Architecture Thesis - Urban Solutions from Science Fiction - Sumer Talati

Urban solutions from Science Fiction

SUMER TALATI Semester – VIII, Design Dissertation

Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU), Nashik.

Rizvi College of Architecture, Mumbai Academic Year 2016 - 2017

Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

CHAPTERS AND CONTENTS

PG. NO

1) BACKGROUND

4

1.1 - Architecture in the future

5

1.2 - Science Fiction

5

1.3 - Inventions inspired from Science fiction

6

2) INTRODUCTION

8

2.1 - Aims

9

2.2 - Objectives

9

2.3 - Hypothesis

9

2.4 - Scope and Limitations

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2.5 - Methodology

10

2.6 - Urbanization

11

2.7 - Causes of urbanization

12

3) LITERATURE REVIEW

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3.1 - Architecture Fiction 3.1.1 - The Archigram Program 3.1.2 - The Metabolism Movement 3.1.3 - Paris 2050 3.1.4 - Delirious New York 3.1.5 - Yona Friedman - Ville Spatiale

15 15 16 17 19 20

3.2 - Science Fiction Movies 3.2.1 - Blade Runner 3.2.2 - Equilibrium 3.2.3 - Minority Report 3.2.4 - The Fifth Element

21 21 22 23 24

3.3 - Mumbai 3.3.1 - Social Classes 3.3.2 - Urbanization in Mumbai 3.3.3 - Open Spaces in Mumbai 3.3.4 - Development Plan Mumbai 2034

25 26 28 29 32

Sumer Talati

B.Arch - Design Dissertation

Sem VII

Rizvi College of Architecture

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

4) ANALYSIS

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4.1 - Predicting the city of tomorrow

35

4.2 - Issues identified in Science Fiction in Future Cities

36

4.3 - Issues faced by Mumbai as an outcome of urbanization

36

4.4 - Solutions

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4.5 - Conclusion

37

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B.Arch - Design Dissertation

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Rizvi College of Architecture

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

ABSTRACT Imagining the future is a very fascinating prospect. How cities will appear in the future, how societies will evolve in the coming years and the kind of environment we will be living in. On the other hand, there are also a number of problems too that the future holds for us.

This dystopian or utopian form of the future is explored in the genre of science fiction. Most of these scenarios shown in this genre are projected and calculated on the basis of present day trends and advancements.

The thesis is an attempt to understand the various issues that will be faced by cities in the future and also derive solutions for them by analyzing the imaginations of visionary architects, writers and film makers.

Sumer Talati

B.Arch - Design Dissertation

Sem VII

Rizvi College of Architecture

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

B A C K G R O U N D Sumer Talati

B.Arch - Design Dissertation

Sem VII

Rizvi College of Architecture

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

1.1) Architecture in the Future Architecture itself is the art of the future. Architecture in the future will depend on certain parameters that will arise to which the architecture will have to cater. Architecture has been termed as a slow – moving art, closely dependent on economic, political, social factors, and also on changing fashions.

Population explosion, industrial revolution, urban encroachment, are the reasons for an accelerated growth of buildings being built in the 20th and 21st century. This rapid urbanization causes various issues like congested cities, urban sprawl, loss of ecology etc.

These issues might or might not be faced currently but are inevitable. To assess these issues, they need to be projected on the basis of present advancements and trends which show that they are inevitable. This will help us prepare for these issues and take steps to even avoid them altogether. One genre that practices this is Science Fiction. Science Fiction serves as a means to show us the various possibilities of our future.

Figure1: Gulliver’s Travels ( 1726 )

1.2) Science Fiction Science fiction or “speculative fiction” showcases futuristic societies, communities, trends, technologies, behavior and architecture. It uses the real world as a starting point and creates alternative, radical, hypothetical worlds which are more often based on the path the world is to be moving towards. Science fiction is an expansive genre that explores the impact of imagined or actual science on society.

Sumer Talati

B.Arch - Design Dissertation

Sem VII

Rizvi College of Architecture

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

1.3) Inventions inspired from Science Fiction Unfounded technological advances displayed in literary and visual mediums are responsible for the advances in technology and culture in modern society.

There are multiple inventions that have been directly inspired by this genre. Some of these are:Submarine Jules Verne (father of science fiction) in his book, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, imagined a great underwater ship called the Nautilus which was powered by electricity.

