William Board
H A W K I N G O B S E R V A T I O N S
The film was produced to contrast with the initial film essay. It uses footage I took while in Mumbai, looking at different people’s use of the street in particular street hawkers.
Hawking Film
Short film depicting life on the streets of Mumbai.
S I T E A R E A
Site Location
Mumbai is an island city with the River Ulhas, the Thane Creek and the Vasai Creek to the north and east and the Arabian Sea to the West and south of the island. The sites for all projects are based in the southern tip of the island, located between Churchgate Station and Victoria (CST) Station.
All sites are linked through a route between the two Stations following through the maidens in this area of Mumbai.
The site I have chosen is near to Churchgate Station. it is the southernmost train station in Mumbai, the line used to stretch all the way down to Colbra. The area has some major roads passing through it with many people passing the sites along their commute to work.
Due to many commuters passing the area on their daily routines many hawkers congregate in the area to improve their chances of sales in this congregation of people. However these hawkers leave this area looking in disrepair due to all the stalls being left around.
The Sites are closed in along existing boundaries of parks, buildings or roads. These boundaries inhibit the movement of people through the public spaces, with some cordoning off area’s that are not used by the people within surrounding buildings. They have often been fortified with barbwire or extended, leading to negative attitudes towards the space and area.
Site Location
First map show site in context to whole of Mumbai. Second map shows site in context to other three sites of students.
Storage
Goods are stored around the streets in the vicinity of the Station. The crates and table tops are scattered along the streets hung up on railings, unused paths or above bus stops.
View from Cross Maiden Park towards site and Western Railway Headquarters building in background.
People relaxing in Cross Maiden Park, enjoying a bit of peace in the heart of bustling Mumbai
Memorial structure situated in Cross Maiden Park to commemorate Gandhi
Cross Maiden Park
This park is surrounded by barb wire fencing and only has one entrance which is hard to find. However it provides an area of piece in the city as all other maidens in the area are covered with people playing Cricket.
The underground passage from Churchgate Train Station to the site. It is often fill with Hawkers selling their goods. It is a dark, unventilated place that is often very congested.
The exit from the underground passage from the Station to site is also neglected. Hawkers have come up with ingenious ways of putting up stalls on the stairs. The stairs are another obstacle being numerous and at a sharp angle.
Underground Passage
The underground passage from the station to the site used by a million people a day. It's dark and dingy and full of people hawking their goods.
Site Film
Short film showing the surrounding of Churchgate Station in the south of Mumbai, Showing part of the site as the existing bus stop and the underground passage from station to part of the site.
B R I E F
To create a membership base organisation, such as a co-operative, in the Churchgate area of Mumbai, that will help enable the vendors to pursue their economic activity, providing financial care to campaigning for their rights to livelihood in the area.
Manifesto
1. Fight for the rights of vendors in Churchgate so they are not harassed by officials and not to pay bribes.
2. Provide a social security scheme that has an annual premium of Rs. 50. Under this scheme an individual can receive between Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 75,000 in case of an accident and the full amount in the event of a death. The scheme also covers the education of the vendor's children's school fees up Rs. 1,200.
3. The co-operative is to buy fresh produce, garments and utensils in wholesale to give a fair price to the vendors, increasing their profitability.
4. Re-invent the inadequate public space around Churchgate Station allowing space for both commuters and vendors alike.
5. Create adjustable storage to provide vending spaces and space for goods to be stored overnight.
6. Create an urban presence of the co-operative in the Churchgate are with minimal impact to the ground structure.
7. Create a protected space for young children, relieving mothers to occupy their time selling goods.
8. Create temporary space for the Dabbawallah's to use to sort out food parcels to their respected clients.
 Northern Site |  Western Railway Headquarters |
|---|---|
 Churchgate Station |  Eros Cinema |
Around the Site
Series of images showing the surrounding building to the site.
E V E N T S
Events Matrix
A series of images depicting different events that occur on the site. This was to make you think in depth about how things would change or adapted to the changing needs in the area and come up with solutions for these events.
The Underpass
From these events I focused on the issue of the set up and daily commuters and how the accessed the site. Making models and a short film depicted the changes I proposed to the existing
An Image looking at the proposed daily setup of the hawkers each day.
The Exceptional Occurrence of flooding where goods are taken above ground to be protected.
The yearly event of the Mumbai marathon goes past the site and the setup of stalls would alter to allow the procession and bystanders to see.
Events
The series of images show three events that may take place around the site. One is the daily set up of the street hawkers and the passing of commuters. The second event is an exceptional occurrence of the area flooding in the monsoon season. The third event is the yearly Mumbai marathon that passes the site twice on its route.
Underpass
Video showing the proposed changes to the underpass to alleviate commuters and hawkers.
P R O J E C T
The project encompasses the re-interpretation of the commons surrounding Churchgate Station. The site is stretched over two sites. The northern site is situated next to the western railway headquarters, the southern site is situated on existing islands of land surrounded by a network of roads between the 1930 Eros cinema and oval maiden. Dividing these two sites is Veer Nariman Road, with heavy traffic following from east to west and vice versa through the south of Mumbai.
The north site is tightly compacted with the storage of goods and creates many market stalls on the ground floor plane using the walls that protect the storage during the night. The new exits from the underground passage create an elongated exit out and open to the environments. Above this the first floor houses the administrate offices of the co-operative. It also houses more storage space, meeting hall, kitchen and dining hall for the hawkers.
The southern site is created on the large open islands created by the road network, the ground floor plane is dotted with street food stalls. The walls protecting them at night become the tables and benches where people are able to eat alfresco. Above this mainly night time activity is the day care centre for young children of the hawkers, this two storey structure can allow older children spaces to study.
Axonometric
The axonometric is showing the northern site where the underpass comes out directly under part of the co-operatives elevated building. The building form is L shaped creating a courtyard effect between it and the existing Western Railway Headquarters.
Site Plan
The two highlighted red areas are the north and south sites. The areas indicated in yellow show the new entrances into the maidens.
Market Visual
Collage from of physical model with fruit and goods added to market scene showing hawkers set up.
Final Film Essay
The film highlights issues raised around the surrounding sites and shows the interventions designed through models.