Contents: 1. Project introduction
1. Abstract
2. Area of concern
3. Project definition
4. Hypothesis
5. Introduction of chawls
6. Role of urban designer
7. Explorations in the project
3. Site information and understanding
1. Location and existing connections
2. Setting up of B.D.D. Chawls
3. Existing layers
02
06
4. Site analysis 10
1. Analysis of the built form
2. Analysis of the social fabric
3. Conclusion
5. Critical position 18 6. Proposed design strategies
19
7. Proposed master plan
1. Proposed layers
2. Proposed typologies
8. Demonstration area
23
9. Conclusion 26
1. Guidelines
2. Mechanism
3. Model photographs
10. References 36
2. Project introduction 2.1 Abstract:
Metropolitan cities in India are growing at a phenomenal rate, most of which is haphazard and un-
planned and neglecting future environmental and social impacts. Recent development is geared towards economic gains for the few and lacks to acknowledge the existing social relationships in between people and between people and space. Scarcity of land in metropolitan cities has led to commercial exploitation of the built form. New typology of high rise have failed to acknowledge the community and social spaces and thereby destroying the existing social fabric of the city. With such pattern of growth, cities tend to become monotonous without any specificity of the place. No strong coherent urban form emerges out of such development. It completely destroys the existing social networks in the city and thus the identity. Traditional settlements in the city have fallen prey to this phenomenon as well. This development is pushing the traditional dwellers out and new people are moving in. Thus, creating a social divide which is purely class based. Urban fabric of the city is changing drastically. Social order and dynamics of place making have become less important than transportation, economics, profit which is shaping our cities.
Chawls against backdrop of high rise development Source: www. skyscrapercity.com
Current redevelopment scenario Source: www. skyscrapercity.com
2.2 Area of concern:
But, transformation is inevitable to meet the growing needs of the city. So the question lies here is not
about the nostalgia or about romanticising the past, but about looking at the future which seems uncertain with current development model. To demonstrate what the social fabric in the city is like, chawls offer an unique window into, culture, society and history of the island city. The built form is not only an object of historical and cultural interest, but an essential ingredient to the intangible social fabric of the city. With vacant land being non-existent, the demolition of the chawls is going to redefine the skyline of south and central Mumbai. The chawls make up around 16,000 structures, located in the heart of Mumbai. Constructed by mill owners and private builders to house the growing community of migrants who gave the city its cosmopolitan flavour, the overcrowded chawl became the quintessential icon of the working-class dwelling. Chawls have been alternately disparaged and romanticized, on one end viewed as jam packed and unsanitary on the other as multicultural enclaves that nurture community life. Chawl culture has essentially grown on aspects like communal binding, interaction and sharing amongst the residents. This model is evolved as basis for sustainable lifestyle and community living along with typical low cost architecture that was initiated in mid twentieth century. However 2
existing chawls are often left to decay until they need to be redeveloped, making way for cinder block apartments. With city’s changing lifestyles and rapid turnaround in the building industry there is negligence towards maintaining this unique lifestyle observed in the chawls .There is a complete ignorance towards developing housing neighbourhoods as a community living space. These trends of modern living is pushing the “chawl culture” towards extinction and resulting in depletion of an important hybrid housing typology of the society. Chawls are an ideal typology to the most of the critical needs of Mumbai – scarcity of land, high population density, mass affordable housing etc. Though many have argued that chawls have become obsolete, they continue to serve a valuable purpose in the cramped housing circumstances of Mumbai. Even if the mill worker is an obsolete icon of the 20th century, it has served as the backbone of the economy for the growth of the island for almost an entire century. The success of sustainable living of communities in chawls lies in the social interaction and sharing which has been imbibed over a period of time. The community can be preserved if the redevelopment proposal considers the identified physical built environments. These can act as parameters on which the design can be established and allow to keep the chawl culture alive. With efforts the idea of social sustainability in chawls can be carried forward, without disturbing its fundamental nature of the communal lifestyle.
Chawls in Parel (Source: Rupali Gupte)
Typical chawl neighbourhood (Source: www.anarchytect.com)
Mumbai is a thriving modern metropolis exploding with exponential growth where space is a luxury.
