3. 3
“Why is it that what we believe to be necessary has proved impossible?”
-Gilbert Rist
4. 4
Beyond Development
Development is perceived as a positive thing for most
of us. The western concept of modernism is based on
the idea that development is not merely preferred, but
indeed the natural state for the human condition.
The term development has expanded to include many
spheres, but we have retained the fundamental notion that
development for a nation is judged in terms of its GDP,
which is a measure of its consumption. So in economical
terms, development stands for rising consumption,
putting more material goods on the market, more CO2 in
the air and more stress on the environment and resources,
both globally and nationally. Here enters the concept
of sustainable development, which is yet to be defined.
Sustainable development as a demonstrable concept is the
Promised Land – economic growth without stress on the
environment or on common resources. How can we reach
it? As the Indian ecologist Debal Deb has stated, “It is a
common understanding among natural scientists that if
development means unlimited growth in production and
consumption of materials, sustainable development is an
oxymoron. That’s because unending growth of anything
in the universe is impossible – except perhaps the universe
itself.” If development has become synonymous with
growth in consumption, we surely have to go beyond the
concept itself to make it sustainable.
The last few years the post-graduate course Resources
has been investigating cities that represent a particular
mindset on development. Using energy as a starting point,
we have studied Shanghai – epitomizing an expanding
China at the peak of its capacity and a city with high
environmental ambitions – and Los Angeles, the failed
motopia, struggling to rise through a reformulation of an
inclusive, environmental awareness. Now the turn has
come to India, taking its place as one of the biggest players
in the global energy consumption market. We have chosen
Pune because it both confirms and refutes preconceived
notions about it. In a global context, Pune can be read as
a bellwether for issues that effect us all. The city of Pune
was unknown to most of us until the terror attack hit in
February and the German Bakery suddenly became a locus
on the global map. But Pune is more than a scene for this
violent act. It is India’s eighth largest city, among its fastest
growing, and good at anything that we associate with
Indian fast-forwardness, such as IT, car production and
high education. The growth is not only fast but seemingly
uncontrolled with all of the characteristic problems:
an organic city structure expanding with suburban
postmodern housing enclaves, biking lifestyles turning
into car-bound ones, slums exploding and greenery
disappearing. Change is manifest and rapid, but the
direction it will take is not yet fixed. In the environmental
debate one speaks of incremental versus transformative
change. Small steps versus big leaps. Is there time left
for the small steps? Is there capacity and freedom on a
planning level for the big leaps? Does one have to choose
or can we learn from the Indian way of using multiple
solutions on many scales to create a resilient society?
While experiencing urban India, one marvels. In many
respects urban India is the dream of a sustainable
society by western criteria. It has street life full of mixed
use, social heterogeneity, efficiency in time and space,
a recycling culture of grand scale and despite first
impression, as of yet has very few cars in relation to its
number of inhabitants. On the other hand, the pressure
of the many wanting more is huge. Whether it is a proper
home instead of a cardboard shelter on the street or a
car rather than a motorcycle for family transportation,
these changes are spurred-on by the omnipresent dream
of western goods for a western look-a-like lifestyle. The
emerging Indian middle class is asking for its middle
class rights, but what defines this group? Who is the
middle class? Is it the lawyer living in the slum? Or is it
the Brahmin rickshaw driver, with a wife and one child,
deciding to keep the family small for economic reasons?
And what do we really know about their dreams and
desires? A glimpse of a future scenario, now visible in any
global city, is the city where the upper and middle class
have escaped the public realm, organizing their needs
and desires according to their economic possibilities.
They spend their free time shopping in secluded malls
and abandon the public space for those still fighting for
their daily survival. If development should address all
classes and all castes, the public realm needs to satisfy
them all, making sure that those who can will not
disappear into their private havens. The development of
public space thereby becomes one of the most important
future urban issues and a means to resist exponentially
increasing consumption patterns. Addressing public
space and creating sustainable desires for the middle class
is thereby a strategy to address sustainable development
in an Indian context.
Historically, the image of evolution is often represented
by a tree. Evolution is implied to progress from a lower
to a higher stage toward the top of the tree. However,
the biological logic behind evolution does not speak of
values or directions, but merely of a more appropriate
adjustment to the given context. In urban India,
adjustment is a fine art. Everyone makes the best out
of the context and adjusts quickly when that context
changes. Can we see development as the method
of adjustment? Is there a final stage of contented
adjustment, or a moment of, as the Indian writer
Rohinton Mistry would have put it, a fine balance?
What will be the notion of development tomorrow?
Classical development theory has long been criticized.
Last year’s global financial crisis puts more fuel on the
raging debate. It seems certain that we need to find
alternatives to the present paradigm of infinite growth.
As the Swiss development theorist Gilbert Rist writes,
“Development, as it occurs today, is nothing less than
the general commodification of nature and social
relations.” In the shifting Indian context, we might find
other threads with which to weave the new story of
development.
Henrietta Palmer, Professor in Architecture
Michael Dudley, Teacher in Architecture
Stockholm, May 2010
6. 6
Lost in Transformation
Middle Class
You can judge the economic growth and standard of living
in a country by the size and stability of its middle class. In
India the middle class is growing explosively. It might not
look or act like its western counterpart, but in a country
constantly fighting severe poverty the desire to buy your
own fridge or put your kids in a good school makes you
a part of this rapidly evolving group of consumers and
decision-makers.
My Name is Khan and I am Middle Class
Arundhati Roy explains India’s recent history like this:
“What happened was that the whole separated into a
thin layer of thick cream, and the rest of it is water. The
cream is India’s market, which consists of many millions
of people who buy cellphones and televisions, cars and
Valentine’s Day cards. The water is superfluous people who
are non-consumers and just pawns who need to be drained
away.”
In the middle, of course, is the middle class. This evolving
group can push India in the direction of a more open
democracy, more sustainable environmental policy and
greater social equality. Or they continue this lurch towards
consumption as its own reward. Whichever road it takes, it
is clear that the future will be India’s.
Of course, India had a middle class before it had a call
centre, even if the India of Gandhi and Nehru was socialist
in name if not in spirit. The revolution that Gandhi
delivered to India was not a top-down reversal of the
inequalities of British rule, and their agricultural utopia
was shelved as India pursued the open market. “The broad
globalization strategy that India opted for in the early
1990’s has succeeded in unlocking the country’s incredible
brainpower and stimulating sustained growth, which is
the best antipoverty program,” wrote Tom Friedman in the
New York Times in 2004. Here we see the idealistic western
mind, trying to shape India into its own image. Sustained
growth is an oxymoron if there ever was one. India’s
growth has been fast, frenetic and at times, frightening.
My last night in Mumbai, I went to the beautiful
Regal Cinema in Colaba to see ‘My Name Is Khan’, the
Bollywood film of the moment. In the film, Shahrukh
Khan’s character, who suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome,
emigrates from Mumbai to San Francisco. On one level,
the film is about one man’s effort to overcome the
discrimination that Muslims face in the US. Khan travels
America in order to tell the President that ‘My name is
Khan and I am not a terrorist.’ But there is another subtext
worth mentioning. Once in America, Khan falls in love
with an Indian single mother named Mandira. After
they marry, they choose to move into a bland American
suburban house with the stereotypical white picket fence.
Their dream, simply put, is to disappear into the plainness
of middle class America. They can’t wish their difference
away though and become ostracized in their community
after the 9/11 attacks.
India’s middle class is dreaming and the world is taking
note. India’s economic boom is underwritten by the
exponential growth of its middle class. It’s estimated that
over the next twenty years, the population of India’s
middle class will go from 5% to 40% of its population.
India has chosen growth and it will be the middle class
driving this growth. Towards what, we can’t really say.
It was interesting to be in New Delhi on Budget Day.
There was little debate about creating a more equal
India. The talking heads were mostly concerned with the
ability of Indians to build their own wealth. In Europe
and North America, the middle classes are driven by
consumption and live far beyond their means. India has
more millionaires than anywhere in the world, but it ranks
alongside many sub-Saharan African countries on the
development index.
Studying India demands a mind for paradox and
contradiction. But here’s a relatively straightforward
fact: the Maoist uprising in eastern India, the exorbitant
suicide rates of Indian farmers working failed lands,
and the unstoppable migration to India’s megacities are
all by-products of India’s warm embrace of free-market
capitalism.
In Pune, I remember seeing an ad in a magazine of woman
in a sari holding a cigarette in one hand and a glass of
champagne in the other. I’m not sure what product was
being promoted, but I clearly understood the lifestyle that
was offered. Here was the costume of tradition and the
indulgences of modernity, hand in hand. The middle-class
Indian will find that out, though, that you can’t have it
both ways.
Emma Houlihan
Artist
8. 8
Lost in Transformation
Public Space
The history of public space is long and culturally
coded. Public space that performs as truly shared space
should be viewed as a crucial priority in the pursuit
of democratic and interactive governance. In India,
public spaces are constantly threatened by the need to
exploit every possible surface. What might look like a
heterogeneous, shared environment is actually a strict
economic division of space. There are many needs that
could be addressed in this contested realm. Shared
space, if allowed, can be anything from a speaker’s
corner to a place for collecting water, a retreat or a
playground.
Up For Grabs – Reflections on Public Space in
India
“In the west, urban life has been reduced to four sectors:
film screening, music, shopping and fashion” -Rem
Koolhaas
The first encounter with public life in the urban Indian
context is an intense mix of crowds, hoardings, commerce,
colours, food and more crowds. At first glance it is the
public space that urban planners dream of: a bustling
street life with constant movement and exotic smells and
sounds. At the same time it is shockingly different from
western cities: dirty, noisy, smelly and poorly managed.
There is a constant struggle to cross the street – motorized
vehicles of all shapes and sizes have taken over the
streetscape.
