3.2.2 | ANALYTICAL STUDY | IMPORTANCE OF SPATIAL PROXIMITY | Most economically-productive and affordable spaces for many in dharavi, the tool-house also meets concerns regarding the family setup interfering with productivity or vice versa, compromises with living conditions and lifestyle, or having to live away from family in certain cases. However, most of the respondents with such concerns had either acclimatized to such conditions or took to this setup as a transit situation.
Habib tepu, a fabrication business owner, chose to open his business next door as he wanted to capitalise on the social capital built here since childhood to aid in his business. Such robust systems of close-knit economic networks and social capital tends to be a preference for most people in dharavi, whether they be business owner, self-employed individuals or employees. Tool-house, where economic and social transactions overlap constitute a greater resilience than standalone economic and social ecosystems. This form of resilience stems from individual mettle, community ties and economic network to achieve a level of local self-sufficiency.
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SPATIAL PROXIMITY AIDS WORK FLEXIBILITY. Vidya mane occupies a clerical position at a school close to her house. The proximity of her house and school has allowed her to focus on her social work ventures, an NGO called bhoomi swachata foundation and a bachat gat (woman’s self help group). The school’s proximity to her house opened up more time and flexible working hours, which she diligently spent on her social ventures. She operates these ventures from her house, where they live on the top floor and has given the ground floor on rent. She is currently planning to turn the ground floor into an office for the NGO. She feels that such an arrangement has helped her balance her work at school and NGO and her family relations have been stronger as her husband and kids support her in what she does. Source: https://urbz.net/articles/dharavi-fortnightly-02-toolhouse-story
Source: https://urbz.net/articles/dharavi-fortnightly-02-toolhouse-story
IF DEPLOYABLE STRUCTURES ALLOW DYNAMIC FUNCTIONALITY IN DHARAVI, WOULD IT BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE ECONOMICAL UPLIFTMENT AND LIFESTYLE OF THE PEOPLE?
Figure 33: PROXIMITY OF HOME TO WORK TOOLHOUSE
