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Kossman Design

Thesis Reviews

2016 Winner

Janahvi Ramakrishnan

Janahvi Ramakrishnan was named the winner of the 2016 Kossman Design Thesis Reviews for her project titled “A Slum and a City.”

Mumbai’s vision for a world-class city is being realized at the cost of communities that once nurtured its growth. Should “world-class” models be limited to urban infrastructure? What would a world-class model for slum-redevelopment look like? Can Mumbai set an example?

Janahvi Ramakrishnan

In the financial capital of India known as Mumbai, close to 60% of the population reside in slum areas. The city is witnessing a pressing need for “world-class” infrastructure and planning strategies that would require upgrading slums from the present 60% to less than 15% of its current population. In the heat of this discussion is Dharavi, a popular community located centrally within the city rubbing shoulders with high-end infrastructure and real estate posing a serious threat to its survival. Spread over 557 acres in between the eastern and western rail line is a habitat of 1 million people and a nucleus of smallscale industries. What would be the fate of these industries under the impending redevelopment? Could communities like these be the way forward to a sustainable future?