Indian cities also suffer from the undeniable presence of
poverty. Public space is not structured or planned the way
we are used to; instead, public space is growing organically
out of the basic and most urgent needs of the people
occupying it. This naturally leads to a highly contested
space.
What we see is how all parts of everyday life are spilling
out into the open. The Indian sidewalk is reclaimed by
the citizens who have made it their own. Behind this
seemingly public space there are many forces at work.
There is a price for every available piece of land in the city,
even spaces that appear to be public. The municipality
does not necessarily set the price tag. Homeless people
have to pay someone for sleeping on the street and the
rent is comparable to a train ticket to the suburbs. So who
is actually controlling the public space?
The idea of public space in Europe stems from the concept
of the Agora or “place of assembly” first formed in ancient
Greece. It was a place for information exchange and later
for trade. The main square in almost every European
city can be traced back to the concept of the Agora.
The democratic right to protest in public space (against
democratically elected state leaders) is usually performed
here. The Indian history of public space is different. The
earliest experiment in democracy is called the Chaupal.
A Chaupal is a common place, usually constructed as a
stage around a Banyan tree. It was generated in villages,
where it is used as a platform to discuss problems,
celebrate pleasures and retain the communal harmony by
maintaining the norms of village life. But this function
is almost completely lost in the rapidly urbanizing cities,
something which has created an imbalance between
democracy and commerce.
The tension between democracy and commerce becomes
most apparent in the newly introduced shopping malls.
The obvious desire to shop is effectively facilitated by the
mall and forces the question: Is the mall the new Chaupal?
It provides an air-conditioned place to meet, gossip and
exchange information. The problem is that the mall is
not open for everyone. Security at the entrance prevents
certain people from entering. Those without ID cards or
money have to go somewhere else. In urban India this
means polluted riverbanks or other left-over spaces.
There are many good examples of shared public space. The
numerous religious structures and temples throughout
India are such examples. They are remains of a traditional
India, frequently used and not exclusively for religious
purposes. These temples are cool, ventilated spaces that
offer rest and respite from the busy street life. People
linger and gather inside and around the temples. Ghats,
or stairs leading to a body of water, also offer breaks from
commerce and stress.
The numerous festivals demonstrate the use of public
space at its best. Festivals in India are an integral part of
peoples’ lives. During some festivals the Indian society
truly take over the urban space in a unified manifestation
that dissolves divisions of race, religion, cast or gender.
The temporal and fluctuating use of public space in
India is a unique quality. However, the cities of India are
evolving and an emerging middle class with new demands
on public space is growing. How will the city adapt? To
avoid a complete segregation of rich and poor the equity
of public space has to be measured by parameters beyond
merely economic ones. The resilient Indian city will have
to offer a wider range of overlapping large and small scale
spaces. It will view public space in terms of its ability
to create equitable, common space which encourages
democratic processes.
Magnus Schön
Architect
10. 10
+2
+4
+6
Pune Matters
Why the World Should Care
The Crunch
While perhaps unknown to most of us, Pune matters
for the world. With a population of 4.6 million, it is
the 8th largest city in India and the 33rd largest in the
world. One of the fastest growing in the nation, its
population is set to double in the next 15 years.
The economic liberalization of 1991 moved the Indian
economy towards a market-based system. The financial
growth that has resulted is particularly evident in Pune.
Suddenly, the city’s rapidly expanding populace has a
pocketbook to match. The effect this will have on the
global stage depends entirely upon how Pune’s emerging
middle class wields this new economic and political
capital.
Today, India is heavily dependent on fossil fuels. Even
if the average Indian citizen is responsible for just 1/28
of the CO2 emissions compared with his American
counterpart, the shear scale of the Indian population
means its continued growth will have consequences on
the global environment and India itself. Unless the middle
class manages to choose another consumption pattern
and shift towards alternative energy sources, Pune and its
Indian sibling-cities will greatly contribute to the planet’s
changing climate. On the other hand, since it is not yet
trapped in the deadlock of the mega-city pattern, it has
a huge potential to set a new agenda for development.
Pune has a well-educated population with a high level of
technical know-how and, just as any Indian city, a street-
wise inventiveness. Out of this amalgam of generative
possibilities the solutions to get beyond the crunch could
emerge – making the city you might not have heard about
really matter.
PEAK OIL
Peak-oil worldwide was reached in the summer
of 2008. It’s been estimated that the world’s oil
supply will be totally depleted between 2062 and
2094. Less than 9% of the world’s energy produc-
tion currently comes from renewable sources.
WORLD POPULATION
The world’s population is expected to exceed 9
billion by 2050. Nearly all of that growth will
occur outside the western world, and a huge part
in Asia.
FOOD DEMAND
Between now and 2050, demand for agricultural
goods will rise by 70% and demand for meat will
double. A diet high in grain-fed meat requires 2-4
times more agricultural land than a vegetarian
diet.
WATER DEMAND
An estimated 1 billion people worldwide lack
access to safe drinking water. Water demand is
tightly connected to food consumption patterns.
Producing a ton of beef requires 125 times more
water than a ton of potatoes.
ENERGY DEMAND
A rising world population and improved
standards of living are resulting in an increased
global energy demand that is expected to rise
40% by 2030. The inevitable result is higher
energy prices and heavy competition over avail-
able resources.
CLIMATE CHANGE
The brutal reality of climate change resulting from
the world’s CO2 emissions is rapidly progressing.
As of 2005 global temperatures have risen 0.76°
C and are estimated to rise between 4° and 6.4° C
within this century unless drastic action is taken.
The effect this will have is already being felt.
Instable weather patterns are arising, along with
severe inequities in food and water supplies. Ani-
mal species face extinction and human conflicts
over land and water ownership is growing.
12. 12
Pune Matters
The Structure of the City
The university city of Pune is located 2.5 hours south-
east of Mumbai in the country’s largest state- Maha-
rashtra. For centuries Pune has been considered the
cultural capital of Maharashtra, and its urban region of
4.5 million inhabitants is growing more quickly than
Bombay.
Pune has become a viable alternative for Bombay’s
expanding middle class and The Oxford of the East
attracts students from all over Asia. Its IT-sector and car
industry, including Tata Motors and the $2,000 Nano, are
flourishing. However, Pune still struggles with many of its
basic needs. The city’s slums continue to grow, and many
of the city’s migrants from the countryside live under
unbearable conditions. It is estimated that around 90% of
India’s working population is employed in the informal
sector, and around 30% of the population in Pune lives in
informal settlements. Meanwhile, the traffic is becoming
ever more chaotic; car ownership is estimated to be 141
cars / 1000 citizens in 2031 compared to 42 cars / 1000
citizens in 2001. Heavy electrical demands necessitate
planned blackouts of the city’s power.
Pune potentials: young well educated population / rickshaws /
the river / not so many cars (yet) / livable climate / strong sense
of community (local pride) / topography / dogs / waste-culture /
unexploited heritage / freedom in typology / fast moving / space
MORPHOLOGY: BUNGALOW AREA MORPHOLOGY: JM ROAD AREA
POPULATION DENSITY - A COMPARISON
INDIA / MAHARASHTRA / PUNE
Characteristic Bungalow JM Road streetscape
Pune
7,214 persons / km2
1 person / 138.6 m2
Mumbai
21,880 persons / km2
1 person / 45.7 m2
Stockholm
3,318 persons / km2
1 person / 301.4 m2
13. 13
MAP OF CENTRAL PUNE
MORPHOLOGY: MUTHA RIVER MORPHOLOGY: NARAYAN PETH
The Mutha River Wada structure in Narayan Peth
Narayan
Peth
JM Road
Bungalow
Area
Mutha
River
14. 14
Towards Equity
Four Futures
Inclusiveness is a primary goal for development beyond
mere economic growth. In it’s present state of rapid
transformation, Pune could miss this goal, leaving be-
hind the have-nots to left-over goods and spaces. Pres-
sures from the influx of new urban dwellers and the
shift towards new lifestyles and consumption patterns
could combine with increasingly limited resources and
climate change to create the familiar pattern found in
other major cities. Pune is not yet there. Could Pune
choose another direction to leapfrog for resilience and
equality?
UniverCity
+ Leading Eastern think-tank
+ Production of ideas, values and intellectual wealth
+ Logic of exchange, flows and functionality
+ Strong integration between different parts of society
+ Reliance on both expected and unexpected synergies
+ Global information trade
Village City
+ Celebration of the local; Self-sufficient communities
+ Social networks; Bottom-up management
+ Common education
+ Shared resources; Energy awareness
iTown
+ A breeding ground for entrepreneurs
+ Society based on Do-It-Yourself principles
+ Individualistic, high-tech lifestyles
+ Knowledge integrated with creativity
+ Gadget-driven economy
CapaCity
+ A society oriented towards large national systems
+ New awareness creating more accurate assessments
+ Control of flows and waste minimized
+ Reuse of materials to avoid loss of resources
INFINITESIMALINFINITE
IMMATERIALMATERIAL
We have chosen two parameters that are difficult to
predict. From these we created four different, but equally
plausible, futures that could enable Pune to leapfrog
the crunch. Combining the parameters of scale and
consumption gives us the opportunity to explore both
large and small-scale solutions, as well as what possibilities
lie in both material and non-material based societies.
The resultant scenarios: UniverCity, Village City, CapaCity
and iTown provide us with clear archetypes. Instead of
choosing one direction, we see a layering of all four as a
resilient strategy for Pune’s future development.
TARGET FARMS
agriculture
knowledge
COMMUNITY
FARMING
GLOBAL SEASONAL FARMING
15. 15
Grand Adjustments
A Strategy Towards Equity
»The city here is not about grand design but about
grand adjustments.« Rahul Mehortra, architect, Mum-
bai.
