REVIVING
The OLD HYDERABAD TEXTILE MILL LAND
FOR THE CITY
K.SRI HARI PRAMOD Roll no. : 1201085 VIII B , B.arch , SPA, JNAFAU 1
Contents SYNOPSIS • Motivation • Background • Introduction • Problem statement • Aim • Objectives • Scope and Limitations • Methodology • Related works • Bibliography PRELIMINARY STUDY • Mumbai mills redevelopment DESK STUDIES • Lowell National Historic park, Lowell. Massachusetts
Motivation:
As an architecture student, having dealt with many design problems of various scales, issues related to urban context always interested me. The way the cities are being transformed ; old and defunct structures being replaced with skyscrapers and commercial towers , ignoring the context and background of the land ; is something that bothers me . The infrastructure of old cities have value, in that they reveal the history through their physical forms. The existence of the old with the new, where both hold importance in the service they provide is what the charecteristic of cities like Hyderabad is. It is only the physical presence of these structures that conveys the history of the city, To completely wipe them off the fabric of the city would be like blanking off completely an important era of the history. So, I selected a defunct mill land in the centre of the city and would like to revive it for the city. I would like to take a holistic view of the available land and look it as an asset meant to be utilised for the fullest benefit for the city.
Background : The DBR (Dewan Bahadur Ramgopal) mills was one of Hyderabad’s landmarks for more than 80 years till 1992 with hundreds of employees working at the mills but later it incurred losses and for last two decades, it has been shut completely. Located in the heart of the city, several disputes have cropped up over the ownership of the land since then. DBR Mills’ land was leased by the Nizam for 99 years in 1920s and has been lying unused for over two decades. Nearly 500 workers who had lost their jobs following its abrupt closure have been demanding that the land be allotted to them as compensation, since the company did not pay them salaries for decades. Without any rehabilitation package, most skilled workers at the mill were forced to seek odd jobs and ended up being day labourers. Demanding payment of arrears of salaries and allowances for 20 years, workers DBR Mills threatened to occupy the land and erect hutments. On the contratry ,the government is actively considering taking over 24 acre of prime and raising Rs 1,000 crore from its sale. The government hopes to get a good response from bidders, interested in constructing commercial complexes or a star hotel at the site.
• Mill Ruins Park, Minneapolis, Minneasota • National craft Museum, Delhi CASE STUDIES • India United Mills 2 & 3, Byculla, Mumbai • Phoenix Mills, Lower Parel Mumbai 2
Introduction / Problem Statement The fact that the textile mills that are located in a very highly priced inner city property now, makes it subject to a number of economic and political forces. The ongoing development is in favor of high rise residences, elite class clubs and hotels without paying attention to the city’s issues. The question arises: who has the first claim to such lands. Is it the mill owners, who had been given countless concessions by the government to run their industries and who had surrendered their mills to government when they were unable to run? Or the workers / public, where up to 40% of people do not even have roof over its head? Or the public at large, who are in dire need of open spaces? As a solution to all these issues, the idea is to come up with a mix of building typologies that would serve all the target user groups ; as per the guidelines formulated from the pre-study that has been done.
Aim : The project aims at reviving the currently defucnt mill land by adaptively reusing it for the benifit of the people and the city.
Objectives :
To conduct a preliminary study on how the redevelopment of mill lands took place in different cases in the country. Analysing the history and context of the existing site and its surroundings. To formulate the design program holistically from the context analysis and inference from the preliminary study. To arrive at an optimum use mix that has a positive impact to the surroundings.
Scope :
The scope of the project includes the proposals for :
A textile museum and DBR Memorial An Urban Eco park Low cost housing for the poor.
Limitations : Legal feasibility / the land ownership is not a constraint Structural analysis of the existing structure is not carried out Cost is not a constraint
Methodology : 1. Literature review 1.1 Dictionary meanings of key words: Revive : give new strength or energy to Textile mill - a factory for making textiles Mixed-use development —any development, or even a single building, that blends a combination of residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, or industrial uses, where those functions are physically and functionally integrated Typology - a classification according to general type 1.2 Preliminary study 1. Case studies Live case studies and Desk studies of the required building typologies 2. Context analysis and public opinions Holistic study and analysis of the present conditions of the user group Enquiry based design process through public interviews 3. Design program formulation 4. Site analysis 5. Design solution.
Related works : Master thesis on mumbai mills redevelopment by Vinay surve Mumbai mills project - Design workshop 2005
References :
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/140811/nation-current-affairs/article/ dbr-mills-lying-closed-over-two-decades http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/between-life-and-thehard-place/article4316932.ece http://www.apherald.com/Politics/EmbedArticle/63728/KCR-eyes-primeDBR-mills-property-/ http://www.intbau.org/archive/Mumbai.htm
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PRELIMINARY STUDY LITERATURE
ADAPTIVE REUSE
Adaptive reuse refers to the process of reusing an old site or building for a purpose other than which it was built or designed for. Along with brownfield reclamation, adaptive reuse is seen by many as a key factor in land conservation and the reduction of urban sprawl. It can be regarded as a compromise between historic preservation and demolition.
