Can architecture help to bridge the gap that exists between Dharavi’s residents with other Mumbaikars? “That’s the question that gave birth to this idea. Dharavi is a huge landmass, and governments and organisations have been trying to solve many problems in the area for years. As architects, we felt we had the responsibility to contribute to that too,” says Rushikesh Kothari. Kothari is the CEO of Archdais, a design platform that recently launched a competition titled The Dharavi Project, with the aim of creating a blueprint geared towards setting up a centre for change and community empowerment in the heart of the slum. 

The initiative invites proposals from participants to set up a 24-hour running space that allows for co-working spaces and community centres, with cash awards up to Rs 1.25 lakh for the best ones. “Dharavi is an ecosystem in itself. We wanted to introduce an urban presence that helped them understand and realise their value, even economically, and point them in the right direction of how to scale up,” explains Kothari. Keeping the land scarcity of the area in mind, the project wishes to keep the site running always, with the potential of convertibility in its uses, for example, as a recreational space during the day or a night school after dark.