Robots In 1920, Czech author Karel Capek predicted the existence of robots. The story was about artificial intelligence gone wrong.

3D Printer In the original Star Trek series, the enterprise contained a tool called a replicator. The device could generate objects based on demand.

Atomic Power H.G. Wells in his 1913 novel, The World Set Free inspired scientist Leo Szilard, Twenty years later to create a nuclear reaction which led to the atomic bomb.

Rocket The first liquid – fueled rocket was built by Robert H. Goddard, an American scientist. He was inspired by H.G. Wells novel, War of the Worlds.

Figure2: Cover of 20,000 leagues under the sea

Figure3: Cover of The war of the worlds

Since in the past science fiction has proven to be a reliable genre to predict the future, it should be used as a medium to assess the future we want to move towards.

Sumer Talati

B.Arch - Design Dissertation

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Rizvi College of Architecture

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

“Today's science fiction is tomorrow's science fact.”

Isaac Asimov

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B.Arch - Design Dissertation

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

I N T R O D U C T I O N Sumer Talati

B.Arch - Design Dissertation

Sem VII

Rizvi College of Architecture

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

2.1) Aims The aim of the research is to use the genre of science fiction to speculate what cities in the future will look like and also to understand the parameters that will influence architecture that will lead us to these cities.

The aim of the project is to study and analyze the impact of the present trends of rapid urbanization and the outcomes if these trends continue.

2.2) Objectives Based on the aim, the following objectives have been identified: Ÿ To study and analyze how futuristic cities have been depicted in the genre of science

fiction. Ÿ To understand the issues shown in this genre pertaining to urbanization and compare

them to the issues currently faced. Ÿ To derive conclusions to address these issues.

2.3) Hypothesis The genre of science fiction should be used as a medium to assess the various possibilities of the future cities to help us choose the environment we want to live in the future.

2.4) Scope and Limitations Ÿ To understand the futuristic impressions of architecture portrayed in science fiction. Ÿ The study will involve analysis of Hollywood movies ( primarily in English ). Ÿ The study will also involve the analysis of architecture movements, theories and projects

which might be hypothetical but address the issues pertaining to urbanization and the future of architecture.

Sumer Talati

B.Arch - Design Dissertation

Sem VII

Rizvi College of Architecture

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

2.5) Methodology Framing of aims, objectives, scope and limitations

Literature Review

Analysis

Ÿ Identifying potential issues of

Ÿ Analyzing the reasons for the present

trends of rapid urbanization

urbanization Ÿ Identifying futuristic trends in architecture

Ÿ Analyzing the vision for future cities as

depicted in science fiction

through science fiction Ÿ Studying movies renowned for their

Ÿ Analyzing the basis of this particular

depiction

vision of predicting the future cities Ÿ Studying projects, theories, movements

Ÿ Studying the approach of architects

towards rapid urbanization

which try and address the issues pertaining to urbanization in the future.

Deriving conclusions which comprise of issues and solutions

Sumer Talati

B.Arch - Design Dissertation

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Rizvi College of Architecture

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

2.6) Urbanization Urbanization can be defined as a process of concentration of population in a particular territory.

Urbanization is a process of becoming urban, moving to cities, changing from agriculture to other pursuits common to cities.

Urbanization has become a common feature of Indian society. Growth of Industries has contributed to the growth of cities. As a result of industrialization people have started moving towards the industrial areas in search of employment. This has resulted in the growth of towns and cities.

In India, an increasing trend towards urbanization has been recorded from the very beginning of this present century. The census data on the rural-urban composition reveal a continuous rise in the rate of urbanization in India and more particularly during the second half of the present 21st century.

Figure4:

Figure5: Trends of urbanization in India

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B.Arch - Design Dissertation

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Rizvi College of Architecture

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

2.7) Causes of Urbanization: Various reasons have led to the growth of cities. They are as follows: Industrialization: Industrialization is a major cause of urbanization. It has expanded the employment opportunities. Rural people have migrated to cities on account of better employment opportunities.

Social factors: Many social factors such as attraction of cities, better standard of living, better educational facilities, need for status also induce people to migrate to cities.

Employment opportunities: In rural sector people have to depend mainly on agriculture for their livelihood. But Indian agriculture is depending on monsoon. In drought situations or natural calamities, rural people have to migrate to cities.

Modernization: Urban areas are characterized by sophisticated technology better infrastructure, communication, medical facilities, etc. People feel that they can lead a comfortable life in cities and migrate to cities.

