The Homegrown Street: Making of Afzar Ali’s House
UPDATED: A photo essay narrating the experience of making the model of Afzar Ali’s house in Sangam Gully Dharavi. A G+3 structure designed by Giriraj, a contractor from Dharavi
Weaving our way through Zari workshops
In the third part of this series, we explored the elaborate process that goes into embroidery (locally known as zari work).
The Making of Leather Goods
In the second part of this series, we explore two leather workshops near the 90 feet road in Dharavi, to understand where and how all processes in the creation of leather products are carried out.
Hyperlocal: Travelling without moving
This text explores some reflections Andreas Ruby started to develop when participating in the workshop "Limites x Limites", organised by Aidec and ConstructLab, which questioned the uses and design of a future park in Geneva's iconic neighbourhood "Jonction".
A day's work at Kumbharwada
In a new series, we re-explore the homegrown streets of Dharavi in search of local arts and crafts. First in the series- Dharavi's famous Kumbharwada
Yehuda Safran - Internationalism in Architecture
Philosopher and long-time urbz mentor, Yehuda Safran visited us at our Geneva office. He spoke at length about internationalism, abstraction and architecture in the context of Geneva. Here is a transcript of the conversation.
Creating Everyday Environments
In conclusion to the study on placemaking in urban villages, we speculate some possible interventions that could enhance everyday environments.
What if Dharavi disappears?
This article explores situations that may emerge if Dharavi ceases to exist.
Spatial synergies in urban villages
In continuation to the last article on place making in an urban village, we explore Diwale goan to understand various collaborations.
Multifunctional Buildings of Sangam Gully
Study of the multifunctionality of houses in Sangam Gully through visuals
Place making in an urban village
We explore place-making in an urban village in Navi Mumbai- Diwale gaon.
Made in Dharavi : A digital scheme for SME’s
Digitalization can transform how SMEs operate in Dharavi. Made in Dharavi is a digital application that will support small-scale businesses in Dharavi to make them locally productive and globally connected.
Porteous - from squat to cooperative
urbz is helping a cultural squat to formalize it's relationship to the city of Geneva
A Shared Vision for the ICRC in Geneva
urbz is working with the employees, directorate and assembly of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Red Cross/Red Crescent Museum to imagine the future of their HQ
Cool City Sécheron
An ongoing project on the ecological transition and how it can foster quality public spaces
Sangam Gully - After the first lockdown
After the relaxation of the lockdown, our interns worked on the Homegrown street project. This article presents their work and experience.
Local economies and digitalization
SMEs are the key drivers of economic growth in the country and they need to start selling online in order to scale up and receive the true wage and value for their products. This presents a unique opportunity for local businesses in Dharavi to tap into the digital market to sell their products and grow with the existing social and business community.
Anthropology as Urban Practice: Notes from Mumbai’s Sangam Gully
urbz founders Rahul Srivastava and Matias Echanove reflect on community-driven placemaking in the Indian metropolis.
2=20
'2=20' is the compiled graphic story of the Vithal Bhaskar Chawl series. It takes you through a journey from the history
of the chawl to its redevelopment.
Epilogue : Vibrant Neighborhoods
We have come to an end with our series on Makers of Homegrown cities and the Vithal Bhaskar graphic novel. This post presents one finale to both.
Vitthal Bhaskar Chawl - The Interns
In the latest issue, we take a trip with urbz interns as they visit the Vithal Bhaskar site.
Homegrown settlements of Cape Town
In this article, we travel to Cape Town in the western capes of South Africa. The homegrown settlements in Cape town have emerged from occupations of underutilized buildings and vacant lands in peripheries of the city. ‘Occupations’ in Cape Town act as points of contact and interaction between homegrown communities, grassroots housing movements, and the city’s planning institutions.
New Horizons
How can social and digital empowerment fuel positive growth for Dharavi's SMEs?
Vithal Bhaskar Chawl - Breaking Ground
In issue 8 of the Vithal Bhaskar graphic novel, we are tearing things down and building them again!
Salvage City - New from Old
urbz is invited to host a workshop at Archipelago: Architectures for the Multiverse, a bilingual and hybrid event taking place in Geneva on May 6-8. We explore the city as a collection of fragmented left-over spaces, which need to be reassembled and given new meaning.
Katchi Abadis of Karachi
In this article, we go across the border to Orangi, a town in the western district of Karachi, Pakistan, a city that was once part of the colonial Bombay Presidency. Bombay and Karachi used to be referred to as twin cities. In this article, we will look at the Katchi Abadis of Orangi, where residents have built not only their homes but also streets, lanes, and sanitation systems for the neighborhood.
What another lockdown means for Dharavi
A year after the first lockdown, in light of the second, deadlier Covid-19 wave, we talk to residents of Dharavi to understand how it is impacting them.
Vithal Bhaskar Chawl - Back to work
In Issue 7 we take a look at how the team resumed work after a long pause.
Spatial dimension of businesses in Dharavi
Dharavi is a prime real estate location due to its closeness to public transport systems, business districts, as well as ecological hotspots. The proximity of living quarters to where individuals work, often from within households, brings both benefits and challenges to households and businesses.
Basti of Karail
We continue across the border to Karail, a basti (neighbourhood) in Dhaka, Bangladesh to understand homegrown settlements and their formation.