With fast modernization and new lifestyles, families who still living in dilapidated buildings are relocated in high rise towers while their chawls are cleared to make way for new residential or commercial structures. The ignorance of tenants and the developers towards salvaging the essence of chawls as a community living space is pushing the chawls and in turn “chawl culture” towards extinction. It can be noted that the chawl dwellers have an uncommon attachment towards the built space they occupy. Adarkar also mentions that some areas in the chawls were breeding ground for social and cultural integration. The various common areas especially the central courtyards and the common balconies become epicentre of communal activities and recreation. Whilst replacing the chawls with new high-rises there is a lack of understanding of this relationship between the user and the built environment. Hence analysis of the chawl culture developing on the basis of this social and communal integration becomes important. Various constrain and inhabitable spaces built as a mass scale and low cost alternative need to be analyzed for their influence on the overall development of chawls and its unique sustainable lifestyle. 3
Social interactions in chawls (Source: Adarkar, Neera : The chawls of Mumbai)
The chawls no doubt had numerous problems. They were necessarily designed for males and ignored
women. They also perpetuated caste divides. In fact, they played a role through their form and through their social organization in reconstitution of caste and patriarchy in an urban industrial ethos. The alternatives however have been neither sufficient not much better. While the new units may boast a marginal addition of space and individual toilets, the residents will lose out on the support of community space such as courtyards, galleries etc. the builder led redevelopment of old building does not provide any substantial improvement over the earlier chawl life. The alternatives often worse than the existing accommodation, are also unaffordable because of much higher monthly maintenance charges. The problem of mass housing for labourers remains unresolved even now.
2.3 Project definition:
The current trend of development in Mumbai is anchored around the economic model and hence
resulting in an inappropriate model of developments which serves only the elite and wealthy class of people. There exists a need to intervene in this process of development which involves socio- cultural and spatial needs of the existing residents and this forms a network which binds the community together and at the same time allows certain degree of change to occur towards the better lifestyle. Hence there exists a need to derive a method of redevelopment of these old areas which is socially appropriate as well along with economics of development. The intent is not about nostalgia or about romanticising the past or completely changing the fabric for development, but to achieve a balance which can be accommodated to enhance the lives of inhabitants. Transformation is inevitable, but how do we make it sensitive enough to cater to diverse needs of the society.
2.4 Hypothesis: Accepting the fact that redevelopment is unavoidable of these areas, the project will look into the parameters responsible for redevelopment. The thesis would be an attempt to demonstrate a systematic and sensitive approach to redevelopment with an intent to retain the existing social and cultural patterns and hence the identity of the place. Thus, the core issue addressed will be retaining the character and socially sustainable model of neighbourhood in the face of various methods of redevelopment.
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2.5 Introduction to chawls: Mumbai formally known as Bombay was comprised of seven islands with people living in small settlements and earned their living from the land and sea. Mumbai was later ruled over by the Portuguese and British who allowed development which demanded more space. Over the time more land was created by reclaiming and connecting the seven islands. Several building typologies were built for the citizens and amongst them was the ‘Chawls’- originally built for migrant male workers. The chawls were predominantly located in the inner part of the city. These mass scaled rented houses gained popularity in Mumbai during the late 19th and 20thcenturies as the textile industries were thriving in the city. The textile mills set up a need for mass affordable housing to cater migrant’s influx. Originally wadis - pieces of land were developed into building clusters which would occupy several households with one owner who collected rent. To house the masses of workers, chawls were suitable answer which provided a room as an apartment and had other facilities shared like toilets. The lifestyle developed in and around chawls started gaining its own pattern of living which was later termed as “Chawl culture”. The culture essentially revolves around the concepts of living together, sharing things which were personal and understanding neighbours in deprived spaces of inappropriate proportions. The chawl culture although set up in a low income group, has been maintaining a dignified and a safe living environment The chawls and its culture has obtained an uncommon binding with certain parts of the city and has reflected this bond through literature, theatre and Indian cinemas revolving around Mumbai. Hence analysis of the chawl culture developing on the basis of this social and communal integration becomes important. Various constrain and inhabitable spaces built as a mass scale and low cost alternative need to be analyzed for their influence on the overall development of chawls and its unique sustainable lifestyle.
2.6 Role of an urban designer Urban designer should be able to translate the needs of the society into physical solutions through the forms of flexible and variable buildings, landscape and cities that would cater to the ideals of the time and the needs of society. We must design areas with a vision of prospective development of the area as well life of the people and the binding social structure. The role of urban design in this case would be to formulate intervention strategies which would allow people to upgrade their lifestyles without overpowering the existing socio – cultural relationships which is the identity of the place.
2.7 Explorations •What strategy do we follow to ensure that the social qualities of the space are not lost in transformation and still allow people to upgrade their lifestyles? •What is the spirit of the place that should be preserved as the identity while the other aspects can change? •Can we achieve a balance between old and new development, between market forces and socio cultural aspirations to achieve a harmonious redevelopment model? •How do we make such a development model which takes into consideration even the socio – cultural aspects, still economically viable?
