“Unique and robust strategy based on a sound and astonishingly mature in situ analysis” – Holcim Awards Jury

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    Project entry 2008 Asia Pacific - "Realizing solutions for the redevelopment of Dharavi, Mumbai, India": Transformation scenario.

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    Project entry 2008 Asia Pacific - "Realizing solutions for the redevelopment of Dharavi, Mumbai, India": Hindu area.

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    Holcim Awards "Next Generation" 2008 2nd prize winners (l-r): Lukas Schwind and Jens Kaercher, both students, Berlin, Germany and authors of  “Realizing solutions for the redevelopment of Dharavi, Mumbai, India”.

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    Holcim Awards "Next Generation" 2008 2nd prize winners (l-r): project authors Jens Kaercher and Lukas Schwind congratulated by jury member Wowo Ding for “Realizing solutions for the redevelopment of Dharavi, Mumbai, India”.

This project deals with informal settlements in Dharavi north of Mumbai, the biggest slum in Asia covering an area of approximately 220ha and housing some 600,000 inhabitants. Due to the exponential growth of Mumbai, the informal settlements at Dharavi shall be cleared and transformed into modern business and housing districts. Therefore it was intended to sell the land in its current state, leaving the new owners to invest in infrastructure and buildings, and implying the relocation of the current inhabitants and their businesses. This project aims at an inverse approach by paying respect to the existing social fabric. 

Last updated: June 05, 2008 Dharavi, Mumbai, India

First, the public shall invest in the infrastructure such as sanitation, electricity, roads and public transport and then each neighborhood will be rehabilitated within its ancestral location and at the expense of the present dwellers, protect the current residents from the need to relocate. This project has been commended due to its unique and robust strategy which is based on a sound and astonishingly mature in situ analysis.