Urban Housing Studio Study Tour to Mumbai
Feb 7, 2023
NIA conducted a Urban Housing Studio study tour from 7th to 12th February 2023 to provide students with hands-on learning experience and a better understanding of the evolution of housing typologies in Mumbai.
On the first day of the tour, students visited the School of Environment & Architecture, where they were briefed about the current scenario and evolution of informal settlements in Mumbai. The speakers, Ar. Rupali, Ar. Rohit Majumdar and Ar. Prasad Shetty, provided valuable insights into the history of housing in the city. The students visited some of the famous chawls in Worli Lower Parel, including Haribaug chawl & a few others to have a better understanding of the life thriving in these settlements. They visited the Worli Koliwada and witnessed the beautiful sunset showcasing the Bandra-Worli sea link on one side and the skyline of Mumbai on the other.
On the second day, students visited the Kubharwada in Dharavi, which is considered one of the largest slums in Asia. The aim was to document daily life there and to observe the maximum utilization of space. The students made a conscious effort to understand the challenges faced by the residents living in these areas. The students continued their walk towards Maharashtra Nature Park, which gave them a glimpse of life in Dharavi. The day ended with a fruitful discussion among the students and faculty members regarding their observations.
The tour provided students with a unique learning experience that goes beyond the classroom and exposed them to a range of housing typologies. They were encouraged to interact with people from different communities, observe and document the daily life of residents living in these areas thus enabling them to gain valuable insights into the social, cultural and economic aspects of urban housing in Mumbai.
Nitte Institute of Architecture has been organizing study tours to ensure that the students develop an understanding of the built environment and learn to create sustainable, inclusive and accessible housing for all. 20 students along with faculty members Ar. Prajosh Kumar, Ar. Arul Paul, Ar. Jacob Thomas participated in the study tour.
