In the context of India’s housing crisis and the marginalisation of migrant workers, this article examines the perceived inaction of architects and their potential to address social housing problems. It looks at the architectural community’s relationship with capital and the limitations of bureaucracy. The article proposes a multifaceted approach to collaboration via open-source design platforms, the establishment of a ‘trusted consultant’ database, and direct involvement in public causes, which it advocates as a means by which architects should move their activities from marginal and isolated endeavours to a collective charge for spatial justice and equitable housing solutions.
Introduction to India’s Housing Crisis
Housing is a basic need for people, but this is a crisis in cities in India where slums are growing while skyscrapers for the rich are coming up. These migrant workers are the backbone of India’s industrial and service sectors, but they suffer from this inequality. This has been a stark sight, for instance, in Anand Vihar during the COVID-19 lockdown. (Bora 2014) Though they are responsible for a large part of the economy, they are housed in overcrowded, unsanitary jhuggi-jhopri clusters in urban centres like Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.
Rapid urbanisation, weak policy frameworks, and speculative real estate development induce the housing crisis. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has estimated that the urban housing deficit is about 18.78 million units, with more than 95% of this deficit incurred by low-income groups. This difference reveals the importance of finding new approaches that focus on the issues of affordability and accessibility.
The Perceived Silence of Architects
The architectural profession’s supposed silence on social housing can be attributed to several factors. Cuff (2023) notes the profession’s battle between the public and private realm and the public and private realm between the profession and capital. Architects prefer to work on projects that are financed by accumulated capital or to dream and design utopian visions within the academic and competition contexts. Also, the NBC and the FAR guidelines have restricted the ability of architects to push for fair and equitable urban development policies. Furthermore, the privatisation of land and the commodification of housing have reduced architects’ role in policy-making as delegates.
Architects are usually left out of urban planning processes that result in housing policies that are not suitable for the urban poor This lack of representation of the architectural profession in bureaucratic urban planning discussions is seen to make them appear lazy. However, this absence does not let architects off the hook. The problem is how to make the most of their professional knowledge to meet the needs of the marginalised while working within the framework of the existing system.
Strategies for Engagement
Architects are in a position to design context-appropriate, low-cost homes. They can work with communities and policy-makers to ensure that innovative design addresses issues of social justice. Other projects, such as the Aranya Low-Cost Housing project in Indore, designed by Balkrishna Doshi, show how architect-led solutions that are inclusive and sustainable are possible.
“We need to put our effort into a lot of small things rather than all of us wanting to build one or two masterpieces. We have to stop thinking big and go back to the idea that small is beautiful.” Laurie Baker. (Vineet Radhakrishnan 2015)
1. Sharing Resources and Establishing Commons:
Following the ‘small is beautiful’ principle of Laurie Baker, architects can develop a sharing economy for social housing designs. This digital library would function like a debugging process, where collaborative modelling and iterative refinement would be possible. Thus, architects can contribute their knowledge and expertise to challenge the hegemony of capital and design context-specific solutions for migrant housing.
2. Creating a Database for Collaboration:
Younger architects do not have all the information they need because of the competitive nature of the industry when it comes to seeking reliable consultants and contractors. To address this, a vetted database of professionals could be created to help bridge this gap of trust within the community. This initiative would help streamline the process of identifying reputable collaborators and prevent exploitative practices.
3. Addressing a Public Cause:
Architects must move beyond the client’s design interests and engage in activities that aim to meet the housing needs of migrant workers. It may include site analysis, community engagement and advocacy for policy changes.
4. Engaging in Policy Advocacy:
Architects can work with urban planners, policy-makers, and NGOs to push for better housing policies that are inclusive. Architects can play a role in contributing to policy drafts, zoning regulations and land-use planning to create a more equitable urban landscape. The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) projects in Mumbai are also testimony to the fact that architect-driven interventions are possible in informal settlements, even though they are far from perfect.
5. Educational Reforms and Awareness Campaigns:
This means that architectural education needs to change so that future architects are made to feel socially responsible. Thus, future architects can be made ready to face the housing crisis by incorporating courses on affordable housing, community engagement, and sustainable urban planning in institutions. It is also possible to change people’s attitudes through public awareness campaigns and make them support equitable housing initiatives.
The Path Forward
Spatial justice cannot be achieved without depoliticizing urban development and involving architects in policy-making processes. (Hagbert, Wangel, and Broms 2020) This calls for creating an environment in which architects, urban planners, policy-makers and community leaders can jointly develop equitable urban environments. Architects must focus on the needs of the marginalized populations, by promoting socially responsible design strategies and supporting policy-making that promotes equity.
Using open-source tools for housing design, building a network of trusted consultants, and getting involved in public issues will help to remove the current barriers that prevent architects from being involved in policy-making. Also, the integration of technological advancements and sustainable materials during the design process will help in developing solutions that are sustainable and cost-effective.
In the end, this change from the individualistic approach to the collective one is necessary for the creation of a better and more inclusive future of the urban environment. Thus, architects can again become the agents of spatial justice and contribute significantly to the transformation of the housing sector in India by collaborating and innovating.
References:
Bora, Ram Singh. 2014. ‘Migrant Informal Workers: A Study of Delhi and Satellite Towns’. Modern Economy 5 (5): 562–79. https://doi.org/10.4236/me.2014.55053.
Cuff, Dana. 2023. Architectures of Spatial Justice. MIT Press.
Hagbert, Pernilla, Josefin Wangel, and Loove Broms. 2020. ‘Exploring the Potential for Just Urban Transformations in Light of Eco-Modernist Imaginaries of Sustainability’. Urban Planning 5 (November): 204–16. https://doi.org/10.17645/up.v5i4.3302
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (2017). Report on Urban Housing Shortage. Government of India.
Vineet Radhakrishnan, dir. 2015. Laurie Baker Full Movie Featurette for ‘Uncommon Sense: The Life & Architecture of Laurie Baker’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6ni3aFraXE.