Figure6

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

“For me science fiction is a way of thinking, a way of logic that bypasses a lot of nonsense.

It allows people to look directly at important subjects.”

Gene Roddenberry ( Creator of Star Trek)

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B.Arch - Design Dissertation

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

L I T E R A T U R E Sumer Talati

B.Arch - Design Dissertation

Sem VII

R E V I E W

Rizvi College of Architecture

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

3.1) Architecture Fiction 3.1.1) The Archigram Program This was a group of 6 architects who wanted a change from their dull work at their respective firms. The most public amongst them was Peter Cook who invented situations and solved them graphically. Together they made magazine called Archigram with collages and comic strips. They proposed works and various experimental ideas. Their aim was to break the barriers of the norms and the stereotype architecture that existed.

The main projects of the group were:Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Plug – in City and Capsules Walking City Blow out Village Instant City Monte Carlo

Figure8: Walking City

Figure7: Blow - out Village

Figure9 Sumer Talati

B.Arch - Design Dissertation

Sem VII

Rizvi College of Architecture

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

3.1.2) The Metabolism Movement Metabolism was a reaction to the atomic bombing of Japan and its vulnerability to natural disasters. This movement also addressed issues pertaining to urbanization like land scarcity, unplanned sprawl, rapid growth and housing shortage. The purpose was to completely transform the way Japan functions into resilient special and organizational patterns which can adapt to change. Metabolism employed biological metaphors which evoked the notion of a genetic architecture which is able to recreate again and again.

The major projects of this movement were:Ÿ Tokyo Bay Ÿ Marine City Ÿ The Sky House

Figure11: Marine City - Kiyonori Kikutake

Figure10: Helix City

The Sky House The Sky House served as the prototype for the ‘cell’ staging Metabolist principles. The house consists of only one open square room, floating above ground on piers containing plumbing compartments appended on two sides of the building indicating expandability. It suggests possible expansions extending from the main cell by what Kikutake called ‘move nets’ which would be plugged in beneath the floor to provide bathrooms, storage space, and removable children’s room for an expanding and contracting family. The Sky House was the first built prototype for the following mostly more or less utopian or visionary Metabolist proposals that stayed on a discursive Figure12: The Sky House - Kiyonori Kikutake level.

Tokyo Bay “The structural elements are thought of as a tree – a permanent element, with the dwelling units as leaves – temporary elements, which fall down or are renewed according to the needs of the movement. The building can grow within this structure and die and grow again.”

-Kenzo Tange

Figure13: Tokyo Bay Figure14

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B.Arch - Design Dissertation

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Rizvi College of Architecture

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

3.1.3) Paris 2050 Architect in Charge - Vincent Callebaut Green Engineering Consultant - Setec Client - Paris City Hall Project Year - 2015

Figure15

Figure16

Figure17

Figure18

Figure19

Addressing Paris' housing and density issues, French firm Vincent Callebaut Architectures has developed a proposal for multiple high rise buildings with positive energy output ( BEPOS ). Comprised of eight multi-use structures inhabiting various locations within Paris, the plan strives to address major sustainability problems affecting each district, while providing key functions for the city.

Figure20: Retrofitting of old structures with new

Source: Archdaily Sumer Talati

B.Arch - Design Dissertation

Sem VII

Rizvi College of Architecture

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

Harvey Wiley Corbett - Proposal for relieving traffic Harvey Wiley Corbett, a prominent thinker and teacher at Columbia University came up with the most literal proposal to solve the problem of congestion in Manhattan.

He proposed elevated and arcaded walkways throughout the city. All the transportation vehicles would only be on the ground plane. The edges of existing buildings could be set back to create larger areas of circulation. The pedestrians would walk on the second story along a continuous network of arcades on both sides of the streets connected by bridges.

Figure23: Concept for a city

Figure22

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B.Arch - Design Dissertation

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Rizvi College of Architecture

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

3.1.4) Delirious New York Hotel Sphinx Koolhaas

-

Rem

‘‘The Sphinx is a luxury hotel as a model for mass housing. The ground and mezzanine floors contain functions that are extensions and additions of the questionable facilities that give the Times Square area its character. They are designed to accommodate the luxuriant demand of sidewalk activities along Broadway and Seventh Avenue. The Hotel's main entrance lobby on 47th Street, facing Times Square (and the Times Building) contains an international information center.

