The Everyday City exhibition at The Bombay Art Society explores Mumbai’s shrinking open spaces, mobility challenges and connectivity gaps. Led by architect Alan Abraham and Bombay Greenway Foundation, the sessions examine health, urban planning and sustainable street design
Alan Abraham decodes a map titled Carter Road to Mahim Waterfront that depicts a pedestrian and cycling greenway to support health infrastructure; (right) Map of Open Spaces of Mumbai - Bandra, Khar, and Santacruz West - H/W Ward. Pics/Shadab Khan
Mumbai is a city of the letters of the Alphabet, but each letter is disconnected from the other,” muses Alan Abraham, referring to how multiple administrative wards of the city lack connectivity and subsequently, inconvenience citizens. The architect leads us around an ongoing exhibition of maps and models, The Everyday City, organised by architecture firm, Abraham John Architects and Bombay Greenway Foundation, an urban design and research organisation. Here’s our pick of the best sessions to catch today.
Anca Florescu Abraham (in jeans) explains The Shrinking City, a model of an open space available for an individual Mumbaikar, which is 1.2 square metres, far below the World Health Organisation’s recommended levels
1 Mapping the city: A guided exhibition walkthrough by Abraham (co-founder, Bombay Greenway) dives into everyday systems. During the walkthrough, he explains maps illustrating the open spaces of Mumbai, including parks and streets, amongst others, and improvements needed. Some encapsulate Bandra, Khar, and Santacruz, while others display areas around Juhu Beach.
“Creating certain underpasses would automatically reduce fuel cost, traffic jams, and allow residents to access areas from Jamnabai Narsee School to JW Marriott [Hotel],” he says, pointing to a spot on the map of The Juhu Beach Project. “Traffic flow has a particular geometry, favouring four-wheelers often, in turn increasing their demand; subsequently, people end up fighting for parking.”
ON February 14; 3 pm
The parklet model demonstrates a sustainable use of road space
2 Understanding mobility: This informal session covers everyday commuting, including discussions with Firoza Dadan, Mumbai’s first bicycle mayor, and environmentalist Rishi Aggarwal, among others. Abraham elaborates on the idea, “Imagine a road connecting all stations across the Western Line to nearby parks and gardens, or roads dedicated towards cyclists; Mumbai would become a haven.”
ON February 14; 4 pm
3 Health concerns: A session with actor John Abraham, orthopaedic surgeon Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, and cricketer Jatin Paranjpe examines this. “People need access to open spaces and fresh air,” the architect mentions, leading us to a demonstrated model of a ‘parklet’, an outdoor seating area surrounded by potted plants, accommodating nine to 10 individuals at once. “It occupies as much space as a parked car,” he adds.
ON February 14; 5 pm
An exhibited collage of the St Stephens Steps shows the cultural relevance of open spaces
4 Imagining further: This discussion emphasises how city spaces are made of memory and creative practice. Anca Florescu Abraham, co-founder, Bombay Greenway, and one of the panelists, notes, “It’s about how cultural expression influences the way we see and use public space.” Mumbai preserves identities and cultures, which can reveal areas that need attention and development.
ON February 14; 6 pm
ON February 14, 15; 11 am to 7 pm (open on both days)
AT The Bombay Art Society, Bandra West.
LOG ON TO @bombaygreenway (to register)
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