A strategy for development based on adjustments relates
to the concept of evolution. In nature, when the context
changes, actions, structures or social behaviors adjust in
order to maximize benefits. By reversing the sequence, the
adjustment itself could possibly generate new contexts and
environments. Our adjustments could then lead towards a
resilient environment.
The grand adjustments revealed in our four scenarios:
Adjustments in scale:
+The power of the many: Small solutions x large
numbers
+The urban shift: Large solutions backed up by
medium sized solutions that are in turn backed
up by small solutions
+The city as a tree: Large solutions connected to
medium solutions that are in turn connected to
small solutions
Adjustments in materiality:
+The value of the ephemeral: Temporality in
usage of space and goods.
+The new leisure time: Providing alternatives to
material consumption
+Re-waste: Up-grading the work of and the
materials of recycling
Equity
The goal for development should be equity. Equity means
not merely equal. It even includes the notions of the
monetary value of an entity after accounting for all debts
owed and the right to share in future profits.
Towards equity is:
-Promoting equality through the creation of accessible
public space beyond the economic realm.
-Maximizing value by reducing the debt caused by waste
-Ensuring engagement and change by agreeing to share
future profits
Our Four Fields of Action
Materials: Build upon the existing and see it as a
resource. Preserve valuable spaces while embracing new
technologies and methods.
Production: Maximize efficiency by seeing waste as a
resource. Don’t just REcycle, UPcycle. Utilize established
skills and customs.
Mobility: Overlap multiple modes of transport to
promote equality. Solve nodes and transitions. Work in all
scales simultaneously and add flexibility to rigid structures.
Leisure: Create allowances for the temporal use of space.
Intertwine social and ecological values and activities.
Prioritize environmental justice.
16. 16
My pigeon
My pigeon is no longer in its cage
Maybe it got lost in the sheets drying on a line by the riverbed
Seeking the one white spot in the dusty air
thinking it was a cloud
How I will be laughed at by my friends and lose the bet
18. Material Matters
The Equity of Built Space
+ It’s all about stuff; it’s everywhere
+ Invested and bound within material is energy that
should be utilized
+ Access to resources is a matter of equity- what for
whom?
+ The use of materials and energy in India is rapidly
increasing
Materials are an indication of invested energy. Production
is intimately connected to the use of resources. Our
relationship to produced material directly affects the
continual use of energy and raw material.
Built spaces provide the canvas for urban life. From the
obvious- buildings- to the parks and roads that are always
around us. Even non-planned space is built, either by
neglect, random events, or the action of not taking action.
Urban centers are the biggest structures created by man.
They are built with few plans regulating their precise
outcomes and are a giant storage space of materials:
usable, reusable and recyclable- a potential mine of the
future.
Material things become obsolete, but in built urban spaces
the situation is reversed. The roads are ancient, living in
an old house is desirable, and the oldest tree in the park is
considered the best.
+ The market for housing and commercial space is
growing
+ 40% of Pune’s urban population is living in informal
settlements
+ Urban space is under stress; transport owns the streets
+ Despite rag pickers and heavy recycling, garbage in
Pune is adding to sub-standard landfills
Traditional built forms and urban life are challenged
by traffic thoroughfares and a changing notion of
accessibility. Shopping malls are becoming the new public
space, but are they really public?
Migration from the hinterland, combined with Pune
becoming an IT capital and educational hub, is putting the
housing stock under pressure. The city is expanding, and
more resources are bound in the material.
The informal is expanding, covering all aspects of the
material. The informal economy is everywhere: from the
building sector to craftsmen, street hawkers and rickshaw
drivers.
Unbuilt areas- the river banks and hills- are continually
under pressure from informal encroachments, but
planners and developers look towards the hills for
potential areas for urban development . The debate over
this unclaimed space is heating up.
Patches of green and
hills in Pune, unbuilt areas under
pressure from urban development
18
Energy, raw material
Effort and money
INVESTMENTS IN MATERIAL-
A DOWNPAYMENT FOR THE FUTURE?
19. x2
533149
517957
654557
703948
907968
1178354
1264000
1473000
1713479
1846051
2000
1999
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
3.22%
2.95%
2.70%
2.64%
2.16%
1.70%
1.64%
1.26%
1.34%
3.50%
10.9 m2
0.2 m2
+20%
in 2010
Indian car production and its share of world production
THE BUILT
Mean housing area per
urban Indian citizen
Mean retail surface
per indian citizen
22 Million indian credit cards
existed in 2007. During the
past three years this amout has
doubled
Building materials
State of Maharashtra
THE UNBUILT
CONSUMPTION
PRODUCTION
ASSETS
63%Brick
14%Concrete
13%Mud/Adobe
4%Metal/sheets
2%Grass/Bamboo
2%Stone
2%Wood
1%Plastic
<1%Other
MALL MALL
Disposable incomes of the middle
class are expected to increase at an
average of 8.5% per annum till 2015
Indian streets have undergone
fundamental changes caused by
increased traffic and commercialization
Malls, shops and restaurants demand
constant renewal, and hereby new materials
WADA
COLONIAL
INFORMAL
INFRASTRUCTURE
PARKS & GREENERY
MALLS
IT TOWNS
MATERIALIZATIONS
@
Vehicular dominance over space. JM Road, Pune
Mixed used street. Naryan Peth, Pune
19
Waste is a modern invention. There is no waste. Waste is a resource
Everything has a value and can either be reused or recycled
22. Beneficial Back
Harvesting Urbanity
Vehicles have taken over the streets of Pune, dilut-
ing the quality of urban life and leaving the shopping
malls as the only alternative to real public space. Hid-
den within the Bungalow typology of the Deccan area,
however, are countless unclaimed spaces. They hold
the potential to stimulate urban life
Typical throughout India, the Pune bungalow blocks are
remnants from the colonial era. The ideals of a green
urbanity were prevalent, and a large bungalow surrounded
by a garden was the chosen tool to attract European
settlers to the city. Over time, and in response to new
needs, the original bungalows transformed to multifamily
houses, then large, glass-clad office blocks and mini malls.
The potential for new urban space is housed in the
backyard voids of these bungalow blocks, the forgotten
space used today only for parking. The neighborhood
streets attract a high volume of vehicles, which in turn
brings visitors and potential business. But the constant
increase of traffic is also stressing the former web of public
space that used to claim the roads- the bazaars and their
descendants.
The Beneficial Back transfers public life onto the former
bungalow plots. Private land is lent to the public by
creating incentives for the plot owner. By opening the
land to the city, the landowner becomes a part of the new
space and can create opportunities for himself by offering
a small-scale flexible base for urban life. What is currently
a one-sided entrance is transformed into a carpet of access
around the individual house. This makes the building
more accessible and new businesses can open up in the
back. The back is the new front. The owner receives legal
benefits from the city in exchange for securing ecological
services like permeability, water collection, and shaded
greenery. The perks include lowered fees on sewage and
water, as well as other services that can be taken care of
locally within the program.
As long as vehicles own the street, people will use the
back.
Present transformation
Present walled
structure
De-wall
Creating porousness
Potentials, varying typologies
Permeable surfaces
Sharing systems
Urban production
New businesses Water harvesting
Solar harvesting Possible additions
22
23. Existing qualities are the
basis of the scheme
Ensuring ecological services
with permeable grounds
Event space, a place for
gatherings
New business possibilities
created through access
Space for temporality within
the system
Localized production
in the Back
No access: Restricted space Access: New space
23
24. Skilled craftsmen
Urban mining
Do-It-Yourself economy
++
Walk of fame!
^ƵƐƚĂŝŶĂďůĞ
:D ZĚ
Before
After
+ =
Walk of Fame
A New Image of a Commercial Street
The Walk of Fame is the transformation of a commer-
cial street and its built stock in order to provide greater
employment opportunities, better housing for newcom-
ers, and a more efficient use of resources. It creates a
new, sustainable identity for Jangli Maharaj Road by
taking advantage of local skills, a DIY economy and
the potential for urban mining in Pune.
The Jangli Maharaj Road is a busy, central street on the
north side of the River. In many ways it represents the
ongoing Pune transformation, turning old bungalows
plots into a stretch of flagship stores. The Walk of Fame
remakes this road into a hallmark of sustainability. To
begin, the Municipality of Pune, real estate owners, and
enterprises situated along the JM Road would agree to
sign a letter of intent declaring the street be defined as
the first sustainable street in Pune. Today, the built stock
has a constant need for renewal. Through specifically
agreed upon methods of upgrading, the street would
simultaneously solve this problem by becoming a
showcase for sustainable building solutions. Through
its high visibility, the street’s transformation would
raise awareness about smart consumption and attract
enterprises with ethical and environmental agendas.
India’s do-it-yourself tradition of repairing anything means
nothing ever goes to waste. The Walk of Fame celebrates
this culture of fixing by utilizing the local skilled craftsmen
and creating a school for teaching the knowledge of the
local craft. By offering housing along with employment,
newcomers to the city find not only an education and job,
but a community as well.
The built stock in Pune can be seen as a giant storage place
of materials, reusable and recyclable. By using existing
materials from the close surroundings, the local economy
is supported and the negative environmental impact from
transportation is reduced. Physical and virtual markets can
serve as “urban mines” creating possibilities for unique
architecture and design.
Rooftop gardening
for restaurants
Multifunctional
hoardings can
change the image
of the city!
Smart use of
resources
24
Vegetables +
hot water for eateries
Energy producing
hoarding
Rooftop gardening
Natural ventilation
Rainwater harvestingRainwater harvesting
Energy production
Recyclable exterior
Recyclable interior
Water management
25. Multifunctional hoardings with high-tech
screens can produce images with electricity,
produce energy, cool air, water plants and
brand a green city
+
Existing hoarding on building Learning from the
Morpho Butterfly
+
Creatgin additional space by adding
new ”pull out” bamboo hoarding
structure
=
This is a great spot for
a lighthouse project!