A new subway station will link all the subway stations that now serve the Figure21: Hotel Sphinx Times Square area. The legs of the Sphinx contain escalators ascending to a large foyer serving theaters, auditoriums, ballrooms, conference and banquet rooms. Over this zone, a restaurant forms the wings of the Sphinx. The roof of this restaurant is an outdoor playground and garden for the surrounding residential accommodation in the flanks of the structure.

This accommodation consists of a collection of any imaginable number of units: hotel bedrooms and serviced suites for transient population alternate with apartments and culminate 10 villas with private gardens. The twin towers that form the tail of the Sphinx contain north facing double height studio apartments, while the connecting middle section is an office block for the residents.

The neck of the Sphinx facing Times Square contains the residents' clubs and social facilities: this is the section over the entrance lobby and main auditorium, and below the circular head of the Sphinx. This section is divided by the number of clubs that occupy it. These are headquarters for the various trades and professions to which the residents belong, each displaying its identity and proclaiming its messages by means of the ideological billboard construction that clads the face of the tower, competing with the existing signs and symbols of Times Square.

The head of the Sphinx is dedicated to physical culture and relaxation. Its main feature is the swimming pool. A glazed screen divides the pool into two parts: Indoor and outdoor. The indoor section is surrounded by four stories of locker rooms and showers. A spectacular view of the city can be enjoyed from the small open-air beach.

The ceiling over the pool is a planetarium with suspended galleries for the audience and a semi circular bar that forms the crown of the Sphinx.

Below the pool is a floor for games and gymnastics. A staircase and ladders connect the diving island in the pool to this floor and continue to the floor below, which contains steam baths, saunas and massage parlor. Finally a lounge, indoor/outdoor restaurant and garden form the section that separates the head of the Sphinx from the clubs. This is the location of the jacking and twisting mechanisms of the head of Hotel Sphinx: in response to certain important events, the face of the Sphinx can be directed to "stare" at various points in the city. In response to the level of nervous energy in the Metropolis as a whole, the whole head can be jacked up or down.’’

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B.Arch - Design Dissertation

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Rizvi College of Architecture

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

3.1.5) Yona Friedman - Ville Spatiale Friedman expanded on the principles of mobile architecture to the idea to create an elevated city space where people could live and work.

With this idea he also hoped to introduce a methodical approach to enable the growth of cities while restraining the use of land.

Projecting the Ville Spatiale on real life locations Friedman meant to explain the advantages of the idea and furthermore that it was not necessary to demolish older city parts to create new housing. Compacting the city, as building above the existing city, could also diminish expanding the city outwards.

Figure24: Ville Spatiale over the city of New York, Yona Friedman, 1964

Figure25: Drawing by Yona Friedman

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

3.2) Science Fiction Movies 3.2.1) Blade Runner Director - Ridley Scott Production Designer - Lawrence Paull Year - 2019 Location - Los Angeles Figure26: View of the city

This futuristic dystopia is filled with 700 story skyscrapers and the sky glows with industrial smoke, fire and acid rain.

The Tyrell Corporation, in charge of the city inhabit massive structures inspired by ziggurats.

The city is a one of contradiction: high rises filled with advertisements, pyramids and glass towers intermingle with revival architecture, historical buildings, and debris of past urban sprawl, which accentuate the chaos of the current society.

Figure27: View of the city

Most of the population has the left the planet to live elsewhere. Only the people who could not pass medical tests had to stay back on Earth. Robots are made to be identical to humans to help build colonies on other planets. The state of the city is an outcome of consumerism and industrialism.

Figure28: Section of the city

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B.Arch - Design Dissertation

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

3.2.2) Equilibrium The city where all feelings have been suppressed in order to avoid war. Outside the controlled city walls lie the restricted remnants of the old society. Possessions are illegal and equality is practiced through standardization.

Figure29: View of the city

Figure30: Modern architecture shown as emotionless

Figure31: Ornamentation, possessions, music etc banned as they evoke emotions

Figure32: Section of the city

Massive concrete structures used for propaganda surround a highly vertical and grey city.

Through the use of symmetry the oppressiveness nature of the government and the society can be understood.

Figure32 - Source: Framing the Future: Imagining the city through the lens of a film - Sofia Zavala Ferreira Sumer Talati

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

3.2.3) Minority Report Washington of 2054 has evolved into three distinct zones: the Washington Capitol area where the monuments are present; the “bedroom community” across the river that has developed vertically ; and the decaying part of the city that has not kept up with the technological advances afforded by the rich.

