Rahul Srivastava is a co-founder of urbz and The Institute of Urbanology. He studied social and urban anthropology in Mumbai, Delhi and Cambridge (UK). His previous publications include an ethnography of urbanized nomads around Mumbai, a novel published by Puffin, (Penguin, India) and 'The Slum Outside', a commentary on Dharavi, co-written with Matias Echanove and published by Strelka Press. He continues to write extensively on urban issues with Matias, with their next major publication signed up with Verso, London. He brings his background in anthropology and visual ethnography to urbanology, the practice that energises much of urbz's work in Mumbai and elsewhere.
Articles
To Make Housing Affordable, Keep it Local
The official target of producing millions of quality homes for all can be re-imagined, as one in which the process of construction itself becomes a transformative moment.
Homegrown Things
Conceptualised by designers in collaboration with users and local artisans, the Handstorm workshop takes objects used in everyday life and gives them a spin to be more functional to the users.
Dharavi: Reclaim Growth
Many people involved in urban issues in Mumbai (and elsewhere) have tried their hand at making the definitive proposal for Dharavi. Read more about ours in collaboration with sP+a
What lies beneath: Shivaji Nagar's liquid underground
People who developed their own engineering skills without the help of any formal education to come up with a floating neighbourhood.
The Future of Khotachiwadi
An urban village trying to safeguard its heritage value in the sprawling metropolis.
Circulatory Urbanism: The misunderstood paradigm
The biggest growth in urbanisation is not taking place in the metropolis but in small towns that are networked with villages.
Mumbai-Ratnagiri Express
Many families live in between two households: one in the village and another in the city.
Young, Urban, Mobile
What do young Mumbaikars have to say about their family's rootedness to villages on the Konkan?
Konkan Dairies; Traditions that move
Dry hard data on circulatory migration in India hides vibrant, lively stories.