“Survival is built on resilience, and resilience on community.” This sums up the essence of Dharavi, one of the largest slums in Asia, which is located in the heart of Mumbai. Dharavi is a thriving ecosystem and an example of resourcefulness, not just a slum. However, as India’s urban population grows, strategists are considering the idea of housing towers as slum redevelopment, which are tall structures designed to house slum people in contemporary environments. Although this concept might appear unusual, the transition from low-rise slums to tall high-rises poses significant concerns regarding safety, dignity, and social ties. Could the fundamental character of communities like Dharavi be undermined by this change?
Transitioning from Horizontal to Vertical: An Experimental Approach to Slum Growth
Housing towers are becoming a viable option for slum redevelopment producing inexpensive housing as space becomes increasingly scarce in urban areas. Rahul Mehrotra, a specialist in urban planning, claims that maintaining the social fabric in high-density places is more important than merely building more housing units. High-rise buildings that maximize land use could be advantageous in land-constrained cities like Delhi and Mumbai. However, this strategy may have disadvantages in slum communities, which rely on shared areas and links to one another to survive.
In the sterile hallways of apartment buildings, Dharavi, with its thriving industry, distinct social character, and sense of communal identity, may lose its natural connectivity. It is a place “built on relationships, where people rely on each other not just for survival but for identity,” according to local journalist Meena Menon. These bonds might be severed by the move to high-rise living, in the name of slum redevelopment which would replace tight-knit communities with remote apartments.
Jugaad in Action: Slum Life’s Ingenious Spirit
Jugaad, the Indian word for resourcefulness, is a survival skill as well as a cultural value. Jugaad has been employed by slum dwellers, especially in Dharavi, to get around infrastructural constraints by constructing homes, businesses, and workshops out of repurposed materials. Whether it’s turning trashed barrels into water storage or using leftover fabric as insulation, families improvise and create sustainable solutions within their limits.
However, there may be less room for jugaad in a housing tower. High-rise slum redevelopment structures inhibit community-led alterations, enforce rules, and limit flexibility. Is the energy that has kept these communities alive going to be stifled by uniform, structured spaces, or will housing towers continue to provide the flexibility for this kind of creative adaptation?
A Walk in Dharavi: Conversations with Locals
I made a stop during my trip to Mumbai to buy a jacket from a gentleman who had lived in Dharavi for about three decades. He explained how he had started his little business in this community from the ground up while he gently wrapped my item. He talked about the lively streets where neighbors help each other out in daily life as well as in business. He was a little worried when he said that he was afraid of moving to a housing tower and wondered if he would still feel the same warmth and companionship in a strange new setting.
Architectural Alternatives: Learning from B.V. Doshi’s Inclusive Housing Models
Renowned architect B.V. Doshi’s work offers a compelling alternative to the housing tower model. Doshi’s Aranya Community Housing in Indore, an award-winning project, showcases a sustainable approach to low-cost housing slum redevelopment that maintains communal interaction and individuality. Designed as a cluster of low-rise units with courtyards, Doshi’s model provides both privacy and shared spaces, allowing residents to personalize their homes while still feeling part of a community.
Doshi believed that housing should nurture a sense of belonging. His design philosophy focused on affordability without sacrificing humanity or social engagement. Each unit in Aranya is uniquely crafted, allowing residents to customize their spaces. This model could inspire slum redevelopment projects to consider alternatives that retain social connection while improving living conditions.
Doshi famously remarked, “A house should be a place that belongs to its people; it should not just be a shelter.” His remarks serve as a reminder that human needs must come before vertical expansion when it comes to housing options.
The Path Ahead: Community-Centric, Sustainable Development
Fundamental problems are raised by the housing tower debate: Is it possible to provide affordable homes without compromising the social identity of slum communities? Can the dynamic, flexible, and interdependent lifestyle found in locations like Dharavi be accommodated by high-rise living?
It is crucial to take into account the demands of the people who contribute to the growth and modernization of cities for a true slum redevelopment. Urban development needs to appreciate the importance of social and cultural cohesiveness in addition to physical architecture. Architects can contribute to the preservation of slums’ social character by incorporating open markets, communal areas, and shared courtyards into redevelopment designs. Human-centered designs must be given top priority in affordable housing programs, which should be modeled after successful case studies such as Doshi’s projects. Low-rise, sustainable solutions might provide a middle ground, permitting regeneration without alienation.
Conclusion: Rethinking Slum Redevelopment for a Humane Future
Slum redevelopment is reaching a turning point in its history. Although high-rise buildings offer an effective way to alleviate urban congestion, they also run the risk of weakening the social links that keep communities together. As we go, slum redevelopment should focus on integration rather than just displacement, making sure that inhabitants are part of a cohesive, resilient community. We may develop urban areas that respect history and advancement by taking inspiration from architects such as B.V. Doshi and applying sustainable design concepts. A community’s soul is just as important as its physical boundaries. The future of slum rehabilitation in Dharavi and elsewhere must preserve this spirit, making sure that we stay rooted in community, empathy, and connection even as we climb upward.
Citations & Credits:
- Books
Doshi, B.V. (2001). Housing and Urbanization: A Humane Approach. Ahmedabad: Vastu-Shilpa Foundation.
- Articles
- Menon, M. (2022). The Social Character of Dharavi: Lessons for Urban Planners. Journal of South Asian Urban Studies, Volume 23 (3), pp. 45-67.
- Shah, A. (2021). Housing for the Homeless or High-Rise Ghettos? Journal of Urban Studies, Volume 18 (1), pp. 78-89. Available at: www.societyforurbanstudies.com [Accessed: 02 November 2024].
- Onine Sources
- National Geographic. (2022). Inside Dharavi: Community Resilience Amid Urban Poverty. Available at: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/dharavi-resilience [Accessed: 02 November 2024].
- BBC News. (2023). Dharavi’s Future: Skyscrapers or Social Rupture? Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/dharavi-future [Accessed: 02 November 2024].
- The Guardian. (2023). Dharavi’s Vertical Transformation: Hope or Displacement? Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/dharavi-transformation [Accessed: 02 November 2024].
- Images/visual mediums
- Image 1: Unknown artist. (Year of production not specified). Slum Landscape. [Photograph]. (Available at: https://live.staticflickr.com/5577/14857222270_3c5c7b4d0b_b.jpg).
- Image 2: Unknown artist. (Year of production not specified). Slum Redevelopment Concept. [Digital Artwork]. (Available at: https://images.nightcafe.studio/jobs/OjpVbt2rLTkHK5ECaQJr/OjpVbt2rLTkHK5ECaQJr–1–85igi.jpg?tr=w-1600,c-at_max).
- Image 3: Unknown artist. (Year of production not specified). Slum Dwellings Overview. [Photograph]. (Available at: https://live.staticflickr.com/2948/15421162275_44324f474d_b.jpg).
- Image 4: Leewardists. (Year of production not specified). [Image]. (Available at: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRQ0BR4wImIYBEoc6xDDNLljQrtdB_BCkCePw&s).
- Image 5: Unknown artist. (Year of production not specified). Innovative Housing Solutions. [Photograph]. (Available at: https://architectureindevelopment.org/images/projects/401/3268/f1/4.png).
- Image 6: Unknown artist. (Year of production not specified). Daily Life in a Slum. [Photograph]. (Available at: https://safeandhealthytravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/14841695557_58eb5b7a6f_o-683×1024.jpg).