Figure33: View of the city

A transport network of magnetic levitation vehicles is seamlessly built into the facades of most of the new buildings. The network of highways functions in all three dimensions , as the road surface totally abandons its dependence on gravity.

Such seamless flow of traffic would be able to take care of any amount of traffic judiciously because of limitless possibilities in the use of the third dimension of space.

Figure34: The evolved transport system

The walls of tunnels, buildings, facades of buildings used for advertisements. Digital bill boards, holograms, 3D projections shown as a m e d i u m o f advertisements.

Figure35: Digital advertisements on the facades of structures Figure34 - Source: Framing the Future: Imagining the city through the lens of a film - Sofia Zavala Ferreira Sumer Talati

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

3.2.4) The Fifth Element Director - Luc Besson Production Designer - Dan Weil Year - 2214 Population - 200 billion The city comprises towers crossing 1000 floors and a series of bridges and flying cars.

Figure36: View of the city

Figure38: 1000+ floors therefore bridges to link buildings midway

Figure37: Modular automated houses

Figure39: Waste dumped in public places Figure37 - Source: Framing the Future: Imagining the city through the lens of a film - Sofia Zavala Ferreira Sumer Talati

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

3.3) Mumbai The city was originally an archipelago of seven different islands- Mumbadevi, Colaba, Old Woman’s island, Mahim, Parel and Mazgaon.

The city was built by the British expressly for trade and hence was not planned. Every step of its growth was impulsive and incremental and because of the lack of a master plan, the overall city was always ill-prepared for growth.

1830 Cotton Boom 1853 1860 Mills were set up

Indian Peninsula Railway 1887

1900 Malabir Hill, Worli, Suburbs were formed

1940 Upper class migrated from the city core ( fort area ) to Western edges ( Marine Drive, Malabar Hill, Breach Candy ) Middle class migrated to city center ( Bandra, Juhu, Andheri )

Flora Fountain was made

1929 1000 acres of land reclaimed to form marine drive

1960 The city sprawled out on the North - West axis

Figure40: Phases of growth of Mumbai

Reclamation and Infrastructural Evolution of the Island City Reclamations transformed the islands into a peninsula 1812 1670

2007

1864

Archipelago of seven islands collectively operated as a trading post by East India Company Sumer Talati

Back Bay Reclamation Company and Bombay Port Trust carry out reclamations 1933

The Hornby Vellard was completed and first railway lines were laid

B.Arch - Design Dissertation

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

3.3.1) Social Classes The city is divided into three distinct classes which can be seen and experienced in the city. Ÿ Upper class Ÿ Middle class Ÿ Lower class Figure41

The Upper class consists of the elite group of the ultra rich businessmen, bureaucrats and people from the film industry.

The Middle class comprises of people from the professional field, business traders most of whom are employed.

The lower class of the city consists of the laborers who seek domestic services and who are employed for physical work.

This class comprises of the people who migrate to the city from rural areas.

Figure42: Crowded railway station

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Effects Considering that housing is the city's biggest shortfall, it's ironic that unbridled construction is indisputably its biggest problem. Many villains have been blamed for Mumbai's descent into urban hell, from mafia dons to impoverished migrants, but for the past three decades the main culprit is the “politician-builder nexus”.

In 2005, the entire city was held hostage for three days. On 26 July, suburban Mumbai was lashed by 668 mm of rain in just 12 hours. Unwarned commuters and children in school buses were left high, but not dry, as roads and railway tracks disappeared.

Slums and BMWs went under the deluge without discernment for their economic standing. It may have been the country's financial capital, but in the photographs that followed, swaggering Mumbai didn't look much different from a monsoon-marooned Bihar village.

For this humbling disaster, the finger pointed at that same culprit: the developer and his facilitator, the politician. There was nowhere for the rainwater to go. For decades the concrete army had been allowed to commandeer all open spaces, and illegal encroachments had done the rest. Public parks, verdant hills, salt-pans, school compounds, private garden plots, beaches, mangroves – nothing was spared.

The built environment in Mumbai had increased fourfold since 1925 – and at its fastest rate over the past 30 years – all at the cost of green cover and wetlands.

-The Guardian

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

3.3.2) Urbanization in Mumbai Mumbai being the financial capital of India and one of the major metropolitan cities of the country, attracts a major portion of migration of people to the city in search of jobs.

