. At sP+a, Sameep explained that their practice focuses on collaborations with other types of design and architects, while aiming to use suitable materials for different projects and teach skills where appropriate. For example, their Jetvana project, a Buddhist Learning and Skill Development Centre – this used a local building method, but changed the material used. Earth walls are very common in this region, and stone is widely available, so these ideas were combined to create a new form of construction, teaching the local workers a skill.

This links to the idea of spatial agency, in which people can develop their own living spaces. Informal settlements, or slums, are an example of this typology, as the inhabitants create their own homes and personal spaces through the materials available to them. By addressing the problems within a slum, such as lack of services, healthcare, transport, etc., you can then improve the situation. Unfortunately, the slums themselves are too often seen as a problem in their entirety, leading to their destruction. The issue with this is that it does not offer a solution to the people, whole communities are displaced, without any alternative offered, leading to them just moving onto a different area.

Social inequality is hugely evident in Mumbai, with areas being vastly wealthier than others, such as the South. Fort and Colaba attract a lot of tourists, bringing more wealth into the area, as it contains attractions like the Gateway of India and ferries to Elephenta Island. In contrast, many people who live in Mumbai cannot afford housing in this type of area, so live on the periphery and commute into the city for work. Train lines from the suburbs allow for people to work in the city where they have better wages, and are often hubs for communities of people who have previously lived in the slums of the city. In addition, there is often a juxtaposition of people living in poverty immediately next to large, wealthy apartment blocks and complexes. This is because the poorer people work in these types of buildings, and it is much easier for them to have quick access.

Dharavi lies in an important part of the city, some say in the heart of the city. The mobility here is a key factor. Although for many people, everything that they need is within the slum itself (schools, jobs, residences), for those needing to leave the slum, it is situated between main roads and two train stations. Many people come to Dharavi from villages in other parts of the country, and while working, they send money home to their families. This then upgrades the villages, as well as being a key factor in the economy of Mumbai.

Much of the information in this post comes from my meeting with Sameep Padora from sP+a.