At MoMA, How 'Tactical Urbanism' Can Preserve the Future of Cities

In the overcast light of a Mumbai slum, six men surround a rectangular frame that has been set on the ground. It is hoisted on top of a sturdy but ramshackle dwelling, joined by three other pieces and a roof, and by twilight the interior is aglow, looking for all the world like a minimalist studio from the pages of Dwell magazine. And yet this simple barn-raising has occurred in Dharavi, India’s most notorious example of an irregular or unplanned settlement.

The designers behind this vertical addition call it a “tool house,” similar to "shop houses" in Singapore or "home factories" in Tokyo—essentially a live-work space, where slumdwellers can make a living upstairs and enjoy the shortest of commutes in cramped but serviceable living space below. The add-ons, taking advantage of the best available technology in building materials and construction methods, are lightweight, and different versions can be assembled as warranted.