Urban design is a field of architecture and design that focuses on creating meaningful spaces within cities and towns that are inclusive, safe, aesthetically pleasing and sustainable.
India is a diverse and developing country, there is massive scope for community-oriented urban design. Community housing projects are one such example, where safe, low-cost, and affordable housing spaces are designed specifically for marginalised communities within society. These include examples such as Aranya Housing in Indore, Belapur Housing in Mumbai and ATIRA Housing in Ahmedabad, which are textbook definitions of the same.
This article will explore the effect of one such community housing, including the impact it has on the occupants and the overall urban design of the space.
Sanjay Nagar Slum Redevelopment Project – CDA
Sanjay Nagar slum redevelopment is located in Mumbai. About 298 families are living across 2 acres. The Community Design Agency (CDA) undertook the redesign, in partnership with various NGOs. The first phase of the project consisted of 33 homes. The second phase consists of 265 homes.
Philosophy
The families initially living in this slum were people affected by leprosy, who were ousted by the general population and thus had to take up living on the outskirts of the city. The interpersonal bonds between the community here are very high and were taken into consideration during the designing process. The CDA described it as a “participatory design process” where the input of the members of each family was taken into consideration while designing their houses. On the whole, since the families have very strong social ties with each other, they prioritised connection and openness to promote interaction, thus achieving one of the primary goals of community-oriented urban design, ie to engage the community being designed for, and create better livable spaces for them.
Individual Housing Unit Design
Since the residents prioritised social interaction, the design of the housing units has an open plan with courtyards in the centre, encouraging both community interaction, but also practically, providing light and ventilation within the house. These well-designed spaces are a big step from the tin-roof dwellings that the families stayed in initially. The housing units are modular but allow for flexibility of spaces depending on each family’s needs. A lot of the families also owned livestock and pets, so provision for that has also been made in the design. The courtyards thus become multi-functional spaces, adapting to the nature of the activity and the people occupying it at the time.
The interiors of the houses are again designed by the respective families, based on their needs.
Construction Features and Aesthetics
The main housing units were constructed out of fly ash bricks, partly by the residents. The roof is a plank and joist system.
In terms of aesthetics, one of the most striking features of the living quarters is the bamboo screen jaalis. Split bamboo is arranged in a criss-cross manner within a steel frame and adorns the corridors at intervals, providing for an interesting play of light and shadow.
In addition to this, the windows are highlighted with a frame, painted in yellow, that adds a pop of colour against the white background.
Houses are also provided with balconies and the railings of these are also painted with bright colours adding some aspect of playfulness.
Impact on Community
One of the major goals of the people within this community was to create better spaces for their children. And they believed that having a well-designed space which is also safe was the first step to making their vision a reality. Having a good amount of openness and social interaction was another thing that was very important to them, and is also achieved through design. In this case, the design first and foremost, listens to the requirements of its user group, which is its objective. It thus, provides for a better quality of life to the people residing in these houses.
The overall community involvement in the construction process also, not only influences the built output positively but also makes the people being built for, feel seen and heard. Their involvement in the project makes it personal, and the stakeholders then actually care about what is being built and increase their involvement in all stages of the process. It turns out to be a positive experience for all the people involved.
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, urban design intends to create spaces that are safe, inclusive, meaningful and sustainable. All of these four points are achieved for this project. The positive impact on the community, as mentioned throughout, is very high. But there is also an impact on the overall urban fabric of the space. The occupied space was initially water-logged up to knee height and was infested with weeds. But it has now transformed into a space that is vibrant, brimming with life and will continue to influence people for generations. That is the impact of design.
References:
Hana Abdel (26th May 2022). Sanjay Nagar Slum Redevelopment Project / Community Design Agency. [online]. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/982534/sanjaynagar-slum-rehabilitation-project-community-design-agency [Accessed Date: 5th June 2025]
Diya Koshy George (7th April 2022) How Sanjaynagar slum residents designed a vibrant housing community. [online]. Available at: https://yourstory.com/socialstory/2022/04/housing-sustainability-slum-community [Accessed Date: 9th May 2022]
Cajsa Carlson (2nd May 2022) CDA creates community housing for India’s Sanjaynagar slum. [online]. Available at: https://www.dezeen.com/2022/05/02/cda-homes-sanjaynagar-slum-local-residents-india/ [Accessed Date: 5th May 2022]
