Homegrown Cities Back to The Future
Introduction
Latin America and India share a common history of experimentation in slum-upgrading and incremental housing strategies. The ideas of F. C. Turner, who was informed by years of work in Lima, in particular, have inspired some of the most progressive schemes and projects in Mumbai and other parts of India. This essay reviews the history of social housing in Mumbai. It then describes the theory behind URBZ’s “Homegrown Cities” project. It locates it within the larger context of Turner’s ideas and projects by Indian architects such as B.V. Doshi and Charles Correa.
The Legacy of F. C. Turner
James F. C. Turner, a British-born architect who worked in Lima in the 1960s, spent much of his professional life looking at the way people provided for their own housing needs, using their know-how and locally available resources. He wanted to find out how planners and architects could support these processes, rather than impose their own technocratic and context-insensitive “solutions” from the outside. Turner’s work on housing in the 1960s and 1970s has seen him described as the most influential post-war writer on housing in the developing world. He was awarded the Right Livelihood Award in 1988 for “championing the rights of people to build, manage and sustain their own shelter and communities”.
Turner’s ideas were particularly influential in the context of Lima, where he worked on projects that aimed to support self-help housing and neighborhood building. His work in Peru involved surveying informal settlements, negotiating with settlers, and developing systems of standardized construction components and methods for settlers to use. Turner’s approach emphasized the importance of local knowledge and the capacity of communities to build and manage their own housing.
The Context of Social Housing in Mumbai
Mumbai, like many cities in the developing world, has a long history of social housing initiatives. However, many of these initiatives have failed to meet the needs of the city’s growing population. Government-led schemes and incentives to the private sector have often resulted in the displacement of communities and the construction of monofunctional housing blocks that lack basic amenities. The “slum” label, often affixed to informal settlements in Mumbai, has perpetuated a negative image and led to a lack of support and planning for these areas.
In contrast to these top-down approaches, URBZ’s “Homegrown Cities” project seeks to work within the existing fabric of Mumbai’s informal settlements. The project aims to demonstrate that commonsensical alternatives to “redevelopment” do exist. By working closely with local actors, including residents and masons, URBZ aims to improve construction techniques and promote the creation of cooperative housing societies that can take an active role in managing and planning the area.
The Homegrown Cities Project
The “Homegrown Cities” project, led by URBZ, is an innovative approach to urban development that emphasizes local participation and incremental improvement. The project is based on the belief that decision-making and initiatives on housing-related issues are better left at the local level. This approach is particularly relevant in the context of Mumbai, where government-led schemes have often failed to provide both quantity and quality when it comes to affordable housing.
URBZ has been active in parts of Mumbai that are often labeled as “slums” but are, in fact, vibrant and dynamic neighborhoods. For example, Bhandup, a hillside settlement in the northeastern suburbs of Mumbai, is referred to by URBZ as a “homegrown neighborhood”. The project aims to support the efforts of local residents and builders to improve their living conditions.
The project’s departure point is modest but ambitious. URBZ aims to build a house, together with its future users and a local mason. Once completed, the house will be sold at the same price as any other small house in the area. The goal is to repeat this process until a critical number of houses have been built, innovating and learning along the way. One of the many things URBZ has in mind is the creation of a fund that would allow new houses to be put on lease, providing access to housing for those with no access to capital.
The Role of Local Actors
The success of the “Homegrown Cities” project depends on the active participation of local actors, including residents, masons, and contractors. URBZ has developed partnerships with local contractors in various neighborhoods, such as Shivaji Nagar in Deonar and Sai Vihar in Bhandup. These partnerships are crucial for the project’s success, as they ensure that the construction process is rooted in local knowledge and expertise.
Local masons and contractors play a key role in the project. They are constantly working on tens of thousands of small homes all over Mumbai city. They build afresh, demolish old structures, repair, strengthen, and generally help in improving the settlements as much as they can. By working closely with these local actors, URBZ aims to support and enhance the ongoing processes of self-construction and improvement in Mumbai’s informal settlements.
The Importance of Incremental Improvement
The “Homegrown Cities” project emphasizes the importance of incremental improvement in housing and urban development. Housing is seen as a process rather than a product. The value of this process lies in the relationship and interaction between the actors, their activities, and the produced house. This approach allows for continuous learning and adaptation, ensuring that the housing solutions developed are contextually appropriate and sustainable.
Incremental improvement is particularly relevant in the context of Mumbai’s informal settlements, where resources are often limited. By focusing on small-scale, incremental improvements, the project aims to make the most of the available resources and ensure that the needs of the community are met. This approach also allows for greater flexibility and adaptability, as the housing solutions can be adjusted over time to meet changing needs.
The Potential for Scaling Up
While the “Homegrown Cities” project is currently focused on a small number of neighborhoods in Mumbai, the potential for scaling up is significant. The project’s hybrid model, which relies on local market dynamics and the solidarity of the “crowd,” could be applied to other neighborhoods and cities. By demonstrating the validity of this approach through a pilot project, URBZ aims to bring global exposure to local actors and contexts, and vice versa.
The project’s success could also inspire other cities to adopt similar approaches to housing and urban development. By emphasizing local participation, incremental improvement, and the importance of context, the “Homegrown Cities” project offers a sustainable and inclusive alternative to traditional top-down approaches. This approach could help to address some of the shortcomings of previous housing schemes and ensure that the needs of the community are met.
Conclusion
The “Homegrown Cities” project, led by URBZ, offers a promising alternative to traditional approaches to housing and urban development in Mumbai. By emphasizing local participation, incremental improvement, and the importance of context, the project aims to support the ongoing processes of self-construction and improvement in the city’s informal settlements. The project’s success depends on the active participation of local actors, including residents, masons, and contractors. By working closely with these actors, URBZ aims to develop sustainable and inclusive housing solutions that meet the needs of the community.
The “Homegrown Cities” project is inspired by the ideas of F. C. Turner, who emphasized the importance of supporting local housing processes rather than imposing external solutions. The project also builds on the work of Indian architects such as B.V. Doshi and Charles Correa, who have long advocated for contextually appropriate and inclusive approaches to housing. By combining these ideas with local knowledge and expertise, the “Homegrown Cities” project offers a sustainable and inclusive path to urban development.
For more information on the “Homegrown Cities” project, please visit the URBZ website or their Indiegogo campaign page. You can also follow the project on Facebook and Twitter to stay updated on their latest developments.