URBIZEN

The urban renewal has impacted the landscape of many cities in India, where the marginalized have to starve for resources and the elite to enjoy resources in abundance. For past a year and a half Hazards Centre conducted research in Jaipur and Indore, in monitoring the shift in the informal sector workers in these cities. The research also underlines the transformation of these cities in terms of infrastructure development and investments. The two day seminar will have presentations by representatives from Jaipur, Indore, Patna, Lucknow and Delhi on the ongoing reform initiatives in their cities/states . It will also have short sectoral presentations on employment, urban basic services, so on followed by extensive discussions to strategise the kind of research and future action needed. Dates: 15 February 2007 to 16 February 2007 Venue: New Delhi, India For enquiries please contact: Leena hazardscentre@gmail.com +919811137421

Architecture for Humanity is building a new space to collaborate online. The Open Architecture Network will be a gathering place for community designers and all those interested in improving the built environment. Here designers of all persuasions can post their projects, browse projects posted by others, comment and review projects, discuss relevant topics, contribute to shared resources, collaborate with each other and access project management tools to support their work. "We imagine a site that not only helps create, support and implement ideas, but also a place that fosters sustainable, replicable, adaptable and scalable design solutions. The network has a simple mission: to generate design opportunities that will improve living standards for all." Alex Steffen from Worldchanging has a good write-up on this: The Open Architecture Network and the Future of Design

This just came in by email: "Mumbai Slum Rehabilatation Scheme (SRS) has been touted by many as the model scheme for rehabilitating slum dwellers through 'Public Private Partnership' . So much so that similar schemes are now sought to be implemented in many other cities as well. In fact, the thrust of JNNURM's approach towards ensuring tenurial security for slum dwellers lies in replicating Mumbai model all over the country. Here's an interesting story on how the said scheme is basically aimed at filling the coffers of corrupt land mafia, builders, politicians and bureaucrats and has little to do with providing housing to slum dwellers." Read the entire story here ...