Onex-Centre Plan
urbz is working with the Municipality of Onex in Geneva, putting together a participatory process to evaluate and contribute to a master plan aiming at improving the quality of life, providing new housing and
Project Lari
An international design-build competition to re-imagine street carts in India
Entekochi Urban Design Competition
Remember the Urban Typhoon workshops in Kochi? These workshops were part of the EnteKochi citylab. We are now back with the Entekochi competition. This is a national level Urban Design Competition, aiming to
Covid-19 in Dharavi
Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 urbz has been researching its effect on the people of Dharavi.
Homegrown Street
We are taking the Design Comes as We Build project to the next level - the Homegrown Street!
Habitat 100: A chawl redevelopment project
We are excited to be working on a new architectural project in Dharavi Koliwada. Our friend, collaborator, and contractor Joseph Koli, approached us to work on his latest project - the redevelopment of a chawl
Project Étoile
urbz has been mandated by the State of Geneva to develop a concept and program that integrates living, working and culture for a 60,000 m2 mixed used development in the city’s new downtown.
Réaménagement des rues Pré-du-Marché et du Clos-de-Bulle
Un projet participatif pour repenser l’avenir du périmètre Pré-du-Marché et Clos-de-Bulle.
Handstorm in Dharavi
Our annual Handstorm workshops in Dharavi with the "Engineers for Social Impact" from NYU Abu Dhabi generate incremental innovations that improve the quality of life in this massive settlement
Urban Typhoon Kochi, June 4-9, 2019
June 4-9, 2019
The Urban Typhoon workshop in Kochi is open to all citizens and visitors interested in working in urban areas and are willing to engage with communities participation. Together we will explore
Riponne-Tunnel
urbz is carrying a 18 month long participatory process to redefine the two largest public squares in Lausanne (Switzerland). / urbz conduit une démarche participative de 18 mois visant à réimaginer les deux
Koliwada Charcha
The exhibition Koliwada Charcha is an attempt at understanding the essence of Dharavi Koliwada's architectural and visual language.
Point-du-Jour
Public consultation for a densification project in Geneva / Démarche de concertation pour un projet de densification au Petit-Saconnex, Genève.
Circulatory Urbanism
For the past 5 years, urbz has been following families who's lives are spread between Mumbai and their ancestral villages in the Konkan (Western India).
Make in Dharavi
This series of interviews portrays the economic life of Dharavi in Mumbai through the activities of its inhabitants.
Proyecto Escape - Cazuca
Collaborative process between communities led by Proyecto Escape and supported by different local and international organisations
Proyecto Manila
Building a Community center by understanding social dynamics and participatory planning in a homegrown neighborhood in Bogota
Ecoparc Meyrin
Concertation pour faire émerger un nouveau concept d’EcoParc pour la zone industrielle de Meyrin.
Mashup workshops
The mashup workshops take many different forms and happen in all kinds of places. They take specific neighbourhoods as sources of inspiration and unleash a maximum of creativity onto them!
Homegrown cities
This experiment in affordable housing led to the co-designing and construction of a small house in Shivaji Nagar, in Govandi. A neighbourhood in Mumbai that is struggling against all odds to keep growing and
The Design Comes as We Build
urbz invited local builders from Dharavi to design the best possible house they could imagine. These designs were translated into physical models by artisans.
Homegrown Things
We produced everyday-life objects based on the specific needs of residents and the skills available in the Shivaji Nagar area in Mumbai.
Khotachiwadi
urbz has been involved with the heritage precinct of Khotachiwadi for nearly a decade. We have organized many events workshops there and produced a strategic plan for the area among other things.
Cultura Fertilis
Étude d’opportunité pour un équipement culture d'importance majeur à future place de l'Étoie (PAV).
Opportunity study for a major cultural center in the planned neighbourhood of PAV in Geneva.
No Future
As part of the Future Architecture Platform, urbz was part of a series of exhibitions and lectures at the MAXXI in Rome, the House of Architecture in Graz, Oris House of Architecture in Zagreb and the Future of
Place, Work, Folk
Place, Work, Folk is a fortnightly column in The Hindu Sunday Magazine by Matias Echanove and Rahul Srivastava, which is inspired by Patrick Geddes and analyzes current urban issues in India and beyond.
Coeur Rousseau
Notre concept pour ce concours est basé sur la transformation de La Rade en une infrastructure pour l’expression citoyenne et l’appropriation publique, inspiré par les idées genevoises sur la liberté et la
Bareilly Street
Studies, workshops, street exhibition and plans towards making a small square in Dharavi children friendly
36h Workshop plage Eaux-Vives
urbz a invité les citoyens invité à imaginer la Plage des Eaux Vives. Les idées ont été présentées sur 100 cartes postales.
Breaking Ground
A 5 day long workshop in Geneva which produced strategies for gradual urban densification.
Vers des chantier furtifs
Enquête de terrain pour améliorer l’expérience des usagers durant les travaux de construction en ville, avec COLAS SA et le laboratoire de sociologie urbaine (LaSUR), EPFL.
Field research on how to improve the
Breaking Ground
Stratégies pour la densification participatives et graduelle des zones villas à Genève.
Strategies for the incremental and participatory densification of residential suburbs in Geneva.
Urban Typhoon
Urban Typhoon is a 5 days long workshop taking place working with local associations to generate programmes and plans for the improvement or preservation of neighbourhoods.