REDEVELOP DHARAVI ? ASIA'S LARGEST SLUM

MUMBAI'S SHADOW CITY Dharavi, the teeming slum of one million souls, where as many as 18,000 people crowd into a single acre (0.4 hectares). Dharavi has an active informal economy in which numerous household enterprises employ many of the slum residents. It exports goods around the world. Leather, textiles and pottery products are among the goods made inside Dharavi by the slum residents. The total annual turnover has been estimated at over US$500 million. Dharavi has severe problems with public health, due to the scarcity of toilet facilities, due in turn to the fact that most housing and 90% of the commercial units in Dharavi are illegal.

AT THE HEART OF DHARAV ARE 20,000 MINI - FACTORIES Dharavi, at the centre of Mumbai, is a world in itself, a treasure of skilled labourers that the outside world is largely unaware of. 1. Dharavi has an annual economy of over USD 650 million 2. It has a population of around 600,000 people 3. 60% of the families have lived there for 60 years 4. In the 18th century Dharavi was an island 5. Many businesses in Dharavi generate million dollar incomes 6. Products made in Dharavi are sourced and sold globally (NY, Europe, SE Asia etc) 7. Dharavi is a major tourism location in Mumbai and a big chunk of junior film artists come from Dharavi.

REDEVELOPMENT TRAP On paper, the plan looks beautiful. But people in Dharavi are not convinced. They believe the plan has not understood the nature and real value of Dharavi and its residents. It has only considered the value of the land and decided it is too valuable to be wasted on poor people. The new form of living in a 20-story high-rise will force them to pay more each month, since the maintenance costs of high-rises exceed what residents currently spend on housing. These costs become unbearable when people earn just enough to survive in a big city. Even worse, this new, imposed lifestyle will kill all the enterprises that flourish today in Dharavi. Currently, people live and work in the same space.

LIFESTYLE RESEARCH The people in Dharavi are poor, but not out of their own choice. Though there may be twenty-one people crammed into one house, they can afford a television. Though there may be rats, dirt, and uncleanliness all around, they still sit down to watch TV. It is very possible the people in Dharavi only live the way they do because they know no better. Better health education would probably do wonders. The government has plans to redevelop Dharavi, in order to make it seem as if it is actively trying to do something about the slums, and in order to improve India’s image. However, as the next section suggests, redevelopment is probably not the best route of action. The people in Dharavi do not want their hard-built community to be redeveloped, to be forced to move somewhere else.

LIFESTYLE RESEARCH Far from benefiting Mumbai, redevelopment would snatch jobs from a huge amount of people, forcing them to move elsewhere. The residents have signed themselves off from the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, which plans new housing and businesses in the area and offers Dharavi residents houses that are less than 400 sq ft.

REDEVELOPMENT RESEARCH For most redevelopment projects, it is crucial to understand what communities require. Rather than having a generic redevelopment proposal, you need to have a closer look at what is essential for individual communities and housing colonies. Do your children have space to play in Dharavi? Do you need tall buildings? What would you love to have? These are the sort of questions a Dharavi resident should be asked. It can happen only if people are valued more than real estate.

INFORMATIONAL GRAPHIC IDEA To highlight the industries in Dharavi in order to educate the public about the pros of Dharavi. An informational graphic will also highlight the cons of the current redevelopment plan. It will further help to redesign the plan according to the industries based in Dharavi. Important features : 1.Space 2.Types of industries 3.Employment 4.Income

INSPIRATIONS

PROCESS

COLORS AND PATTERNS

ELEMENTS TO BE CONSIDERED 15,000 single-room factories Important industries Economy Income Population and employment IndustriesEconomyEmployment

TYPES OF INDUSTRIES Agricultural Products Textile Household industry Stone/ Construction Hotels/ Restaurants Recycling Leatherworks Jewelry Timber Service Electrical

DATA CONSIDERED

CIRCULAR TIMELINE FORMAT

SITE REFERENCES and-hope.html?_r=0 and-hope.html?_r= economic.html economic.html stm stm

FINAL LAYOUT