MILL CONVERSION Mill Conversion or mill rehab is a form of adaptive reuse in which a historic mill or industrial factory building is restored or rehabilitated into another use, such as residential housing, retail shops, office, or a mix of these non-industrial elements (mixed-use).
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Mill to residential conversion Mill to museum conversion
Through the 20th Century, many mills carried on in a variety of industrial purposes, other than original intended use. Many were used for storage, or other small enterprises. Still, many more remained mostly vacant and underutilized through the middle part of the 20th Century, and even today. Many vacant mill buildings have become a target for vandalism, arson and contribute to urban blight in many communities. Beginning in the 1960s, there was a large public outcry throughout the United States for an increase in historic preservation, to stop the loss of historic structures that began during the 1950s with urban renewal projects in big cities and small towns across the nation. A similar movement occurred in Great Britain decades earlier. One result of this outcry was the establishment of the National Register of Historic Places in 1966, by the Federal Government. Since this time, more than one-million listings have been added to the National Register, on many types of structures and places across the country. While not a certain guarantee that a structure will never be demolished, the National Register provides owners with a tool to seek national and state tax credits, grants and other assistance that may enable the rehabilitation of the building.
Massachusetts Mills Apartments, Lowell
Slater Mill, Pawtucket
Mill to mixed-use conversion
Since the 1960s communities across the country have established Historic Districts and special by-laws in an attempt to preserve and prevent the destruction of properties deemed important to the context of history.
Historic tax credits
Clock Tower Place, Maynard
The property tax value of a restored mill it typically about ten times greater than the existing underutilized mill building, and there is also the added benefit of many construction jobs and other services during the renovation process. The intangible value of having a historic factory building preserved for future generations to enjoy, as well as the benefits to the community are often harder to calculate. The restored mill buildings often become the focal point of the community.
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DESK STUDY 1
Mills Ruin Park, Minneapolis Location :Minnea polis, USA.
Site area: 16 Acres Architect :
Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle, Ltd Completed in 2001
Architecture of Mill City Museum
Originally designed by Austrian engineer William de la Bane and declared the world’s largest flour mill after its completion in 1880, the structure housing Mill City Museum is a National Historic Landmark. Known as the Washburn A Mill, It was nearly destroyed by fire In 1991. After the City of Minneapolis, working through the Minneapolis Community Development Agency, cleaned up the rubble and fortified the mill’s charred walls, the Minnesota Historical Society announced plans to construct a milling museum and education center within the ruins. Faced with the challenge of preserving the ruins of this historically significant site while building a modern museum, the Society turned to Thomas Meyer, principal of Minneapolis architectural firm Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle, Ltd. Meyer developed a concept that melded the historic integrity of the mill structures with modem components. Construction on the museum began in March 2001. When possible, Meyer’s design has left intact many features of the original mill, Including flour bins, mIlling machinery, the engine house, rail corridor and a wheat house. He also has used limestone, brick, concrete and steel within the museum to emphasize its industrial origins. True -to -scale graphics of the milling machines are featured on the glass facade to give visitors an idea of how massive the milling operation was. The facade forms a reflective backdrop for the courtyard a 100 -by -100 foot outdoor area with weathered masonry walls, that was created by the 1991 fire. Ruins of the historic mill are showcased in the courtyard through significant excavation efforts.
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DESK STUDY 2
Lowell National Historical Park,
Massachusets.
Lowell National Historical Park is a National Historical Park of the United States located in Lowell, Massachusetts. Established in 1978 a few years after Lowell Heritage State Park, it is operated by the National Park Service and comprises a group of different sites in and around the city of Lowell related to the era of textile manufacturing in the city during the Industrial Revolution. The park includes a visitor center, as well as many restored and unrestored sites from the 19th century. The visitor center provides a free self-guided tour of the history of Lowell.
Boott Mills Site Plan
Boott Mill walk-through museum The Boott Mills along the Merrimack River, on the Eastern Canal, is the most fully restored manufacturing site in the district, and one of the oldest. The Boott Mill provides a walk-through museum with living recreations of the textile manufacturing process in the 19th century. A walkway along the river leads to several additional unrestored mill sites, providing views of restored and unrestored canal raceways once used by the mills. Additionally, the park includes the Patrick J Mogan Cultural Center, which focuses on the lives of Lowell’s many generations of immigrants. Other exhibits include a working streetcar line, canal boat tours exploring some of the city’s gatehouses and locks, and the River Transformed / Suffolk Mill Turbine Exhibit, which shows how water power, the Francis Turbine, ran Lowell’s textile factories.
