Grzegorz Górnikiewicz, Martyna Krysteczko and Oskar Szymańczyk, architecture students at the Silesian University of Technology, received an honorable mention in the international competition The Dharavi Project. They were tasked with designing a community space as a catalyst for future change in Dharavi, India's largest slum. Their project, The Mosaic , is a safe haven for residents to rest, work and enjoy an educational and cultural program.
Dharavi catalyst for change
The goal of The Dharavi Project competition organized by the archdais platform was to design a community place that would act as a catalyst for community change in the heart of Mumbai's slum, Dharavi. It was to be a proposal that could become an umbrella institution for initiating change in Dharavi. Participants were to develop a program in three parts: economic, social and cultural-recreational, which would include a series of activities that would help bring about change in a holistic way and encourage people to work together. The organizers expected the competition proposal to be a combination of open and semi-open spaces. It was to be the first 24-hour public transitional institution, utilizing the maximum potential of the site.
The project plot is located in Dharavi
© Grzegorz Górnikiewicz, Martyna Krzysteczko, Oskar Szymańczyk
The plot of land to be developed by the participants is located on the edge of Dharavi, adjacent to the perpetually congested Sion-Bandra and Mahim-Sion streets, a future metro stop and the Mithi River. The area of the project site is about one thousand square meters, with the proposed facility expected to occupy a maximum of sixty percent of the plot's development. Meanwhile, the total area of the proposed solution was to be two thousand square meters, and the scale of the object was to take into account the context.
award for polish students
Archidas received a huge number of submissions from all over the world. 650 teams and some 1,250 participants submitted entries. The projects were shaded by a competition jury consisting of: Narinder Sagoo, Armstrong Yakubu, Sachi Oberoi(Foster + Partners), Sameep Padora, Robert Verrijt, Alan Abraham, Pronit Nath, Sami D'Monte, Zameer Basrai(The Bandra Collective). The jury awarded three main prizes: the first proposal The Dharavi LAb authored by a duo from India consisting of: Neha Karmarkar, Akash Chougula. The second prize went to Re-Presenting Dharavi by the project of Sharayua Jibhkatea, Vojesh Pahawy. Third place went to Taruna Aiyyar, Palak Gupta and Abhinav Gupta for their project Unwrap.
The Mosaic project received an honorable mention
© Grzegorz Górnikiewicz, Martyna Krzysteczko, Oskar Szymańczyk
The jury also awarded 15 honorary, equivalent distinctions, among them was the project from Silesian University of Technology The Mosaic by Grzegorz Górnikiewicz, Martyna Krzysteczko and Oskar Szymańczyk.
The Mosaic
The main idea of The Mosaic project, was to create an object uniting the community of the oldest, largest and best organized slums in India. Being a source of inspiration, forming characters and skills. A place where the residents would be proud and where they would feel proud of themselves. A safe refuge with which they will be able to identify," say the students of the Silesian University of Technology.
The building is created from recycled plastic
© Grzegorz Górnikiewicz, Martyna Krzysteczko, Oskar Szymańczyk
How did the authors try to achieve this? According to the premise of their project, residents will take an active part in the creation of the place from the beginning. As the award-winning team explains, Dharavi has been drowning in waste for years, which has made a large part of the community toil in waste segregation, specializing in recycling. For this reason, the authors designed the bulk of the building from recycled plastic.
Creating with this material shows how, by cleaning up slum neighborhoods, a material that has a bad impact on the environment can be used. In this way, one can simultaneously give employment to the local community and, most importantly, a sense of belonging to the place. At the same time, it is an inspiration for the whole world, showing how to solve the big problem of excess plastic trash," say Gregory, Maryna and Oskar.
the building from the outside is an open gallery
© Grzegorz Górnikiewicz, Martyna Krzysteczko, Oskar Szymańczyk
open gallery
The building from the outside is a gallery, which is the façade of the entire building. Users will be able to exhibit craft products and art they have created there, relax in specially designed spaces and enjoy the vertical greenery. In addition to local products, the gallery features regional accents in the form of perforated lattice screens - jali, and charpai woven screens. The gallery's windows can be modified or supplemented in any way. This solution makes it possible to organize the space located in the tropical climate belt. In the wet season, uncovering the windows facilitates ventilation, while in the dry season, covering up protects the interior from low temperatures and from the cold wind blowing from the north. Modifying the space has an effect on acoustics in the building, especially during cultural events.
The Mosaic consists of four levels with variable spaces
© Grzegorz Górnikiewicz, Martyna Krzysteczko, Oskar Szymańczyk
variable interior
In the interior of the building, in addition to a footbridge running along the gallery on each floor, there appear intersecting public footbridges on which spaces with various functions have been designed. A traditional slum consists of two to three floors. The first floor of each is occupied by workshops, while the upper floors are residential functions. Following this pattern, the authors placed workshops with facilities and exhibition spaces on the first floor, in addition to places with cultural and entertainment functions. Office and educational spaces, such as a school with a library, appear on the upper floors. These areas are connected by common spaces.
The interior of the building features platforms
© Grzegorz Górnikiewicz, Martyna Krzysteczko, Oskar Szymańczyk
In addition, the platforms have been designed in such a way that they provide an opportunity to observe events taking place on other floors. The building is equipped with many changeable elements, such as movable walls, glass, cabinets, and a folding stage. The sliding walls are made of various materials including plastic, glass, jali, and light and airy materials. The walls can also be filled with books and artwork. The mobile elements allow the interior and its surface to be arranged, adapting it to the size of the events taking place there.
The authors believe that their project could become a catalyst for change
© Grzegorz Górnikiewicz, Martyna Krzysteczko, Oskar Szymańczyk
The Dharavi district resembles a mosaic from every point of view. It is made up of people, their characters, sensitivities and diversity. We see the beauty in this, which we transfer to our object. Hence the mosaic character of the gallery, perfectly fitting into the surrounding slum architecture. The facility will promote, what is best in the people living in Dharavi, will be a pride, will help shape individuals, will be an opportunity for a better life, and a lesson in itself," the authors conclude.
