Project description by jury

Ambujwadi is an informal settlement of around 60,0000 people in north-west Mumbai. Typical civic amenities have never been installed here, so the community struggles, day after day, to obtain basic services such as water supply, sanitation facilities or waste management. In such a situation, that in essence withholds social, political and economic support, the project proposes to use architecture as a way to transform the neighborhood and dignify Ambujwadi’s residents through the integration of dedicated social spaces that legitimate the settlement and thus embody a message of political solidarity. The idea is to position a series of multi-functional community towers across the neighborhood. Through the reuse of waste materials, the structures are built in a rather informal and creative way by local construction workers, enabling the neighborhood dwellers to express their own identity. The towers thereby appear as playful urban artifacts that showcase how architecture can upgrade the value of an existing built environment and its quality of living. The buildings’ programs range from offices to educational and youth centers, from public toilets to NGOs centers, and from a health clinic to an animal shelter. To ensure the energy and economic sustainability of the towers, the project considers the integration of renewable energy systems as well as revenue generation strategies to recover the buildings’ construction and operation costs.

Jury appraisal

The LafargeHolcim Awards jury Asia Pacific applauded this project that reveals both a great sensitivity in understanding critical issues in slums, and a bold and fresh attitude in finding an appropriate solution to legitimate and dignify the bond between people and their place. Through impressive drawings and a pleasant narrative, the proposal shows an optimistic vision on how architecture can be deployed to upgrade life in Mumbai’s informal communities.