One entire floor of the Boott Cotton Mills Museum shows visitors exactly how a working mill actually looks. The floor is called the “Weave Room,” and it is filled with industrial grade looms, running at top speed, allowing visitors to feel the buzz of a working mill. This is one of the largest industrial history exhibits in the nation, and it is probably one of the loudest – it’s not called the “roar of industry” for nothing! Videos and tour guides help guide visitors through the exhibit. Directly next to the Weave Room is the museum gift shop, filled with books, videos and other information about the Mills and the history of Lowell.
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Other similar cases in INDIA :
Mumbai Mills Project Background and History Bombay was initially a port city.
Its transformation from trading town to manufacturing centre began around the mid 1880’s. With this change, the textile industry gave Bombay an economic boost and Bombay was soon one of the most flourishing textile-based cities. For almost a century the city thrived on its textile industry, drawing crowds of migrants to the city.
The Downfall It continued to flourish till the mid-seventies, when the price of yarn and cloth
began to drop marking the beginning of its progressive collapse. The indefinite strike in 1982-83 was another factor that contributed to the weakening of the industry. The new textile policy in 1985 concurred with a sharp rise in the price of land and inversely a dip in mill profits. Some mills genuinely wanted to sell out part of their land and put its proceeds for modernization.With real estate prices sky high, many mill owners wanted to sell off their land and several more workers were left unemployed. Crippled by strikes and mis-management the textile mills that were once ‘Bombay’s industrial backbone’ slowly began to shut down.
DCR 58
When textile mills were fully operational, they were excluded from reservations for public amenities. According to an exgovernment planner, there was no reason to believe they would shut down and hence these lands were regarded as industrial zones alone. But a few years later, with technological changes and economic restrictions many of the mills were declared ‘sick’ and it was hard for mill owners to pay thousands of workers unless they were allowed to sell their assets. As a result, in 1990, DCR 58 (Development Control Regulation) came into existence. DCR 58 allowed the mill owners to sell part of their land. For the first time Mill owners were allowed “change of user” from Industrial to Residential / commercial on the condition that they use the resultant funds for the revival of the mills. They were allowed to sell only 15 percent of the mill land and use the resources to modernize the mills.
1991 - DCR 58, born as a rule for redevelopmenttowards-rehabilitation (of a sick mill), twothirds of the plot should be handed over to the Bombay Municipal Corporation(BMC) for civic amenities and MHADA for public housing, giving the mill-owner compensatory FSI and TDR on the remainder land to be used in suburbs. Effect - A few mills redevelop within existing structures on DCR 58 stipulations to develop only 15% of the land to clear workers dues and renew mill machinery. But the owners violate DCR 58 by neglecting the up gradation of mill machinery. The owners act enforces stay on further development. 1996: To solve the issue, state appoints a study group headed by planner Charles Correa to suggest a comprehensive usage plan for defunct mill lands. Effect: Denied visits by private mill-owners, group only studies NTC mills and submits a holistic redevelopment proposal. The government puts report in cold storage. 2001: The ban on redevelopment is lifted and amends the three-way land sharing clause to only‘open land’ in a mill complex.
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DEVELOPMENT CONTROL REGULATIONS (DCR) FOR MILL LANDS
(I) Lands of sick and / or closed cotton textile mills.-With the previous approval of the Commissioner to a layout prepared for development or redevelopment of the entire open land and built-up area of a sick and/or closed cotton textile mill and on such conditions deemed appropriate and specified by him and as a part of a package of measures recommended by the Board of Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR) for the revival/rehabilitation of a potentially viable sick and/or closed mill, the Commissioner may allow:(a) The existing built-up areas to be utilized(i) For the same cotton textile or related user subject to observance of all other Regulations; (ii) For diversified industrial user in accordance with the industrial location policy, with office space only ancillary to and required for such users, subject to and observance of all other Regulations; (iii) For commercial purposes, as permitted under these Regulations; (b) Open lands and balance FSI shall be used as in the Table :-
Redevelopment plans proposed by the study group are based on the following factors – Transport
Establish important connector roads. Improved pedestrian movement.
Urban Form
Indentify heritage structures on mill sites. Preserve and recycle them as studios for artists, workplaces for fashion designers, computer software engineers etc. Creation of a new center in the heart of the city, with its own distinctive character, vitality and ambience. Establish key design guidelines regarding the urban Form. Development of larger footprints for economical & energy-efficient construction. Use of building facades to help define streetscapes.
Open Spaces
Open spaces of different sizes to allow variety of uses. Pedestrian plazas Covered shopping arcades alongside major roads. Land for public open spaces could be used for other social facilities like schools, clinics or community centers depending upon the needs of the neighborhood.
Employment generation
Generation of semi-skilled employment similar to that provided by existing mills. Development of new high-tech, non-polluting industries like computers and garment industry. Large number of household jobs would be created with the development of high-end residential zones in place of former mills in private sector.
Housing
Land taken over by MHADA could be used to develop low income housing, reconstruction of dilapidated buildings or redevelopment of slums.
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Present context:
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