Ryan Lawlor - March 1 

 

Re-Inventing Churchgate Railway Station  Through The Vivacity And Intricacy Of The Dabbawalla Movement As A Catalyst To Create A New Co-Operative Commons Between Office Worker, Commuter And Dabbawalla

Phase One, the testing phase has been completed at Churchgate Railway Station, Mumbai and the Dabbawalla have successfully begun to occupy and integrate with the existing fabric of the Station Building. The activities that were once only witnessed at street level have been elevated into the frame of the existing building. 

Additionally the Archive for the Preservation of Languages and Dialect has also taken root in the structure and has become a positive intervention that must be exploited further.

Phase Two of the project, will look to further integrate the Dabbawalla of Mumbai within the vast web of concrete framing of Churchgate Railway Station that has remained. Selecting three of the minor situations that were tested in Phase One of the project, Phase Two will expand these processes to facilitate the diversification of trade and responsibility of the Dabbawalla. 

Initially, the preparation, storage and distribution of food shall be addressed. Seeking new avenues the Dabbawalla shall provide services whereby they are able to produce and distribute food to those who either have no other means of cooking or obtaining it. Utilizing methods of generating renewable energy, this service shall become an efficient new venture for the Dabbawalla. This will form a  co-operative type movement with occupiers of the current office space, in return for use of space, food, fruit and vegetables will in some form be distributed to the workers.

Furthermore, the activity of bicycle circulation, storage and maintenance will be addressed by allowing the Dabbawalla to access parts of the station via bicycle that they were previously unable to access. Creating spaces where the Dabbawalla can fix and modify their bicycles will create a contrasting environment to the current regimented office while proving a valuable service.

Finally, so that the new architecture remains embedded within the traditions and cultures that it is aiming to preserve, performance and cinema spaces will be developed across the building so that from the archived threatened dialects; scripts, films and recitals may be created and performed.