Joseph Myerscough - March 1

 

The ship breaking industry and a new paradigm for the future urbanisation of Darukhana, Mumbai.

INS Vikrant and the breaking of it into ‘waste’ material can provide a new opportunity to explore architecturally a precedent for building from waste. Ships go to die at yards such as Darukhana, to be broken into pieces and forgotten; but can be re-born into something in the category of the new. Improving the living/working conditions of the area.

The proposal is to sell off sections of INS Vikrant from the ship breakers [IB Commercial Pvt Ltd], to the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT). The MbPT currently own and lease the land to the ship breaking companies on a fifteen day contract. The sale of sections allows the ship breakers to continue to operate economically and generate a profit, whilst the MbPT can develop the coastal area of Darukhana. More specifically the strip of bunkers along Lakdi Bundar North Road. A strategy already explored in semester one with the service utility intervention (INS Vikrant Section 97). The intention is to utilise the fragmented hull sections along with components from the ship, as a new urban paradigm for the urbanisation of the ship breaking yard at Darukhana, Mumbai. Regenerating the coastal area and providing a new precedent for building from these obsolete vessels. 

The re-integration of INS Vikrant, a wartime hero for the Indian Navy into the urban fabric of the area in a holistic approach allows the ship to be celebrated.