urban commons - Question of Cities

Walking to un-gender and access civic commons
in Kolkata

Kolkata’s varied urban commons such as lakes, gardens, parks, ghats, streets, and rail tracks mean different things to people, especially women and queers. Walking through them is a way to reclaim the commons, initiate conversations about them, de-stigmatise them and…

The shrinking public open spaces of Mumbai

There are striking examples of vanishing commons. Open spaces such as maidans, parks, and promenades are claimed by governments for so-called public projects. Mumbai’s open space network has been disrupted prioritising engineering over ecology. Every city needs its commons. But…

Lessons for Mumbai from New York’s social housing of 1930s

Cities around the world have adopted social housing as an inalienable aspect of city-making. Understanding it as an ecology within cities will determine its design and success but it needs active government involvement to frame policies and principles. New York’s…

Community gardens redefine green, help combat heat

Collectively created and managed by communities in their neighbourhoods, community gardens, more than public or private parks, not only make the space more accessible to more people but can be tailored to local contexts and needs, offer produce such as…

Walking to un-gender and access civic commons in Kolkata

The shrinking public open spaces of Mumbai

Lessons for Mumbai from New York’s social housing of 1930s

Community gardens redefine green, help combat heat

Walking to un-gender and access civic commons
in Kolkata