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3. Site information and understanding: 3.1 Location and existing condition:
Location of BDD chawls in Mumbai
Area level connections ( Major roadways and railway lines)
BDD chawls is located in Worli, Mumbai. This part of the city was pre dominantly occupied by textile mills in early 1900s and correspondingly chawl neighbourhoods were built to accomodate mill workers and migrants. BDD chawls cover an area of 24 hectares approximately with total population of 26,400.
Photograph of GMB road ( Source - Author)
Photograph of BDD Chawls ( Source - Author)
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3.2 Setting up of BDD chawls:
Sketch of BDD chawls (Source : Ar. Rupali Gupte)
Photographs of BDD chawls (Source : Author)
The 121 odd thick walled buildings known as the BDD Chawls built in 1920 in Worli, stand out in
Mumbai’s jumbled landscape of habitats. The combination of well planned and organized buildings, arranged around a handful of small open spaces that nevertheless have all the typical signs of an economically marginal neighbourhood. The BDD Chawls are part of a family of colonies that were conceived with the setting up of the Bombay Development Department. The BDD chawls represent a colonial vision of working class needs – symbolized by the barrack like rooms along corridors that end with common toilets. The BDD chawls are managed by the Public Works department which has been trying to engage the residents in dialogue about the future of the neighbourhood. However, these discussions tend to be politicized and monetized as much here as in any other part of the city. What is striking about BDD chawls is its proximity to offices and commercial establishments that can also be harnessed into these discussions to make the neighbourhoods future a collective endeavour in which the city pays attention to it.
Section through BDD chawls (Source - Author)
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3.3 Surrounding transformation scenario:
Current transformation scenario (Source : www.skyscrapercity.com)
Existing section through BDD chawls
Land use plan in 1981
Land use plan in 2011
Industrial land and chawl neighbourhoods are rapidly transforming to make way for new swanky resi-
dences and offices. With such pattern of growth, cities tend to become monotonous without any specificity of the place. Social order and dynamics of place making have become less important than transportation, economics, profit which is shaping our cities. Population density increased from 315 PPH in 1981 to 435 PPH in 2011. 8
3.4 Existing site layers:
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4 Site Analysis: 4.1 Analysis of built form:
Analysis of surrounding built form: The mill lands were transformed into mixed use, high end commercial and residential development. As the mill lands were opened for development, they were developed in isolation, individually on each plot. A comprehensive master plan as an integrated development was clearly missing leading to very high density (living and floating) without adequate amenities and infrastructure. Population : 521056 + 120000 (floating population) Density : 425 PPH 10
RESIDENTIAL TYPOLOGY: Some of the mill lands were
redeveloped
high
end
into
residential
apartments. This typology was typically high rise typology with .central service core and aprtments around
RESIDENTIAL TYPOLOGY: Redevelopment
of
the
dilapidated buildings involved two parts: sale building and rehabilitation building
COMMERCIAL TYPOLOGY: The commercial building typology which developed on mill lands was also typically high rise with multilevel parking on lower floors and offices above
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Analysis of BDD chawl built form:
BDD built these 121 chawl buildings with sufficiently large amount of open spaces since it was a con-
ceived as a master planning project. All of these buildings are 5 storey structures linearly arranged over entire site. The open spaces that are left for the user follow a certain hierarchy from cluster level to neighbourhood level to city level. Site area which was divided into various smaller plots is well integrated with the city through primary and secondary roads. 12
The scale of open space between two
blocks which was envisaged to maintain clean and hygienic environment, is just apt to allow people to use it as a social space that binds the community and also not allowing the users to vandalise it It forms the predominant pedestrian path to move around the neighbourhood. Corridor formed the first level public space immediately after the dwelling unit which further opened into a 15m wide open space. Each unit measures 160sqft and houses 6-8 members of each family presently. To overcome this acute shortage of space, most of the tenements have added projected floor area of upto 1.2m deep. Each tenement have also converted the mori to
Typical cluster unit
bathroom to reduce dependency on common washrooms. It is because of such typology that this open space becomes such an important space for social interaction and community binding. It is the space where the culture of chawls thrives. Population - 34,525 Density - 750 PPH Typical household unit
Chawl typology
Chawl typology exhibits the typical colonial vision of baracks on a central corridor with common toi-
lets and bathing areas at the end. BDD abstracted the concept of courtyard housing at a much larger scale. The typology was changed to linear type. The ‘C’ cluster was also changed to linear manner. This modernist approach though an alien concept proved effective to the given situation for time-being. Floor space of each tenement becomes totally private space which only caters to basic needs to habitants. Hence rest all activities are pushed into semi private realm on daily basis which also imparts character to public domain of the place.
