At home, At sea – the resilient urban village

In a world captivated by urbanization and modernity the native gets left behind. This aging out of indigenous people is more apparent than ever with the Koli community residing in the growing city of Mumbai, struggling to keep their head above water. Hence, it is imperative to work towards preserving the Koli lifestyle while reconciling it with an urban Mumbai.

After observing the existing conditions of Koliwada and realizing a co-relation between the problems faced by the community and it’s economic status, this project ushers in a paradigmatic shift for the Koli community towards economic stability. A new Koliwada is constructed through a system of grids, rules, modules and glitches, which adopts a nature of duality after occupation.

The urban environment may, at first, seem strict in nature due to the adoption of grids and rules. However, the tendency of the people towards applying “Jugaads” fills the environment with moments of negotiations between the Koli people and the built outcome in the form of glitches and the nature of duality.

The project aims at offering the Koli people an environment that is resilient to challenges caused by the climate and that enables the Koli people to sustain and uplift their means of living: the fishing industry. Simultaneously, community engagement is increased to preserve the cultural vibrancy of the settlement. This project aims to reconcile and strengthen the future of the Koli people and their role in the greater Mumbai zeitgeist and provide them with a more resilient outlook.