How about a center for
recycling and reuse?
Recycling
architecture! Why
not try the Gehry
...or the Aalto
way?
Multifunctional
hoardings! A new
structure for the
hoarding can provide
extra space
Dormitories for
newcomers
The backside of
hoardings can provide
space for rooftop
cinemas and lectures
The walk of
Fame!
Possibility to add
vertical greenery
to multifunctional
hoardings
Network of material
markets provide for
the possibility to reuse
materials
Plants behind the
multifunctional
hoarding cool the air
and reduce heat on the
facade
25
26. 26
The SIM Card
Getting a SIM card in India is a hassle. If I recall
correctly, first I had to fill in a form, then show
my ID, then hand in a passport photo of myself.
Finally, as I was about to pay the shop vendor,
he told me that a document with my energy
bill was also required.
Alright. So I went back to the hotel,
talked to the receptionist and asked
if he could please put my share of
the energy costs on a bill and give
me a copy.
Back at the store, the sales
person proceeded to tell
me that my hotel receipt
was not valid and that he
needed a traditional
electricity bill with my
Indian home address.
Where should a tourist get
hold of such? I asked myself.
I still do, actually.
I left the store without a
SIM card, of course, and was
a little bit sweatier and less pleased
then when I arrived. Walking back along
the lively street- the kind of typical, photogenic
Indian street with thousands of street vendors, activities,
sounds and smells- I came to a sharp realization: I didn’t really
need a phone to connect to the world. What I needed was to open my senses
and let the Indian world connect to me.
At the Tailor
We’d been looking for a tailor to make my sari top. After several
failed attempts, we were directed to a huge warehouse building.
At stall # 96, at the end of the corridor on the 3rd floor,
was a tiny old lady. Sharp as a nail and with bony knuckles,
she told us the story of her life while her assistant
tended to the sari. From the Pakistani border
where she grew up to sunny California.
Maybe she was just humoring herself
while she waited for her son to pick her up
on his way back from the temple.
The hours blurred.
In retrospect, I remember the taste
of sweet chai tea and how she felt
like a small bird under my arm
during our parting embrace.
A whole empire emerged
from that store hidden in the
faceless warehouse that we
could just as easily
have passed by.
28. Production Matters
The Equity of Cultivated Space
RE-MALL
WET
SPOT
DO
SPOT
BRIGHT
SPOT
GOLD
SPOT
SPOT
TRANS-
ACTION
TOOL
WATER
PURIFICATION
AND
HARVESTING
EXPO AND
ENTERTAINMENT
REMAKE
PLAY AND
LEARNING
ENERGY AND
LIGHT
PRODUCTION
FOOD
PRODUCTION
SANITATION
ENERGY
PRODUCTION
+ Cultivated space matters because we are what we
consume, be it material or immaterial products
+ An item purchased on one side of the globe might
add to the landfill on the other side
+ Lifestyles and consumption patterns of the few
determine the livelihood of the many
Besides voting, purchasing power is the strongest tool to
affect society. How do you use this power? Consumption
patterns govern the availability of resources but also have
direct impact on innovation and education.
Through the economy of recycling, waste is linked
to production and becomes a generator for informal
economies. But the notion of waste itself is a modern
concept. What if there was a waste power equivalent to
the concept of purchase power and even new currencies
connected to the waste? Maybe the ones wasting the
least would benefit the most from an ecological footprint
trading system.
+ Pune is a major hub for higher education, IT and
manufacturing of goods
+ A large percentage of the population is young and
there is a flow of migrants from nearby regions
+ Pune has a strong local and regional production
sector attracting investors
In Pune there is a functioning system of locally produced
food. Since the city has a good climate, there is a great
opportunity to develop urban agriculture into a more
resilient food production system in the future.
The city’s growth puts strain on waste management. The
majority of waste products are managed by the Pune
Municipal Corporation (PMC) and taken to landfill
sites. The recycling business in turn is a decentralized
waste and recycling system based on the usage of waste-
pickers, mostly women belonging to the lowest caste.
In order to have a more efficient long-term system of
recycling, there is a need for better facilities for waste
management and increased awareness among the citizens.
The processes need to be easy and attractive to establish
an understanding of the economical, environmental and
social benefits.
28
SYSTEM DIAGRAM
Strategy of how education and entertainment can be combined with production and consumption to obtain a
sustainable method for resource management at different scales in society.
29. 29
CHANGING SECTORAL COMPOSITION
OF STATE INCOME
46494647
56585759
Agriculture Industry Services
2009-10
2008-09
2007-08
2000-01
1999-00
1990-91
1980-81
1970-71
1960-61
Share (%) 0 20 40 60 80 100
Year
WASTE DISPOSED AT LANDFILL OUTSIDE PUNE (TONNES)
GENERATED SEWAGE IN PMC 2008 (MLD)
WASTE PRODUCTION
SOURCE
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008
340,000
320,000
300,000
280,000
260,000
240,000
40% Domestic
25% Commercial
5% Market areas
25% Hotels and restaurants
5% Vegetable wastemarkets
Different surveys show that at least 65% of the waste produced in Pune that goes to landfills
consists of organic waste.
In India 422 million workers out of the total workforce of 457 million belong to the informal sector.
These workers contribute more than 60 % to India´s GDP .
Workers and students represented from
the young population of Pune.
WHAT IS BEING PRODUCED IN PUNE?
milk
food grains
fruits and
vegetables
home
cooked
hotels
ready made
PUNE`S FOOD CONSUMPTION/
DAY: 2500 TONNES
WHERE IS IT MADE?
LITERACY RATE
LEVEL OF EDUCATION
88% 72%
10% Graduate and above
28% Matric/ Higher secondary/ Diploma
15 % Middle
25 % Primary
20 % Below primary
2 % No education
ENERGY CAPACITY INSTALLED IN THE MAHARAHSTRA STATE (2008-2009)
Thermal: Nuclear: Hydro: Captive: Natural gas: Renewable:
51.1% 2.3% 16.1% 5.3% 10.3% 14.9%
146 MLD sewage is going directly into Mula-Mutha river
451
305
122
32
1928 1981 1997 2005
Sewage not included in PMC sewage treatment plants
Sewage treatment capacity
Installation year
32. Re-Mall
A Lifestyle Forum
The Re-Mall is a public awareness spot for resource
thinking and action. It aims to change mindsets, politi-
cal processes and policies on resource issues. Through
a combination of entertainment, education and public
participation, it highlights the positive aspects of recy-
cling and inspires to new ways of consuming and liv-
ing. The middle class is the biggest growing consumer
group. By heightening their awareness on sustainability
issues other social groups will benefit as well.
A new landmark located on JM road, the Re-Mall
transforms a former car park into a public place where one
can enjoy, discover and learn about energy and resource
matters. The Re-mall becomes an alternative to shopping
malls, by providing consumption of experiences and
knowledge as well as entertainment and shopping. It is
also an expo space and showcase for innovative products.
The building displays the energy and recycling processes,
such as the transforming of organic waste to methane gas,
and production of kinetic energy. Storm water is collected
and treated through a filtering process contained within
a series of terraces and pools. These are an integrated
part of the building’s aesthetic expression as well as
being productive components in their own right. The
Playothéque includes an interactive playground where
visitors can learn about water, energy and materials
through play integrated with the latest technology. It
also hosts workshops, courses and a platform showing
innovative designs solutions by students from partner
universities.
The kinetic entertainment floors have a variety of activities
where movement is transformed into energy. There is a
disco, a dance studio and rentable facilities for events. The
combination of restaurants and display areas for urban
agriculture take place on the terraces and floors of the
Greenhouse eatery. The Sky bar has a lighting system,
fuelled by biogas produced in the building, that changes
colours depending on the city´s mood.
CH4
Skylight bar
Greenhouse
eatery
Kinetic
entertainment
Playotheque
Expo Pool
Entrance
Production and
harvesting
Passive wind cooling
PROGRAM SECTION
Stormwater
filtering
KINETIC ENTERTAINMENT
Get energized! The floor absorbs the movement and transform it into
energy.
EXPO POOL
See the latest technologies at the expofloor, or lounge by the pool which
is part of the building’s stormwater cleaning process.
Expo and Entertainment
1
2
32
RE-MALL
33. JM RoadMutha River
Add on volumes to.... ...existing (under-used) parking tower ... creates Re-Mall
Bungalow Area
LONGITUDINAL
SECTION
PLAYOTHÉQUE
On this floor one can learn about physics and science through play. While your
kid is playing, why not sign up for a workshop?
GREENHOUSE EATERY
The new eatery and expo in Pune on urban farming; learn, eat and go shopping...
1
3 4
2
3
4
33
RE-MALL
A former parking house on the JM-Road has been transformed into Pune’s new landmark.
34. Dirty Sweet Spots
Collaborative Recycling Units
Dirty Sweets Spots are decentralized recycling units
that integrate the current waste system management
with additional functions to promote local participa-
tion. Together, they form a network of waste-and-recy-
cle related production, as well as information nodes.
Each Dirty Sweet Spot contains an additional func-
tion that supports the local community, for example a
meeting place or workshop space. By placing the units
where existing functions and needs in Pune already ex-
ist, the DSP make the waste process more accessible and
integrated in daily life.
The Dirty Sweet Spots:
The Do-Spot combines a recycling unit with a school or a
day-care centre. It functions as a shed for sorting, recycling
and re-selling waste. Through workshops, the city-
employed waste picker teaches the children how to sort
and construct new things made from scrap materials.
The Wet-Spot is in close proximity to a temple. It is a cool,
public resting place that combines information on water
harvesting with a water storage tank. The tank stores the
monsoon water and redistributes it to the surrounding
neighbourhood during the dry season. At the Bright-
Spots, organic waste from nearby restaurants is collected
and turned into biogas, which in turn is used as fuel in the
restaurants’ stoves. The biogas can also be used to generate
light at nearby bus stops. This system is maintained by a
biogas expert - a former waste-picker.
