Tent City, Autonomous Zones, and Prefigurative Politics in the United States
Continuing our series on examples of homegrown neighbourhoods and impulses from the United States- an inspiring story of the Tent city movement lead by activist Mel King.
Is Climate Change Man Made?
The second blog in the series on Gendered Mobility and Climate Action discusses the methodology and approach we used to conduct the research.
Gendered Mobility and Climate Action
An introduction to the effect of gendered travel behaviour on carbon emissions.
Legitimising the Self-Built
On how self-built structures in cities claim legitimacy bit by bit - A comparison between Mumbai and Philadelphia
Hospitality - a fundamental principle
On why we should consider Hospitality as a fundamental principle in urban planning and design
Marginality, Climate Crisis, and the Right to the City: The future of participatory urbanism in the US
In a global context, populations marginalized because of race, class, gender, creed, etc. are those most incessantly stripped of this right to design the city in their own image within formalized constraints. In this way, the “informal” urban process of self-construction is inherently a product of this same marginality that excludes these groups from “formalized” city-making.
Communidade and a transforming Goa- impact of tourism
An inquiry into how traditional institutional structures are stressed by the tourist industry.
Comunidades: Foundations for a Sustainable Habitat?
This post provides a historical overview to further understand Goa’s complex rural-urban systems. The aim of this series is to develop a vision for its future that builds on a close reading of its past and engaging actively with its present.
Khotachiwadi Calling
urbz would like to invite everyone who is interested in learning about and taking action to address the current situation in Khotachiwadi. We will go over the previous studies and reports once more and speak about how we can take simple measures to reconsider the recommendations made in prior reports, as well as fresh recommendations from residents and experts.
Men of Steel
A look into the collective intelligence of Khetwadi’s steel artisans.
Beyond the Urban-Rural Binary: France, Italy and Goa
This is the second part of the Goa- Beyond the Urban-Rural Binary which explores how Goa represents a distinctive pattern of urbanization, representing the coevolution of its countryside and urban centres.
The View Out
Metal enclosures within Homegrown Developments of Dharavi
Diffusion: From Local to the Global
We are hosting a discussion on locally-led adaptation at the Gobeshona Global Conference 2 organised by ICCCAD.
3 X 3
Understanding spatial optimization for commercial spaces in homegrown neighborhoods.
The Way Up
Vertical Accessibility within Homegrown Developments of Dharavi
Goa - Beyond the Urban-Rural Binary
The first of two posts looking at how Goa represents a distinctive pattern of urbanization, representing a coevolution of its countryside and urban centers.
Ranwar - Mumbai's Homegrown Urban Village
A preliminary exploration of Ranwar village, Bandra, one more example of the diverse habitats and typologies that make up the metropolis.
Tokyo - Mess is More
Long dismissed as an urban mess, a weird by-product of Japan’s fantastic rise to economic prominence in the postwar period, Tokyo is gaining renewed attention as a model of urban development and management.
Mess is More: Beyond modernism
There is more to mess than meets the eye. What seems disorderly at first sight is often order in disguise.
India and Jugaad: The Design Comes As We Build
This essay discusses urbz' "The Design Comes As We Build" project which recognizes local builders in homegrown settlements by providing them a space to showcase their design imagination. You can access it here.
Comparing 19th century Berlin with 21st century Dharavi
The housing conditions in Dharavi have some striking similarities with the late 19th century working-class neighbourhoods in Berlin.
Laxmi Baug, Dharavi - The Stillness Within
Exploring a neighbourhood with many surprises
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.
urbz Paris: Visual narratives for participatory urbanism
urbz combines ethnographic participation with visual storytelling to accompany, facilitate, or initiate urban planning, heritage, and transformation projects.
Dharavi works
Dharavi works is a series of projects designed in Mumbai by urbz in partnership with local inhabitants and contractors.
ICRC Campus
urbz is working on a comprehensive plan for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) HQ in Geneva. About 1200 people work in Geneva and another 20,000 work in over 100 conflict zones around the world
Homegrown Street
We are taking the Design Comes as We Build project to the next level - the Homegrown Street!
Gendered Mobility and Climate Action
This project is undertaken under the C40 Women For Climate mentorship program, Mumbai in collaboration with the Government of Maharashtra. The Mentee, Vidisha Dhar, is supported by Lubaina Rangwala (WRI), urbz
Participatory process Onex-Centre
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.