“Dharavi Ground Up”: A Dwellers-focused Design Tool for Upgrading Living Space in Dharavi, Mumbai (India)

Dr. Marie-France Chevron, Department of Social Sciences, University of Vienna

Project manager:

Dharavi, a central area within the megacity Mumbai and probably the largest informal settlement of Asia consists of about 80 “Nagars”. In these maximum density neighbourhoods ("Nagars") people from different backgrounds are living together under poor hygienic conditions. In 1971, Dharavi was declared a slum by the government of Maharahstra and since then, the Slum Rehabilitation Authority has initiated numerous redevelopment projects. But the high-rise buildings which have been built ignore the vital connection between home and workplace neglecting community spaces and references to the traditional housing culture of India.

The research focuses on the solutions of spatial organization developed by the inhabitants. To take this as a starting point for a permanent improvement of their living conditions is a main part of the analysis. The investigation of the social fabric and the spatial situation should reveal how the built structures ("hardware") reflect the social structures ("software").

Case studies in three different Nagars will show the coherences of the social, economic and architectonic changes during the last decades.
The outcome of this interdisciplinary cooperation between Indian and Austrian scientists and the combination of research methods in sociology, architecture and urban morphology will result in a body of acquired knowledge of the selected Nagars and the habitat demands of the inhabitants. Based on this a development strategy for the upgrading of Dharavi and a guideline („design tool“) for a careful and socially responsible structural transformation of the district shall be designed. For a sustainable improvement this transformation has to meet the dwellers’ present needs as well as giving leeway to future developments.

Research objectives
The over-all goal is to provide the needed knowledge and to develop means of action for an upgrading, a restoration and an improvement of urban and social environment (housing and working conditions) in Dharavi:
1) Gathering background knowledge on the connection between social patterns and building typologies (a survey and analysis is based on three selected Nagars): The investigation of the social fabric and built environment is expected to demonstrate how e built structures and social structures interact.
2) Analysis of the processes of change: Mutations of building typologies and coherent urban units will be studied identifying the underlying parameters (e.g. economic changes, social variances, new building materials)
3) A consideration of a climate-friendly architecture using field reports from regional architectural tradition of India (spatial organisation, construction, building materials)
4) Development of design guidelines ("design tools"): Based on the generated knowledge a descriptive brochure for the stakeholders will be presented which
a) illustrates the existing relationship between constructed habitat and the way of life of the inhabitants,
b) shows which structural and spatial relationships and elements are essential and invariant, which restrict changes and which allow transformation,
c) makes improvement suggestions for a revaluation of the district, taking account of a) and b) and offers design models in the context of an open, viable and socially beneficial building structure.

Purpose of the Project
Based on the analysis of the urban and social environment and several case studies within three different Nagars, a general understanding of the interaction between built structures and social structures in Dharavi will be generated. The project aim is to provide an extensive knowledge as foundation for a development strategy for the upgrading of Dharavi.
As a final result, a guideline („design tool“) for a careful and socially responsible structural transformation of the district will be conceived.