Conservation Case for CIDCO Housing

Anjal Patel, Ankita Khalate, Ankuri Patel, Arshad Khan, Harini Ganesh, Khyati Khodia, Milan Mathew, Samyak Maloo, Sanika Shah, Sharmishtha Shikarwar, Srineedhi V, Suhani Shah — MCR — Spring Semester 2025

anjal patel
ankita khalate
ankuri patel
arshad khan
harini ganesh
khyati khodia
milan mathew
samyak maloo
sanika shah
sharmishtha shikarwar
srineedhi v
suhani shah

Conservation pedagogy has typically restricted its focus on monumental buildings. This studio acknowledges the expanded capacity of conservation to treat everyday structures for longevity, safety of inhabitation, and adaptation to contemporary aspirations as an economical and ecological act. The studio focuses on conservation of modern historic housing projects in Indian cities, built between mid 1900s to late 1900s. Taking the example of CIDCO Housing by Raj Rewal in Navi Mumbai, the studio offers conservation strategies based on the nuances of ownership patterns, materiality of the project, aspirations of inhabitants, to help define the relevance of the project for the city today.

To make a case for Conservation of CIDCO housing, the studio
develops a method of mapping using specially designed legends. The mapping traces resident aspirations, conditions of shared open spaces, developmental pressures, ecological challenges, ad-hoc retrofits undertaken by residents, in the context of the modernist housing project. The mapping informs that these issues cannot be ignored in order to privilege the architectural expression of modernist housing. Using these mapping, the studio expands the scope of conservation to propose repair and intervention methodologies that adapt the modern object to present-day requirements.

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