Project .revive

Re-thinking Informality in Informal Settlements

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Existing Life & The Challenge

Sangam Vihar, located in South Delhi, is one of the largest unauthorized colonies in Asia. Home to over half a million residents, the settlement faces significant infrastructure challenges including inadequate water supply, lack of proper sanitation, narrow congested lanes, and insufficient access to basic services.

Despite these challenges, Sangam Vihar is a vibrant community with strong social bonds, local economies, and cultural richness. This project recognizes this existing vitality while addressing the urgent need for improved living conditions especially housing.

Understanding the Site

Located in South Delhi, Sangam Vihar spans across multiple zones with varying densities and infrastructure conditions. This comprehensive site analysis examines the existing urban fabric at multiple scales—from the regional context to the intimate neighborhood level.

Through detailed mapping and on-ground surveys, I identified key patterns of movement, commercial activity, and community spaces that must be preserved and enhanced in any rehabilitation effort.

Reality Check & Community Voice

The traditional approach to slum rehabilitation—demolition and construction of high-rise apartments—often fails to address the actual needs of residents. The extensive community consultations and engagement revealed what people truly need: improved infrastructure especially housing, community retail spaces, and development that preserves their livelihoods and social networks.

Testimonials from residents highlighted priorities that included a growing need for shared spaces both within the housing units as well as at the street level.

The Masterplan

The masterplan proposes an in-situ upgrading approach that works with the existing urban fabric rather than against it. The plan introduces slight reconfiguration of existing infrastructure, improved housing units, and strategic interventions that enhance livability while respecting existing community structures.

Developed through both 2D planning and 3D spatial analysis, the masterplan balances density with quality of life, ensuring every resident has access to light, air, and community amenities, through the use of local sourced materials and traditional Indian architectural practices and passive systems.

Housing Typologies

The development framework includes three distinct housing typologies that respond to different household needs and site conditions. Each typology incorporates improved infrastructure, natural light and ventilation, and flexible spaces that accommodate diverse livelihoods.