Planning for intentional temporariness : Case of a community-led urban regeneration initiative in Kolkata
- Vol.86(07), July 2021
- Mumbai Indian Institute of Architects 2021
- 12-21p.
‘Change’ is the only constant in urban societies. Thus, conventional planning needs to re-evaluate its priorities and adapt new resilient approaches that refuse to build lasting imaginations and accept a transient yet robust urban narrative. This is the case for any cities, but more importantly for highly diverse cities in the Global South, typically in India, the focus of this study. The following research aims to position ‘Time-Space Planning’ as an alternative planning discourse that recognizes time as something inseparable from space. It, therefore, can empower both mainstream and marginalized actors in curating time-bound (socio-spatial) everyday practices during difficult times. To illustrate that, this research essay adopts a case study approach, and documents and analyzes an ongoing community-led regeneration initiative in Kolkata. The project exemplifies how the deliberate application of ‘Time-Space Planning’ can prevent urban decline, reduce space poverty, and support social inclusion across scales. The analysis also draws from Levy’s strategic indicators to examine the case critically through various actors and their roles, types of spatial and institutional experiments, and their contribution towards just development.