The Transaction-Spot connects a biogas station and fuel
shop to the public toilets.
The Gold-Spot is a cooperative organic resource unit
managed by waste-pickers and fruit salesmen in the
neighbourhood. Biogas is produced from the compost
material and then sold. These units also provide
information on recycling and composting.
The DSP could be financed by the city which would pay
for the establishment of the recycling units and then
subsidize the construction of additional, related programs.
These added functions could be initiated and sponsored by
private investors as well.
34
FLOWS OF PRODUCTION AND SERVICES: Input and ouput
Housing community Public toilet Restaurants
Organic waste/ Organic waste Organic waste
recyclables
Monsoon water
harvesting
LEGEND
Social interactions
WASTE PICKER´S NEW
ASSIGNMENTS:
-biogas/composting producer
-recycle workshop leader
-recycling nformant
Recycle workshop
DO SPOT
Biogas spot
TRANSACTION
SPOT
WET SPOT
BRIGHT SPOT
Continuous line= untreated products
Dotted line= treated products
MEETING SPOTS
35. MONSOON WATER HARVESTING
INFO/SHADE
WATER DISTRIBUTION
MONSOONWATER PIPELINE
BIOGAS
SHOP/INFO
LIGHTBOX
RECYCLING
WORKSHOP
SHOP/INFOSCHOOL
BIOGAS
SHOP/INFO
DISTRIBUTION
STORAGEORGANIC WASTESOIL/
35
DO SPOT
Recycle workshop
combined with a
school or daycare center.
Fun through learning
from recycling.
TRANSACTION SPOT
Biogas production
combined with public
toilet. Get paid for using
it- or buy biogas here.
BRIGHT SPOT
Biogas production from organic
waste. Fuel for light at the bus
stand.
WET SPOT
Monsoon water harvesting gives an
additional social cool spot in the city.
Water distribution during dry season.
GOLD SPOT
Co-operative between waste pickers
and fruit salesmen.
Biogas, composting and fruit shop
for neighbourhood.
BRIGHT SPOT
The local restaurants and the fruit salesmen leave their organic trash at the Bright Spot station where it’s processed into biogas. The gas fuels the
lighting at the bus stand, and is also sold to the nearby restaurants and the salesmen.
BIOGAS
PUBLIC
TOILET
SHOP/INFO
36. 1.
4.
5.
2.
3.
Organize
Organic Exchange
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Double layered slowly degradable organic waste/ biogas bag
with integrated seeds
Seed envelopes for easier vertical planting
Stackable basket in recyclable plastic
Device for easier placing of seed envelops
Lid for protection against heavy rain
INVENTIVE PORTABLE ALL-IN-ONE ORGANIC WASTE BAG,
COMPOST, BIOGAS PRODUCER AND VERTICAL GARDEN
Housing community Biogas producer
Organic
waste
Biogas Biogas Nutritious
soil
Gold Spot
Biogas Food
Urban Farm
WASTEPICKERS AND FRUIT
SALESMEN NEW ASSIGNMENTS:
Meeting spot
Legend
continuous line= untreated
dotted line= treated product
-full organic resource trade
-full organic resource distribution
-biogas producer at distribution storage
-recycling informant
In the future, rising energy and food prices will open
up a new market for nutritious soil and organic waste.
Savings from household gardening, biogas production
and organic resource trading would also increase. In
such a scenario, urban farming would become more
profitable and attractive.
On a larger scale, organic resource production and
recycling could generate significantly more profit than
today. People involved in everything from waste-picking
to urban farming could thereby increase their living
standards.
Gold Spots are close-at-hand neighbourhood trade,
distribution and information centres for organic resources.
Here, households, biogas producers and urban farmers
can profit by trading with organic waste, nutritious soil,
vegetables and biogas. Other enterprises include biogas
production from stored organic waste and the sale of
composting equipment and gardening tools.
The Gold Spots are managed through neighbourhood
cooperative companies and are driven by local waste-
pickers and fruit salespersons. Through such organizations,
they broaden their markets, increase profits, improve
their work conditions, and offer better service to their
customers.
This affordable, robust and low-profile solution links in
with existing small-scale urban food production. This
enhances awareness about local recycling processes on a
grass-roots level, which could have significant long-term
effects.
36
37. SMALL-SCALE COMPOSTING, ENERGY PRODUCTION AND GARDENING AT HOME
JM road and
surroundings
URBAN FARMING
THE GOLD SPOT
A neighborhood
trade, distribution
and information
centre for organic
resources
37
38. 38
Saleem
I’m still not sure about the details of Saleem’s story.
He was anxious to tell it, even though he spoke no English.
We played a strange game of charades.
At first, he started talking about Dubai. When he mentioned Dubai,
he would often slap himself in the face. “Dubai’s bad?” we asked,
and he slapped himself again. At one point, he pulled out a photocopy
of his passport and his ID card. His name was right there: Saleem.
Saleem then made a gesture with his hand of going up and down a hill.
It took us awhile to figure this out. It was a plane taking off and landing.
He began saying “London, London, London” and made the gesture of scissors cutting the air.
I pointed at his pants and made the same scissors gesture. He nodded.
I showed him a 500 rupee note with Gandhi at the spinning wheel on the back.
He nodded once more.
My guess is he was a tailor who wanted to move to London for work, any work. We shared water,
and when he felt confident that his story was fully told, he stopped and didn’t say anything else for the rest of the
journey.
The Dosa Hut
For seven days I passed by that tiny food stand on Shahu
Colony Lane quickly so I wouldn’t be too tempted. I
didn’t trust the resilience of my western stomach. The look
of apprehension in each of my classmates’ eyes on that last
night told me that they had all been thinking the same
thing.
I decided to take a picture of all of us standing in the street
savoring each bite. We smiled cautiously and raised our
sodas to toast to a great week in Pune.
“Do you think you could e-mail me those photos?”
The question came so unexpectedly that I embarrassed
myself with a lack of manners. “Really?” I responded
to the unassuming young man who had prepared our
dosas ten minutes prior. He handed me a business card
and explained that the pictures would be good for his
website. The Dosa Hut has a website? I thought to myself
in disbelief. I properly adjusted my smile, shook Polash
Banarjee’s hand, and assured him I’d deliver the photos as
soon as I could.
On the short walk home to the hotel I deliberated over
the business card like a pirate analysing a treasure map.
“PMsolutions- Where intelligence meets hard work” read
the fading blue text. The short description that followed
was somehow both trite and earnest. The only thing that
was clear about ‘PMsolutions’ was that it was founded by
two people who were intent to do more with their lives
than run a food stall in the evenings.
I regretted not inquiring further when I had the chance.
After spending a week discussing urban design proposals
for the city, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had
misjudged the intended target all along. How many other
business cards were floating around the city waiting for
nothing more than an opportunity?
My head is still spinning as I think about the contradiction
I encountered during my meal that night. Ironically, my
stomach handled the dosa just fine.
40. 40
Mobility Matters
The Equity of Transit Space
+ Mobility shapes spaces
+ The cost of transit determines who can move and
when, creating inequity
+ Rural-urban shifts are dramatically affecting Indian
cities
+ People move to change their lifestyle. For some, mov-
ing is a lifestyle
New desires and demands are changing transport patterns.
The lifestyles of an emerging middle class are the drivers
for this change. Can traditional patterns, skills and
traditions be developed and transformed into economic
and social assets in the urban environment?
Cities are the economic engine of India’s economy. This
attracts people from the countryside to the urban centers.
Can rural heritage and urban experience be merged to
create a new platform for empowerment and social justice?
In the economic north, the car is placed at the center of
the city. Roads are constantly widened to increase speed
in the city. They act as barriers, dividing public and social
space. Can the pedestrian be re-prioritized?
+ Public transport is expensive in Pune relative to aver-
age income
+ Pune is choking from air pollution
+ The public transport system is poorly structured and
under-utilized
+ Dedicated bus lanes, bike paths, and pedestrian walk-
ways are lacking
Transportation is highly congested and politicized in Pune.
Within the urban environment, bikes, rickshaws, animals
and pedestrians all compete for space. The existing
Bus Rapid Transport System consists of only one route.
Although there are plans to expand it, public sentiment
towards expansion is subdued by poor experiences with
the limited existing system.
As an alternative, the city has proposed an elevated metro
system. However, this would have severe consequences on
the present cityscape and future development since it will
be funded by a dramatic increase in building exploitation
rights along these routes.
Rural residents from India’s agricultural hinterland
are increasingly migrating into the city. Pune’s rapidly
increasing population and density will demand new ways
of dealing with the growing need for flexible transport,
housing and employment.
CAN THE PRIORITIES BE REVERSED?
Traditional Pattern Pattern
pattern 2010 2030
RURAL TO URBAN SHIFT
A
B
HOW CAN I MOVE AROUND? CAN I BE A RESOURCE?
