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Women's Refuge, Jagdamba South Delhi

Part 2 Project 2006
Angela Hopcraft
Bianca Zucchelli
 London Metropolitan University | UK
Deep between retaining walls, half a kilometre of open sewer houses the Jagdamba camp. A widows’ refuge was formulated through engagement with this landscape of regularly flooding, rambling brickwork and narrow footpaths, alongside the personal narratives of insiders and outcasts. Removing redundant latrines revealed a forbidden garden, backdrop to a graded choreography of movement on two levels. Entry to the tall heart is guarded by a terrace of blacksmith’s workshops: the widow’s customary friends. Between entrance and garden, an ‘impluvium’ catches water, whilst sheltering invited gatherings. Inside, the tall, top lit refectory, between garden and personal space, celebrates secure conviviality


Exploring how urban landscape is inhabited, made and remade through personal and collective acts, the studio searches out situations of rapid change and scarce resources.

Within a linear slum, straddling an outfall sewer this project demands that the drain is buried. Inadequate public facilities are replaced by individualised private sanitation and more access to the outside world.

The ruggedness and flexibility of local brick, the hazy polluted atmosphere, the widows narrative and traditional courtyard housing are combined to provide connected, interactive, busy and inquisitive spaces on the outside whilst being hermetic, protective, cool, reflective, mysterious and surprising internally.

Tutor(s)
2006
South Delhi study area.
A half kilometre of Delhi's outfall sewer is home to the Jagdamba drainage settlement of over 6000 inhabitants.
View of site from East bridge. Continually flooding open drain running through the settlement.
Widow's story in section. Understanding the social stigma and daily life
Providing essential infrastructure. The creation of a storm drain to protect from flooding, a sewer network and water supply throughout, significantly improves living conditions.
Off the network of narrow lanes; Charpoi Chawk the largest open space in Jagdamba.
Experimental ideas for community involvement and mobilisation: building a temporary structure using recycled materials.
Creation of public space and through routes. The garden, Jagdamba Chawk, entrance to widow's refuge, guardian's workshops and 'impluvium' hall.
A phased program of up-grading reveals a garden, removes communal toilets and provides space for Jagdamba Chawk and widow's refuge.
Plans showing the widow's refuge and guardians workshops, within a landscape of increased public space and access to the outside.
Fit for purpose:connecting Jagdamba camp to the East bridge begins a new conversation.
Section showing courtyards and garden, marking thresholds of enclosure.
Perforated Jali brickwork provides cooling breezes in the tower refectory.
Simple brick construction, Jali walls, Rat-trap bond, recycled bricks and minimal concrete create an effcient building system.
Refuge from East bridge with new raised route into the settlement
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