The demand for more jobs and more space for living has caused rapid unchecked and unequal urbanization in the city.

This has also led to a lot of pressure on the ecosystem, the existing transport and the availability of land.

This migration is what contributes to the major share of creation of urban sprawl in the city.

Effects Year 2030 2025 2020 2017 2015 2010 2005 2000 1995 1990 1985 1980 1975 1970 1965 1960 1955 1950

PopulationGrowth Rate (%) Growth 27797 0.102749236 2590 25207 0.103730624 2369 22838 0.052927616 1148 21690 0.030746567 647 21043 0.083462053 1621 19422 0.085573752 1531 17891 0.093114193 1524 16367 0.143745632 2057 14310 0.150691541 1874 12436 0.196804927 2045 10391 0.2001617 1733 8658 0.222536007 1576 7082 0.218723111 1271 5811 0.197156984 957 4854 0.195566502 794 4060 0.182983683 628 3432 0.201260063 575 2857 0 0

7.5 Million local train commuters

700,000 cars on the road

7800 metric tonnes of refuse each day

Nitrogen Oxide & Nitric Oxide Toxic level = 252 mcg/cubic M Figure43

Safe limit = 80 mcg/cubic M

The urbanization in the city is dense and spans all across the city, growing to the present day.

Informal housing clusters spread and occupy land that is environmentally fragile.

It is estimated that 60% of the population of the city resides in informal houses.

Open spaces comprise of only 1% of the 300 kilometer square of the urban area.

‘‘The world is getting urbanised and it will not stop. Mumbai is growing by an annual rate of 3.09 per cent and in another 23 years, its size will double.’’

-Senior urban planner at the World Bank, Pedro B Ortiz, at a conference on Sustainable Urbanization and World Cities.

Source: The DNA

Figure43 - Source: The Guardian Sumer Talati

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

3.3.3) Open Spaces In Mumbai ‘As per the draft DP, the total demand for provision of open spaces in 2034 is 5,116 hectares, while the total provision is 3,525 hectares area marked as public open spaces that includes existing and the proposed reservations on the plots.’

- The Indian Express Mumbai aspires to be counted as on of the leading cities in the world, but one of its greatest set backs is its lack of open spaces in the city. Mumbai is left way behind in this aspect when compared to other leading cities in the world.

Mumbai has just 1.1 square metres of open space per person.

This comprises of : Ÿ Gardens and parks - 2.5 sq km Ÿ Play grounds - 4 sq km Ÿ Recreation grounds - 7.7 sq m

This adds up to 14 sq km of open space for 12.4 Million people “Various figures portray Mumbai's per capita open space ratio as ranking among the lowest of all the world's major metropolitan areas, and especially more so if the national park and mangrove creeks are not included Figure45 as open spaces. When millions of people reside in such crammed conditions, they are being denied a fundamental right no less critical than breathing. Hundreds of sites marked as open spaces on the Development Plan (DP) are dumps and encroached areas." says naturalist and nature writer Sunjoy Monga.

- The Times of India The Urban Design Research Institute conducted a survey in 2011 of 2000 people residing in Mumbai. The research concluded that nine out of ten people interviewed thought the city was too congested and 87% people thought there was a lack of green cover in the city. Majority of the people were not happy with the current number of public spaces.

"Many Mumbaikars are often stressed and anxious at all times, as compared to citizens in other global cities where stress can be eased by pursuing outdoor hobbies or taking a walk through a park on the way back from work," - Scientist Deepak Modi, of the National Institute of Research in Reproductive Health.

-The Times of India The poor green ratio in Mumbai translates into a terrible quality of life, poor environment and abuse of public dignity. It also strikes a blow to Mumbai's reputation as a global hub. "A city can only be humane and thereby global if it respects its environment and provides an equitable share of open spaces to citizens. The level of development in globalized cities is reflected in the extent to which these parameters are applied." Says Architect PK Das. - The Times of India Sumer Talati

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

Map Showing Urbanization In Mumbai

Source: Reclaiming ( The Urbanism of ) Mumbai Sumer Talati

B.Arch - Design Dissertation

Figure44: Sem VII

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

Mapping By open Mumbai

Source: PK DAS and Associates Sumer Talati

Figure46

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

3.3.4) Development Plan Mumbai 2034 The key highlights of the new development plan was to address issues like lack of open spaces, creating affordable housing, providing jobs to people and relocating people living in slums.