41. 41
12%
37%
51%
NUMBER OF COMMUTERS USING
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Mumbai Pune
COMMUTER COST FOR PUBLIC
TRANSPORT PER MONTH
APPROX. VEHICLE COST
RS. 800000 (17700 USD)
RS. 100000 (2200 USD)
RS. 75000 (1700 USD)
RS. 10000 (200 USD)
RS. 4000 (100 USD)
International arrivals
From another state in India
From another district in Maharastra
Urban to rural
Urban to urban
Rural to rural
Rural to urban
TRAVEL DISTANCE BY INCOME LEVEL IN KM
PUNE
2.3 milion 3.33 million
VEHICLES AND INHABITANTS
MUMBAI
1.5 million 13.9 million
19% 1% 80%
USE OF ROAD SPACE
85%
25%
SuburbanLimit
SuburbanLimit
CityLimit
CityLimitRS.350(8USD)
AVERAGE NUMBER OF CHILDREN PER FAMILY IN INDIA
1960 1985 2010
AVERAGE NUMBER OF PERSONS TRAVELING BY VEHICLE TYPE
PER CAPITA INCOME 2007
RS. 46,000 (1017 USD)
COMMUTERS USING PUBLIC TRANSPORT
470844
427955
385475
355557 343273
1996-1997 1997-1998 1998-1999 1999-2001 2001-2002
RS.450(10USD)
RS.700(15USD)
RS.850(19USD)
11,2
8,1
10,5
4,2
3,3
0,9
8,0
1,3
9,5
8,0
3,9
7,1 All modes
7,2 All modes
5,4 All modes
5,1
3,5
6,9
7,9
4,3
4,0
2,0
High income
Mid income
Low income
RS. 23,000 (508 USD)
Pune India
MIGRATION TO PUNE
MIGRATION TO MAHARASTRA STATE
Mumbai Pune
44. 44
Cities today are created more by the thoughts and
desires of the people living within their territories than
by specific physical patterns. Still, the city’s identity
is shaped by physical locations, and it’s these places
that create the “image”of the city. These images don’t
always offer the citizens a multitude of possibilities.
Immersed environments, where physical and mental
needs are fulfilled and people create their own con-
texts, are the key to an exciting and challenging urban
experience. In community life, interdependence pro-
vides a sense of unity, and social networks play a large
role.
The wada was the traditional residence in Maharashtra and
the construction of wadas reached its peak in the second
half of the eighteenth century. It was typically a large
building of two or more stories. Groups of rooms were
arranged around open courtyards, with a water fountain
to provide a comfortable climate. The design of a wada
was heavily influenced by social and cultural factors. The
most significant feature was the way the zoning of public,
private and semi-private spaces was done.
The new riverfront in Narayan Peth is being built up in the
form of housing quarters inspired by the wada structure.
The courtyards are social arenas for the neighbours, and
the buzz from ongoing small-production attracts strollers
enjoying the new waterfront. Infrastructure and amenities
for the plot are partly financed by the PMC and partly by
developers.
What today is an underused riverside road, becomes
a livable waterfront as the road is buried below in a
tunnel. Profits from new accessible land are being used
for re-development of the old Narayan Peth area. The
new migrants get involved in the building process. Local
materials and traditional building methods are used.
TYPICAL WADA PLAN
1 Verandah
2 Guard room
3 Formal verandah
4 Office
5 Negotiation room
6 Reception
7 Living room
8 Middle room
9 Grain store
10 Prayer room
11 Treasury
12 Manuscript room
13 Cow shed
14 Delivery room
15 Bath/toilet
16 Kitchen
17 Store
18 Fountain
19 Shrine
20 Rear entry
Public
Half-private
Private
TRADITIONAL JOINT FAMILY
STRUCTURES ARE KEPT ALIVE...
ANCIENT CRAFTS ENDURE
IN THE CORE OF PUNE
“I woke up on the first morning to
the tap-tapping of the tambats. I had
never heard this new variety of sound
before, and this special sound cannot
be heard anywhere else in the world.
I felt I had come to a novel place...”
ON-DEMAND PRODUCTION
BY MASSES INSTEAD OF
INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTION;
NEW CONSUMER CULTURE
EMERGES
... AND THE NEIGHBOURHOOD AS AN “EXTENDED FAMILY”
PROVIDES NEW SOCIAL NETWORKS AND SOCIAL SECURITY
Wada Story
Infusing the Rural
45. 45
A SOCIAL ARENA
WIND CIRCULATION IS USED TO PROVIDE PLEASANT MICRO-CLIMATE IN THE YARDS
Wind catchers
provide natural
ventilation
Local
production
promotes
traditional
skills and
ancient crafts
Rainwater
harvesting
Rooftop/
facade
gardening
Solar panels
Wind
Water
Customers
Food
LIVING & WORKING AT THE NARAYAN PETH RIVERFRONT
Energy
LIVE PRODUCTION
AT THE RIVERFRONT
ATTRACTS LOCALS AND
INTERNATIONAL
TOURISTS
Regenerated area
New walking riverfront
Water breeze New waterfront
Housing
SPACES AT STREET
LEVEL ARE FLEXIBLE.
COMMON ROOMS
CAN BE USED FOR
WORKSHOPS, COURSES
AND PRIVATE FUNCTIONS
Regenerated area
46. 46
Paratransit
Modes of transportation define our access and un-
derstanding of the city. The dream of owning a car is
highly affecting Pune. The transformation from bike
and pedestrian traffic to a car-based one is resulting in
the familiar patterns of slow moving traffic and pol-
luted air. Today, the public transport system is based on
buses and a vast number of private rickshaw taxis, but
is limited in its range and convenience. Paratransit is a
way to enhance the system.
Some Indian cities have blamed traffic congestion and
pollution on auto rickshaws and have banned them from
the central urban areas. Perhaps there is an alternative
answer to the rickshaw problem? Could alternative fuel
sources, improved aerodynamics and smart integration
with the larger-scale public transport system attract the
growing middle class, thereby providing a convincing
alternative to the private car?
Paratransit is a flexible system of rickshaws offering
convenient on-demand, door-to-door connections. They
are lightweight and cheap to build. Since they are small
they can easily navigate the narrow streets of the city,
which were never planned for larger cars. This flexibility
allows individuals to move throughout the city without
being confined to areas near bus nodes or parking lots.
Taking public transport for longer distances and then
transferring to a rickshaw for the last door-to-door trip
is an efficient and flexible way to move. It suggests a
shift from the idea of a core or a polynuclear city toward
a continuous streetscape, with roads seen as moving
escalators. The streetscape can retain its vivid social
mosaic- a public corridor for interaction- instead of
becoming an asphalt desert defined by the free reign of the
private car.
INTEGRATION WITH THE TICKET SYSTEM
The new rickshaws contain two passenger sec-
tions: first and second class. The rickshaw has a
sign which indicates the direction it is traveling
and these passenger can ‘hitch a ride’ if the taxi
happens to be going in their direction.
Passengers from the bus system can transfer
to the paratransit system by using the same
ticket, assuring ease and speed of use since the
drivers will not have to deal with cash for these
passengers. Rickshaw drivers and owners will be
compensated by the public system according to
the number of riders they serve
First class
Direction sign
Second class
CHARGING NODE
While waiting for passengers to arrive from the large-scale bus rapid transit
system, the node provides shade, protection from the rain, a parking place,
and the opportunity to charge vehicles via solar cells located on the roof of
the node. These nodes also create a vibrant local public space for hawkers
and for social interaction.
Solar cells
Public space
Connecting Scales
First class tickets will be more expensive and aimed at providing an
alternative for the middle class. A maximum of three passengers in
this section will have access to comfortable seats, a folding table,
air conditioning and lighting. In the rear section of the rickshaw
there is a hop-on, hop-off second class area with folding seats for a
maximum of three lower-income passengers.
47. 47
PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM
Long distance - scheduled
Local node - bus stop
Short distance - on demand
DIFFERENT SPECIES FOR
DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS
Due to the specifics of local ecologies, rick-
shaws gradually adapt to these conditions,
making the most of the situation felxifuel
engine. All of this is based on a family of
small, lightweight 4-stroke biogas/electric
vehicles.
Flexifuel auto rickshaw completely reliant
on a system of charging stations
Flexifuel auto rickshaw with solar cell roof
Flexifuel “off-grid” satelite auto rickshaw
with solar cell roof and expandable fan
The shape of the exterior has evolved from a “square” to a drop
shape, while the light cupola tent-like structure of the vehicles roof is
maintained. This aerodynamic shape is inspired by the body of the
boxfish. The fabric on the roof is replaced with thin-film solar cells,
thereby enabling “free” charging while in use. The car body is painted
with a light blue color to reflect sunlight, keeping the interior cooler.
Tent-like structure
Ventilation
Thin-film solar cells
PUNE’S BUS RAPID TRANSPORT SYSTEM
Existing system
Planned system
48. 48
$
HUNDREDS OF STRA Y DOGS IN PUNE
LEVELS OF MANAGEMENT
Individuals Community City
SPECIFIC INITIATIVES
+Alternative transport
+Dog-aided lime soda cart
+Friend
+Dog-made ice cream
+Guard dog
+Friend
+Dog assisted
journeys for vulnerable
members of the city
+Pollution sniffer
BENEFITS
+Mobility
+Companionship
+Security
+Productivity
+Social well being
+Mobility
+Social well
being
+Lovely
environment
All dogs have the opportunity to
be homed, walked and trained
at the kinetic-energy-capturing
dog park
Producing energy for the city
Kinetic Canine
Stray Dogs in the City
This project deals with a resident of the Indian city that
is rarely discussed: the dog. Any visitor to Pune will no-
tice the abundance of stray dogs roaming the streets. As
Louise C. Dayao notes, “The animals subsist on discard-
ed edibles from marketplaces and garbage dumps and
on handouts from local shopkeepers and residents. But
these semi-tame homeless animals are often plagued by
disease and are sometimes rabid. Few if any are altered,
and their population is at risk of growing exponen-
tially.” Efforts to control the dog population, most of
which are incredibly cruel, have had little effect in
minimizing the stray dog population. What measures
can be taken to allow these dogs to have a positive
urban impact?
Anyone who has been to Alaska knows that Eskimos have
taken their extremely close relationship with huskies
and used the dogs for dog sled teams. A similar initiative
might be effective in Indian cities. These ‘stray sleds,’
manned by a driver, would be perfect for getting children
or the elderly around the city. They would be a welcome
green alternative to the rickshaw. Similarly, dogs owned
by the middle class could be walked in the Kinetic Energy
Capturing Park to generate electricity. In addition, the city
of Pune could retrain its dog population to assist the city
in such matters as escorting women walking alone at night
or helping vulnerable members of community get to their
destinations.
