The Urbanism of Making Do

Communities in the slums of India are well known for "making do". A new exhibit looks at how that spirit of innovation and adaptation plays out in these cities and how other cities can learn from them.

1 minute read

February 14, 2011, 10:00 AM PST

By Nate Berg


"'The concept itself came about when we looked at the cities,' said Kanu Agrawal, the exhibit curator. 'There was a tragic narrative that they're over populated; they're messy. But somehow things work-not in a banal way but in a creative way. We found that jugaad existed in so many ways.'

The exhibit is organized around resources, such as land, water, energy, and transportation and culls the material from communities in Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Pune. Video, photos, graphics, renderings and object displays develop a narrative detailing how NGOs and designers can draw inspiration by observing the everyday survival of the India's poor."

The exhibit is now open at the Center for Architecture in New York City.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011 in The Architect's Newspaper

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

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