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4.2 Analysis of social fabric:
New occupation of BDD chawl residents
New commercial activities
Offices: Typologically, it has one or two service core and floor area spread around it over multiple levels.
Household industries: Some people started household industries like stickers, craft items, leather items, footwear, food services which typically were accomodated with in the dwelling units of the chawl.
Informal activities:
Formal shops:
A considerable number of people are engaged in vari- As an alternative to working in mills, chawl dwellers ous informal activities like tea shops, flower shops, started their own shops to sell items of daily necessivegetable markets, fish market, pen shop etc.
ties, STD booths, courier services etc. These shops occupied area of about 10 -15 sq.m. each.
Analysis Considerable population still works in manufacturing and entrepreneur sector, but gradually shifting towards service sector. Commercial activities started as an no way out option after mills were shut, hence lack proper support.
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The social infrastructure is the inherent identity of the place which has been built over several years. Existing social infrastructure
Temples or shrines: Residents of these blocks usually form a ‘mandal’ which carries out all the cultural and social functions and thus impart an unique identity to the place.
Libraries, Newspaper reading joints, Gymnasiums etc: The residents have appropriated the space and have built all the required amenities for recreation with in the their area itself which includes gymnasiums, libraries, indoor sports club, etc. Education amenities: The area has sufficient educational amenities both primary and secondary, enough for the chawl population.
Inference: These social infrastructure can be upgraded such that it maintains the identity of the place and cater to the needs of new population.
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This area enjoys a sufficiently large amount of open space which is gated. These open spaces are the positive social spaces on which the culture Existing open space structure:
of this area thrives. Open space between the blocks : Open space between the blocks though provided solely for hygiene served as a positive social space to define the cluster. Neighbourhood level open space Next level of open spaces were neighbourhood
level,
predomi-
nantly used for gatherings and sports activities and defines the neighbourhood
Area level open space : These open spaces are used for city level gatherings and public meetings. These spaces are defined by the group of social infrastructure surrounding it.
Inference: While looking at the transformation as a comprehensive development, the open spaces in this area shall be uapgraded through better connectivity and accessibility.
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4.3 Conclusion:
Identification of the shift and logics of change Surrounding transformation: Through analysis of the chawls and the surrounding transformation, it is evident that the lifestyle has changed and shifted to a new system. Traditional live and work relationship has changed.
Shift in occupation: Shift in the economic activities is evident from working in mills to working in service sector and own enterprise.
Change in typology: When the lifestyle and occupation has changed, the surrounding built form shall be responsive to it. As chawls do not have a very strong aesthetic value, these can be razed and transformed into a new structure that acknowledges this logic of change. 17
5. Critical position
Traditional relationship : Isolated, Unidirectional, Single function, segeregated living and working areas
Current relationship: Multiple use, Both ways directional, changing occupation
Future relationship: Urban catalyst, Respond to the change, Adapt to the shift, Transformation, Keeping collective memory intact.
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6. Design strategies 6.1 Open space strategy
Hierachy and logic of open spaces:
Creating more open spaces:
Collective memory of the place is imbibed in this hier-
Creating more open spaces to serve the higher den-
archy and scale of open spaces which allow the users
sity of population in the area. City level open spaces
to appropriate these spaces for various social activities
located on primary street so that it is easily acces-
and interactions, thus forming the culture and identity
sible by the city and integrate with the city.
of the place
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6.2 Mobility and accessibility strategy:
Providing public transport nodes on primary streets to integrate with the city
Secondary streets as pre dominant pedestrian streets.
Introduction of public transport nodes on primary streets to integrate the precinct with rest of the city as a physical connectivity through public transport.
Open spaces between blocks to be used as pedestrian movement pattern
Junctions of open spaces, primary streets and secondary streets to be designed as nodes as entrance gestures
Open spaces are integrated with movement network which is the inherent memory of the place. Hence the open spaces are designed with providing social spaces for movement as the primary criteria.
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6.3 Building use strategy: Various commercial activities which is the new occupation of the people is accommodated as per the street hierarchy. Retail activities are located on primary streets, informal acitivities on pedestrian street and household industries on tertiary streets.
Location of various commercial activities as per street hierarchy
Social amenities upgraded to mixed use development
Social amenities are upgraded to serve the higher density of population after redevelopment. These structures are mixed use of social Social amenities around city level open space and primary streets
amenities and commercial activities to utilise the entire FSI. 21
6.4 Built form strategy: FSI is consumed in a way that the exisitng living conditions can be upgraded as well as there is certain incentive FSI to sell to fund the project. Existing housing units to be upgraded with larger areas and individual service areas.
