Networking commons for urban resurgence

Abstract

Bhalswa is one of Delhi’s three biggest dumpsites. Standing at a height of 50 metres, and having reached saturation in 2009, it creates the worst living conditions in the city for the 2- lakh people living in its vicinity. It pollutes the land, water and air all around, leaving communities around very vulnerable to diseases and poor health. Alongside the physical challenges, the people also face social stigma, poverty, and negligence from authorities and are pushed to the margins in the city. Any infrastructure present around is defunct and decayed, denying the communities basic healthcare, education and community facilities. Environmental degradation, social expulsion, institutional neglect, toxic habitat and extreme poverty- Bhalswa is unfit for habitation. All attempts to solve problems at Bhalswa are isolated from each other and manage to only make a momentary difference before the degraded systems take over them. There is no effort to look at the landscape in a holistic and consolidated manner. These broken systems fail to solve the very interwoven systems of problems at Bhalswa. A systems approach, both for mapping problems and their causes, and for devising solutions can ensure that these failing urban problems work together, and take all stakeholders into active consideration. Re-imagining urban resources as commons allow shared creation, responsibilities, and benefits for all members of society, to make an inclusive, productive and cooperative community. A system of Commons, as networks, integrates all parts of the urban scape, be it people, or built environment, or the open spaces and streets. These Commons Networks create robust and resilient systems of every urban element, woven with each other. Such an integrated strategy and approach will not let any system or urban elements go into neglect and decay, with community ownership and responsibility. Architecture then becomes a tool to facilitate local activities, and elevate people’s lives. The framework and justification laid out for built and unbuilt spaces can help create sensitive and impactful spaces, both small and large in scale. Surgical interventions and bigger developments can be decided as per required by the concept and context. This Thesis explores these ideas in the context of Bhalswa and attempts to demonstrate these strategies on a selected urban scape, designing built and unbuilt spaces, with tactical measures under the said urban framework. It attempts to create meaningful and impactful spaces, that can be a means to make a difference in people’s lives at Bhalswa. These strategies and methods can be developed to make guidelines that can be applied to similar urban contexts too.