Of all animals, dogs share the strongest emotional
recognition with humans. The Indian urban dog has a
unique opportunity to benefit society by building on this
connection. These are simple ways to treat them in a more
humane way while still maintaining their unique position
in the Indian city.
+
=
INTENSIVE RETRAINING
49. 49
DOG-ASSISTED LIME SODA CART
Time to sniff out
some toxic
e-waste ...
... and help
the quality
of the enviroment
in Pune
DOG-ASSISTED
ICE CREAM PRODUCTION
On my way
Come in Rover!
=
Come in
Rover ... I
need you at
‘Dog Point’
There is a woman
here who needs
assistance
A MEMBER OF ‘THE DOG POINT COOPERATIVE’
COMMUNICATES AND TRACKS WORKING DOGS
USING GPS AND RADIO
STRAY DOG SLED
DOGS ARE HOMED AND TRAINED AT
THE KINETIC ENERGY DOG PARK
CREATING ENERGY FOR THE CITY
DOGS IN PUNE ARE
RETRAINED TO SNIFF OUT
POLLUTION, PARTICULARY
TOXIC E-WASTE
BEAT THE HEAT
DOG
POINT
50. 50
Holy Drivers
Intense bargaining with men in Khaki
Finally an acceptable deal
It’s not that far
Can’t help thinking of a syndicate
Setting off in the Bajaj for the best view over the city
From one of the hills
One of the few unbuilt spaces in the city
This one with a temple on top
Maybe it takes a bit of sacred space to protect
A piece of nature in an expansive metropolis
The Bajaj doesn’t seem to be doing well
The engine dies occasionally
The starting lever fell off in the busy intersection three blocks back
A rare and silent protest from a well used two-stroke
Crisscrossing through the moving mass
Tatas, Mahindras, Heroes, Pulsars
Some close and some further away
Some packed, threatening to burst
Some with private drivers
Some loaded with goods
Some ridden by ninjas
You get there, you get there some way
You don’t know the route
But you get there
Holy Divers
Under the causeway crossing
the Mutha River a teenage
boy is diving in the slow
flowing slurry of sewage that
almost entirely has come to
replace the river water. A few
seconds later another boy’s
head breaks the viscous
surface. Then another one.
Simultaneously, the same
procedure is repeated in the
shadows of the Z-Bridge.
The reason for this extreme,
shallow water diving remain
obscure. Were they diving
for small change tossed
in the river for good luck?
Were they looking for a two-
wheeler maliciously dumped
in the dark waters by the
furious family of a betrayed
spouse?
52. + = ?
+ More people in India have more spare time and more
money to spend
+ Going to shopping malls is an increasingly popular
activity among the growing middle class
+ Festivals and holidays foster a sense of community and
togetherness on a large scale
+ Leisure serves as a counterpart to the everyday, offer-
ing an opportunity to change
Malls in Pune are popular because they are cool, calm and
spacious – a stark contrast to the bustling, hot and noisy
streets outside. Even though new malls are built at a rapid-
fire pace, 30% of the rentable space in Indian malls remains
empty. It has become clear that the Indians view the mall as
a space for social gathering rather than strictly for shopping.
By considering traditional social practices and solutions
that are based on climatic principles of space, can we create
a public space that serves as an alternative to the growing
commercialization of leisure?
+ Leisure in Pune spans the extremes of time and scale,
from immense festivals on the riverside to taxi drivers
taking micro-breaks or families taking evening walks
+ Space and time occupied by leisure is often the same as
used for other means like transportation or work
+ Leisure is tightly knit to traditional social practices
and events
+ Pune has strong tradition of theatre and cinema
Leisure in Pune is widespread, from gathering by the river
for Holi to taking domestic weekend trips or short naps
between customers in the back of a rickshaw. Whether
sliding away ten minutes or two weeks, the effect of leisure
is still the same. It makes you change perspectives and frees
you from routines.
How can we argue the necessity of space dedicated to leisure
in the highly contested Pune spatial context? Maybe leisure
in public space is only possible when combined with other
functions, such as production, ecological services or play?
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Leisure Matters
The Equity of Event Space
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Immersion points and paths
to Mutha River
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In India, domestic tourists outnumber
foreign tourists by 100 to 1
675((7 5,.(7
Cricket is India’s number one sport. It involves all segments of society and takes place everywhere -from
pick-up games on the streets of informal settlements to government assembly halls and international
corporate boardrooms.
38%/, +2/,'$6 ,1 0$+$5$6+75$
India
Sweden
The average Indian has 10 vacation days less
per year than his Swedish counterpart.
Everyday, 14 million out of the 1 billion Indian population go to the cinema 97% of Indian urban youth
prefer to watch movies at
multiplexes
75% of Indian non-urban youth
prefer to watch movies at home
/(,685( ,1 381(
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Festivals
Sleeping
Eateries
Cricket
Outdoor Culture
Cinema
Walking
(hand in hand)
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632576
Vacation
Public Holidays
54. The Mutha River cuts like a grand corridor of water
and air through the congested heart of Pune. Its unique
potential for being a vital part of the daily life of the
city contrasts sharply with the reality: long dry spells, a
collapsing sewage system and poor maintenance. All of
this effectively limits the range of possible events and
users on and next to the river. How do you reverse this
worsening trend and turn the Mutha River into a motor
for the creation of new, high-quality public spaces?
The riverside is a product of the annual monsoon
rains that flood the banks and prevent most forms of
permanent, formal construction. The water running in the
river is badly polluted by untreated sewage water flushed
out into the river. In fact, during certain parts of the year
the majority of water comes only from Pune’s labyrinth-
like web of waste pipes.
In order for the river to begin functioning as a social space,
its function as an ecological space has to be considered.
In the urban context, social and ecological qualities are
tightly interwoven and linked to issues of caste, class and
environmental justice.
Perennial Park aims to resolve these issues by adding
a range of different activities and functions to address
both leisure and micro-climate in a variety of ways.
While doing this, three spatial categories have been kept
in mind: space for recreation, space for production and
space for preservation. In order to create spaces that are
both socially and ecologically sustainable over time, these
categories have been combined into multiple projects
that all seek to revitalize the riverside’s biotopes while
simultaneously creating pleasant and fantastic social
spaces.
087+$ 5,9(5
-Polluted
-Under-used
+Space for peripheral activity
081,,3$/ 5('(9(/230(17 3/$1
+More better water
+Controlled water level
-Loss of public space
1$552:(5 $1' '((3(5
+More public space
(152$+0(17
-Privatization of space
-New pollution
:$7(5)5217 '(9(/230(17
-Privatization of space
-Gentrification
The river’s capacity to function as a public space
is intrinsically linked to its temporal character.
+2: 72 5('(9(/23 7+( 5,9(5
7+( 08/$ 087+$ 5,9(5 Bay of Bengal
Bombay/
Indian Ocean
The Site
Pune
New floodgate
The Western Ghats
New floodgate
Perennial Park
Found in Transformation
55. Mutha River when flooded
675$7(*
7+( 5,9(5 3$$5.
A permeable plaza is created under a system
of interconnected funnels, or paars, harvest-
ing and infiltrating rainwater. Solar cells
generate energy for the integrated lighting.
The water is led away in underground pipes,
stored and used for irrigation in the Bamboo
Showroom.
7+( %$0%22 6+2:5220
The Bamboo Showroom is a satellite
farm showcasing a large scale peripheral
“motherfarm” and also functioning as a
maze-like park.
It functions as a physical connector
between the city and the river.
/80,1$5 5,.(7
Sports field on the riverbank lit up by a
ring of solar cell clad flood lights based
on techniques used in solar-powered
flashlights in which energy is stored in
nickel-metal hybrid batteries that light
at night when not loading.
6(:$*( $+7
A moving facility for biological sewage
treatment and energy production.
The ship travels the river collecting sew-
age from existing riverside septic tanks.
The sewage is cleaned onboard in bio
cells filled with anaerobic bacteria that
in the process generate energy. The
sludge is used as fertilizer in peripheral
farming.
1. Municipal redevelopment plan
2. Redistribute the water volume
3. Create a sunken landscape 4. Enable controlled flooding
Mother farm
Lights
Pv cells
Rainwater collector
Seating
Cow reserve
Bamboo grove
7+( 5,9(5 3$$5.
Bamboo skywalk
Narayan Peth
JM Road
7+( %$0%22 6+2:5220
Bio cells
Solar cell clad flood light
56. 3803
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CHAPTER 1
HOW TO BUILD YOUR OWN PLAYGROUND -
AND HARVEST ENERGY FROM IT!
DIY
+
+
Pure Play combines recreational spaces with a series
of water cleaning methods employed along the entire
length of the Mutha River. Both small and large-scale
solutions are used to create a resilient cleaning system.
The Dhobi Ghat workers (clothes washers) contribute
to the cleaning of the river while simultaneously par-
ticipating in the creation of an “Edutainment Plaza.”
Wastewater from the Dhobi Ghat currently pollutes the
river with harmful chemicals, soap and detergents. To
solve this, a smart water cleaner is constructed to recycle
the wastewater in the form of a pergola-like biological
water cleaning system which also provides shade.
This shaded area becomes an appropriate space for more
active relaxation in the form of a Kinetic Playground
in which energy is harvested from the movement of
the participants. The energy captured at this particular
playground is used to produce the ice-cream served at a
small kiosk. The milk comes from the cows grazing nearby.
A seesaw works as a pump to transport water upward into
a combined battery-water tower. When water is released
from the tower it powers an electric turbine. The water
is also cleaned through a filter before being used in the
Dhobi Ghat. The playground becomes an educational,
entertaining and environmentally friendly “Edutainment
Plaza.”
