In this article, published in The Architectural Review, Matias Echanove and Rahul Srivastava discuss the significance of local builders and contractors in preserving the functionality of the neighbourhood. It takes a simple shift in perspective to uncover the driving forces behind the vibrant growth of homegrown settlements such as Dharavi. 

In a lane off the bustling 90 Feet Road in Dharavi, there is a tiny studio dedicated to all types of screen printing. Laxmi and Mani are an unlikely duo that expertly handle the screenprinting needs of customers across the city. They talk to us about a lifetime spent in the industry. 

While residents may live here and work elsewhere, this neighbourhood also shows a high level of its own economic activities.

Some interesting collages from the urbz mashup at Festarch in Italy. 

Exploring the visual anatomy of Dharavi's fishing village.

Over the last few months, we at urbz have been talking about interventions to engage with the ecological and economic aspects of the mangroves. So we went on an expedition to explore the mangroves near Dharavi.

Issue 3 is out now! We open Pandora's box to discover the residents concerns.

Studies, workshops, street exhibition and plans towards making a small square in Dharavi children friendly

As part of the ABCD project, street lighting emerged as an urgent need for the residents of Dharavi Koliwada. A need that was addressed through a year-long collaboration between urbz, the Dharavi Koli Jamat, local electricians and residents. Read about how the process unfolded and what comes next. 

This compilation of prose and poetry emerges from the most incredible time I spent in Dharavi working with urbz Mumbai.