Extreme Urbanism I: Reimagining Mumbai’s Back Bay

The Back Bay of Mumbai—underdeveloped, sandwiched between high rise office and residential blocks, historic buildings, a fishing village and slums—is perhaps the most contested locality in the city. It’s a place where the “Static City” or planned urban environment collides with the “Kinetic City “ of temporary materials and constant flux. Beginning in 2011, Rahul Mehrotra, Chair of Urban Planning and Design at the Graduate School of Design, has undertaken the challenge of honoring this duality while imagining a future for the site in the Extreme Urbanism Studio. The multiyear project incorporates an annual visit to Mumbai and takes advantage of the expertise and creativity of Loeb Fellows as mentors and advisors for students drawn from the GSD, Harvard Business School, and the Kennedy School.

Collaborators

Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Harvard Business School, Real Estate Academic Initiative at Harvard University, and the Loeb Fellowship at the Graduate School of Design.

Extreme Urbanism is part of Reconceptualizing the Urban, a four year investigation of urban studies funded by the Mellon Foundation. Learn more at the Harvard Mellon Initiative.