Existing social amenities
Upgraded social amenities
Existing residential builtform
Proposed residential built form
Existing chawl typology
Proposed chawl typology
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7 Proposed master plan:
The proposed master plan essentially organizes various new typologies for commercial activities,
residences and social amenities in consideration to hierarchy of street network and structure of open spaces. Each typology responds to its edge condition based on its location and usage. Each types of open space is sensitively looked into while designing it edge condition, location and accessibility. All of the existing residents shalll be accommodated in the same place with better living conditions. Master plan in sensitive to the pattern of growth as per real estate forces and the changing lifestyle of the users not only on site but also in the vicinity.
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7.2 Proposed layers:
Proposed figure ground
Proposed building use
Proposed street hierarchy
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7.3 Proposed typologies:
Mixed use typology 1 - Social amenities + Commercial
Mixed use typology 2 - Residential + Retail commercial
Mixed use typology 3 - Residential + Retail + Informal commercial
Mixed use typology 4 - Residential + Household industries
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8. Demonstration area:
Proposed sections
26
Existing scenario
Proposed scenario
Cluster level open space
27
Street level view
Neighbourhood level open space
City level open space
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9. Guidelines: 9.1 Movement pattern guidelines:
Pedestrian movement within the cluster shall happen
Social amenities shall be accessed through pedes-
through cluster level open space and building blocks
trian access from primary street and city level open
adjoining it shall be entered through same open
space.
space.
Public transport node on primary street shall be ad- Neighbourhood level open spaces shall be accessed dressed with a shopping plaza as a gesture for arrival. through pedestrian routes from cluster level open space.
9.2 Open space guidelines:
City level open spaces shall be directly accessible from Edge condition of the open space shall be formed primary street to integrate with the city. Entry shall be by a low height compund wall which can be used for marked with a canopy and open space in front.
seating on street side and continuous facade of four storeys where social amenities are proposed. 29
Neighbourhood level open space shall remain ac- Neighbourhood level open space shall be minimum 15% cessible from cluster level open spaces.
of block area and 30m wide minimum. The enclosure of this open space shall be formed by a uniform facade of four storeys.
Cluster level open spaces shall remain accessible Cluster level open space shall be 15m wide minimum from streets directly and form access to adjoining and the enclosure shall be formed by uniform three stobuilding blocks.
rey facade
9.3 Built form guidelines:
Built vs open ratio shall be 40:60
Setback for a building block shall depend on its typology. Typology which combines retail and informal commercial activities shall have total setback of 7.5m minimum
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Typology which provides household industries shall Typology which provides retail commercial shall have have setback of 6m minimum from street.
setback of 4.5m minimum from street.
New typology shall provide a public realm which can be Mass of new built form shall provide terraces at every a street or an interaction space at 2nd or 3rd floor level 2nd or 3rd level as interaction spaces. These terraces shall be overlooking each other and be visually connected.
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Summary of the project:
Mechanism:
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9.4 Model photographs: Existing site model
33
Proposed site model
34
Demonstration model
35
10. References: •
Adarkar, N. (2011). Chawls of Mumbai:Galleries of life. Imprint one: Gurgaon.
•
Alexander, C. (1977). Pattern Language. Oxford: Oxford university press.
•
Certeau, Michel de (1984). The Practice of Everyday Life. Berkely: University of California Press
•
David Harvey, The Political Economy of Public Space; davidharvey.org/media/public.pdf
•
Dwivedi Sharda Mehrotra Rahul. (1995). Bombay:the cities within. Mumbai: India book house.
•
J, Habraken. N. (1998). The structure of the ordinary : form and control in the built environment. Ed.
by Jonathan Teicher. Cambridge: MIT press.
•
Habraken, N.J, Supports: An alternative to Mass Housing(1972), The Architectural press, London
•
Lefebvre, H. (1991). Production of space. Victoria: Blackwell publishing.
•
Trancik Roger. Finding lost space Theories of Urban Design (1986) Van nostrand Reinhold .
Unpublished thesis: •
Bagwe, Vedang . Redevelopment of city core - case of Girgaum chawl, Mumbai. School of architec
ture, CEPT 2011
•
Samant Prashant. Urban Transformation Scenario in Native Core of Mumbai. School of architecture,
CEPT 2007
•
Desai Hemangini. Study of chawls School of architecture, CEPT 1976
•
Vyas Divyaprakash. Comprehensive development strategy for mill lands in Mumbai. School of archi
tecture, CEPT 2007
•
Trivedi Avani . Study of the living conditions of chawl. School of architecture, CEPT 1978
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