Local children can use the shaded playground while their
parents are working at the Dhobi Ghat. Customers have a
space to mingle and socialize while waiting to pick up or
drop off their clothes. It is a fun and edutaining experience
for families, providing them with an alternative free-time
activity.
The principles of this kinetic playground are described in a
do-it-yourself guidebook meant to spread new ideas about
sustainable energy production to a wider audience.
:$7(5 5(/,1* 352(66
35,1,3/(6 )25 .,1(7, (1(5* 6((6$:
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Do-it-yourself guidebook for kinetic playgrounds
Pure Play
Edutainment at Work
57. Dhobi ghat
Kinetic
playground
Mutha river
Water cleaner / shader
352-(7 20321(176
Electric pump
Water tank
Water cleansing
Seesaw / water pumpElectric turbine
6(7,21 6+2:,1* :$7(5 5(/,1* 35,1,3/(
58. Every year in June the monsoon arrives in Pune to soak
the ground and swell the rivers. After weeks of guess-
ing the exact arrival date, amount and intensity of the
downpour, people rush to the street to welcome the
heavy rain. Soon the city becomes flooded as the drains
are incapable of coping with the heavy volume of
water. Could this precious resource be collected and
saved for later use when the seasonal dry spell inevita-
bly comes?
The uneven distribution of rainfall over the course of
the year causes problems in maintaining a constant flow
in the river; a necessity for the growing city. The Mutha
River diminishes to a thin, foul-smelling stream during the
dry season. During most of the year, rain is a scarce and
valuable commodity.
Today, monsoon water flows down the Mutha River
towards the Ujani Dam. In the Neril plan proposed by the
city, more water will be accessible for Pune’s inhabitants by
creating dams and broadening the river. But water should
also be harvested and stored for the dry season.
Monsoon mood aims to create social spots in the city
where rainwater is collected. Because of the density of the
city, new structures need to be multifaceted. The storage
of water should be combined with other functions to
contribute to better public space. Water is a universal
symbol of life, and the awareness and visibility of water
brings about a more vibrant city.
The seesaw model is a low-tech solution to create kinetic
energy at the same time as it collects water. Solar cells
could be combined with any water collector. Collected
water is stored in tanks on top of houses or as freestanding
walls beside them. In very dense areas, the neighborhood
could team up and create a communal waterbank. The
distribution of water from the bank to the households
could be provided through pipes or by hand. Households
could also sell the water they collect on their rooftops
to earn extra income. Multi-scaled solutions work
individually or can be combined to create stronger
resilience.
Average annual rainfall in Pune = approx. 650 mm
(mostly between June and September)
381( $5($
700.000.000 M2
$5($ 1(('('
)25 5$,1 +$59(67,1*
125.925.000 M2
18 M3
= 25 wardrobes
80.730.000 M3
= 10.000 air ballons
9.180 M3
= 100 buses
3(7+ 3(56
381(
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Average daily consumption of water in Pune = 50 l
How much is that per year?
63$( )25 5$,1 +$59(67,1*
If 18% of Pune was covered with rain catchers the water collected
would be enough for Pune’s inhabitants.
Full! Almost empty!
Bioluminescent Dinoflagellates are a unique type of planktonic algae.
When observed during the day, they appear as golden dust floating
in the water. At night, they produce dazzling blue flashes of light.
Agitation of the algae stimulates bioluminescence
%,2/80,1(6(17 $/*$(
Feeds on: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Trace Elements and Vitamins.
:$7(5%$1.
The height of the platform varies with the water content thus creating
awareness of the water issues. It is capable of containing 10.000 M3
water. That equals the yearly consumption of 150 people.
Monsoon Mood
Water Harvesting in the Social City
59. :$7(5 .,1(7, (1(5*
:$7(5 62/$5 (1(5*
Water gathers in the open section. When that side is
filled and the weight is heavy enough the seesaw flips
over, the lid slides down and the water pours down in the
water tank. The process is repeated, generating energy.
:$7(5 7$1. /,*+7
The local water tanks are mixed with bioluminescent
algae that light up the streets at night making them
safe. It also works as a temperature regulator keeping
the indoor climate comfortable.
:$7(5 %$1. 62,$/ $5(1$
The water bank is built as a social arena for all sorts of gatherings. The rain catcher
shades the structure making the climate comfortable for dancing, etc. From here you
can see over the rooftops, to the hills of Pune, at least when the water level is high.
60. Chaupals, the historical meeting points in old Indian
villages, have become an unfortunate casualty of the
rapidly re-developing city centre of Pune. Could sci-
ence bring them back? By taking inspiration from
nature, a new, democratic public space is proposed in
the old neighborhoods of Narayan Peth.
The Chaupal is the earliest experiment in human
democracy. A Chaupal is a traditional Indian common
space, usually in the form of a stage built around a Banyan
tree. It is owned by all of the villagers and is used as both
a literal and figurative platform to discuss issues affecting
the community. Special occasions are celebrated there and
communal harmony is nurtured through the continuance
of common traditions in the village. The space is open
in all directions and everyone has the freedom to enter
irrespective of race, caste, religion or gender. In essence, no
one can be denied admittance.
For generations, Indian villagers have enjoyed the liberty
of sharing the public space embodied in the Chaupal and
express their freedom of speech without fear of being
excluded. What if we could re-introduce the Chaupal
in the contemporary Indian city? Could the Chaupal
be made even more user-friendly by providing a better
microclimate through the use of evaporative cooling?
The biomimetic principle proposed is based on the way
elephants keep cool. Water flows on a porous surface
and the air blowing through it cools down as the water
evaporates.
While a Banyan tree is perhaps the ideal solution, this
man-made version has one large advantage: time. Banyan
trees grow slowly and take many years to reach full size.
The Biomimetic Chaupal only takes a couple of weeks to
construct.
+$83$/
%$1$1 75((
Shading
structure
Air flowCold
Hot
circulating water
(9$325$7,9( 22/,1* 3$' 7(;785(
Evaporative cooling pad
/($51,1* )520 7+( (/(3+$17
+2: (9$325$7,9( 22/,1* :25.6
Biomimetic Chaupal
A Cool Public Space
61. Shading structure
0 50 Meters
Biomimetic Chaupal
in Narayan Peth
30 Watt PV module
Evaporative cooling pad
Circulated water
7 Litres / minute
Water pump
Natural
ventilation
62. 64
The Pigeons
Down by the temple near the riverbank, you can often see
flocks of birds swirling in the sky. To the untrained eye, the
flight of these birds might seem casual and arbitrary. But as
with most everything in Pune, there’s a deeper story to it.
It’s part of a practice called bird rearing. The bird rearers-
mostly men- gather together to trade birds and compete
against each other for fun. It’s a leisurely practice that
takes place mostly in the older parts of town and has been
going on for generations.
The aim is to gather the largest possible flock, so the
rearers train their birds to fly strong and fast so as to lure
other birds to their flock. One can always determine who’s
the owner of a particular bird, because every trained bird
has a signature flying technique.
So next time you see a bird passing in the sky it might just
be a birdrearer’s. Or if the time is right, and you’re in just
the right spot, you may just stumble upon any of the other
countless stories unfolding every day in Pune.
64. Pune Matters
Cast
SARA-LOUISE BERGKVIST
Urban planner
ABHINAV GAURAV
Architect
PERNILLA GLASER
Author
FRIDA GUSTAFSON
Architect
EMMA HOULIHAN
Artist
HELENA HULTGREN
Urban planner
VIKTOR LIEDNER
Urban planner
OLA NIELSEN
Landscape architect
BIRGITTA PERSSON
Architect
STEVEN PETERSON
Architect
MONIKA RUDENSKA
Architect and urban planner
MAGNUS SCHÖN
Architect
PER STENHOLM
Urban planner
HENRIK STORM
Urban planner
INGRID SVENKVIST
Architect
CARINA SULE
Architect
KALLE ZETTERHOLM
Architect
Directors
HENRIETTA PALMER
Architect and professor
MICHAEL DUDLEY
Architect and teacher
A special thanks to professor Anagha Parnajape, professor
Poorva Keskar, the staff and students of BNCA College of
Architecture in Pune for their invaluable help and generosity
during the course of the year
65. MEJAN ARC
Royal Institute of Art, Stockholm
is a forum for post-graduate education that investigates
issues relevant for the general public and how they
are connected to an architectural and urban discourse.
MEJAN ARC offers one-year courses in three disciplines,
including Architecture, Architectural Restoration and Art
and Architecture, the latter conducted in conjunction
with the Fine Arts department. Each course includes an
extensive lecture series, which addresses the chosen theme
and specific context in a comprehensive manner. Study
trips are also an integral component of each curriculum.
The goal of the School of Architecture is to engage
society through the generation of relevant and tangible
projects, as well as the creation of working networks that
continue outside the academic realm. Projects that have
their inception at the school often become independent
platforms that continue to develop on their own.
An increasingly urban world necessitates new perspectives.
The three programs share an interest in the City, but
have different areas of focus – history and identity, social
aspects and future urban possibilities. By utilizing methods
of research and design we explore the potential of urban
environments in a rapidly changing world.
Bio-topical: Goa
Thanks to our sponsors:
The post-graduate course in architecture, Resources
begins a new series entitled Happy Grounds
in which we will search for alternative urban
models and perspectives on development based
on particularly advantageous breeding grounds
such as climate, topography, cultural expressions,
resources, economies or social patterns and
phenomena. We now look towards the west coast
of India and the state of Goa with its tropical
biotope and ongoing generation of a unique
urbanity in:
66. MEJAN ARC, Royal Institute of Art
Box 16315, 103 26 Stockholm, Sweden
www.kkh.se
“We don’t see things as they are,
we see them as we are.”
-Anaïs Nin
