Housing in India

This two-part publication documents the research and discussions which emerged from the exhibition, State of Housing: Aspirations, Imaginaries and Realities in India, curated by Rahul Mehrotra, Ranjit Hoskote and Kaiwan Mehta.

The first volume lays out a historic timeline of the development of housing in India using milestones of political and social events as well as critical debates and resulting policies that have determined the forms of dwelling in India. This volume also contains ideas that emerged from a series of conversations and lectures organised during the exhibition and as exploratory discussions organized as part of the research process.

The second volume of the same publication builds on the research as well as discussions gathered for the exhibition to specifically focus on the forms of dwelling in India. In this volume, perhaps for the first time, a representation of numerous housing types in India since 1947 has been systematically presented for the potential of comparative study that it offers. The research project has two central aspirations — firstly, it highlights a carefully considered collection of 80 case studies that represent an array of housing types and conditions, ranging from self-built and self-initiated to housing projects delivered and facilitated by the State and the private sector. Secondly, the volume captures the systematic study of individual housing types not only representing their physical form but also the protocols, procedures, forms of patronage, policy and financial arrangements that contribute to the final production of the housing project.


The volumes are available for purchase and reference at the Architecture Foundation, write to us at info@architecturefoundationindia.org for further details