Affordable Housing The DP aims to open up 2000 hectares of land which are categorized as no development zones ( such as salt pans ) to provide 10 lakh affordable houses.

Open spaces All encroachments on the reserved open spaces will be tried to be removed. 33% of this land will be reserved as open spaces and the rest 67% will be used to rehabilitate the people who have encroached these areas. If the plan is implemented then the current ratio of people to public spaces is said to increase.

Floor space index ( FSI ) For commercial projects, the DP 2034 has proposed permitting 5 FSI. Currently the range for such projects is 3-3.5 FSI. The reason to increase the FSI is to create millions of new jobs as the government wants to keep the commercial hub status of the city. Also with lack of availability of land increasing the FSI seems feasible to the government.

Figure47

Source: The DNA Sumer Talati

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

The plan has made it clear that Mumbai's vertical growth is inevitable.

- DNA

Figure48: View of the city

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

A n a l y s I s

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Rizvi College of Architecture

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Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

4.1) Predicting The city of tomorrow The urban population is on a rapid incline as more and more people are moving to the cities in search of a better life. To accommodate this large mass of people, cities are being urbanized at an unprecedented rate. This has led to a lot of pressure on the ecosystem, the existing transport and the availability of land.

If this process continues, it will lead to even more compact and dense cities than the o n e s w e a r e l i v i n g i n t o d a y. To accommodate this growth, open spaces and agriculture lands too are encroached upon to be urbanized.

In the long run, the cities of tomorrow can be described as a place of endless roads, bridges, subways and railway lines. A place where natural vegetation and ecology might cease to exist and open public spaces are extinct. A city where structures touch the sky and there will be no more land left to be built on.

Figure49: City of the future - Frank .R. Paul

Built structures contribute to one-third of the carbon content of the city, hence these ‘megacities’ will also bring with them pollution and health problems. Providing waste disposal and clean water will become more difficult.

Hence the future of our cities have been visioned as ‘dystopic’ in nature rather than ‘utopic’ when one considers the present trends in which we are moving forward.

Sumer Talati

B.Arch - Design Dissertation

Sem VII

Rizvi College of Architecture

35

Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

4.2) Issues identified in science fiction in future cities Ÿ Land scarcity Ÿ Overpopulation Ÿ Depleting energy Ÿ Waste Disposal Ÿ Environment degradation Ÿ Loss of ecology / vegetation Ÿ Lack of food / crops

4.3) Issues faced by Mumbai as an outcome of urbanization Ÿ Land scarcity Ÿ Overpopulation Ÿ Loss of ecology / vegetation Ÿ Urban Sprawl Ÿ Lack of Public and Open Spaces Ÿ Unemployment Ÿ Waste disposal

4.4) Solutions Based on the studies of the science fiction movies and the various projects, theories and movements, the following solutions have been identified which could provide a better outcome to the cities of our future. Ÿ Encroaching air, water and sub ground Ÿ Building multi-functional spaces or structures Ÿ Mobile cities / houses Ÿ Integrating ecology with built forms Ÿ Building high and compact Ÿ Space colonization

Sumer Talati

B.Arch - Design Dissertation

Sem VII

Rizvi College of Architecture

36

Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

Mumbai is one of the densest cities in the world with only 1.1 square meter of open space per person. The city tries to cope up with the mammoth task of accommodating mass migration of people into the city, generation of urban sprawl and providing jobs to millions of hopeful people.

To help the city survive, various steps have been taken in the past. Some of these include creating satellite cities around Mumbai and opening up the historic mill lands for construction. The outcome of these have not been what was expected. The most recent approaches include opening up no development zones like the salt pans for construction and increasing the F.S.I. ( floor space index ).

4.5) CONCLUSION To help provide more resistance to this process, a different approach like those seen in science fiction movies and other more radical projects should be adopted. One such approach could be that of multi-functional land use and hybrid structures.

This would help optimize the use of land more efficiently and free up more land for open spaces which the city lacks. Hybrid structures is an approach that multiple architects have started exploring.

Sumer Talati

B.Arch - Design Dissertation

Sem VII

Rizvi College of Architecture

37

Urban Solutions from Science Fiction

“Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness” Frank Gehry

Sumer Talati

B.Arch - Design Dissertation

Sem VII

Rizvi College of Architecture

38