The new creative neighbourhoods in Mumbai are preserving cultural heritage, while trying to avoid gentrification

The view in Mumbai isn’t that great right now. For months on end, the city has been undergoing breathless redevelopment, with the new devouring the old – not just buildings, but layers of history, community, and culture as well.

When it comes to residential spaces, the only path forward in Mumbai is redevelopment. There’s virtually no open land left to build on, and many of the city’s old, rundown buildings are in need of renewal to ensure safety, increase housing capacity, and modernise living spaces. But it’s not that simple. Many buildings set for redevelopment are in historically rich areas, with unique architecture and strong cultural identity. And unfortunately, much of the current redevelopment is happening with little regard for thoughtful planning and preservation. In the rush to build new luxury structures, the essence of these neighbourhoods is being sacrificed.

Amidst all this chaos, however, I found an optimistic thread tying a few disparate initiatives together – including a community-led neighbourhood map, a contemporary design gallery nestled in a 200-year-old heritage village, and a creative community in a ‘chawl’ (a type of low-cost community housing in Mumbai) in a historic industrial neighbourhood. Each of these stands out as an example of how development can be rooted in understanding, respect, and collaboration with the existing community. The thread is that the creatives behind these have anchored their spaces and work in the histories and identities of the places they inhabit, trying to become a part of the preservation rather than gentrification and erasure.

The Because Byculla map is one such project created by Bombay Duck Designs, which had its studio space in Mazgaon for many years. After discovering many hidden architecture and culinary gems, and diverse communities of Mazgaon and Byculla themselves for years, the team started sketching little maps of these for their visitors. They realised that most people are not aware of the history and beauty of this neighbourhood. And finally, in 2019, they decided to bring all these experiences together into a self-initiated project which involved meticulously researching, documenting, illustrating, and designing the art and culture map of Byculla.

The map involved collaboration from historian Alisha Sadikot and chef Siddharth Somaiya, and support from cafes like Bombay Sweet Shop and Subko Specialty Coffee Roasters, which are quite rooted in culture/subculture. JAK Printers and Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum (BDL), both key parts of the neighbourhood’s creative and cultural landscape, also joined forces to make this a truly community-driven project.

Always being in studios in heritage areas, Zeenat Kulavoor, a multi-disciplinary artist and creative director of Bombay Duck Designs, has always been conscious about being a genuine part of the community. “As a creative, when you take up space in a place with so much history, it’s not just about the aesthetics or the vibe, it’s a responsibility. It’s about understanding and respecting the people and the neighbourhood’s story. Not just through your work, but also how you engage with the community. It’s about being mindful of the existing local culture, architecture, and finding ways to contribute without overshadowing it.”

It’s exciting to see creative energy breathing new life into the neighbourhood – places like Subko, Bombay Sweet Shop, the newly reopened BDL museum, and others have brought back some attention and a younger audience to Byculla. “But at the same time, gentrification is a very real risk — it’s not inevitable — it’s all about how development happens and how inclusive the process is,” says Zeenat. “I think what’s also crucial is how sensitively newer setups engage with the neighbourhood. Are they respectful of its history and building relationships with existing communities? Are they making the place accessible and inclusive rather than exclusive? The hope is that Byculla can evolve without losing the soul that made it special in the first place, but that requires conscious effort from everyone involved. A great example is Khotachiwadi in Girgaon and the community there – we have much to learn from them.”

Khotachiwadi is indeed a fantastic example, where once you enter, you leave behind the city’s cacophonic sounds and emerge into a secret neighbourhood soaked in copious amounts of peace, history, and a unique take on the Portuguese style of architecture (Indo-Portuguese). This is where 47-A design gallery found its home. Instead of simply carving out its own space in the neighbourhood, they truly assimilated themselves into the culture and community. It began with the name ‘47-A’, chosen in keeping with the local tradition of identifying bungalows by number in the area. The mid-19th-century bungalow itself has belonged to a local family since 1857, who continue to reside on the upper floor. The ground floor was a gym and then a printing press in its previous lives. While the space was made gallery-friendly, the restoration was done lovingly to make sure its bones remained intact, and the place became a seamless part of the community.

Says Srila Chatterjee, founder of Baro Market and co-founder of 47-A: “I feel strongly about being part of a community rather than contributing to gentrification. It’s a fine and difficult line to walk, as almost everything you do carries a little risk of being seen as gentrifying. But I believe that if you’re aware of it, involve the community, and stay true to your ethos, it’s possible to do it right.”

47-A’s opening exhibition was a tribute to Khotachiwadi and the larger neighbourhood of Girgaum. Since then, Srila has tried to involve the community in whatever way she can, whether it’s through catering, organising events, or inviting the neighbourhood kids to come and draw in the gallery. “Christmas is a special time that brings the whole community together. Everyone cooks and sells food, and we (along with James Ferreira, fashion designer and president of the Khotachiwadi Heritage Trust) help organise the infrastructure for the carol singing. It’s a lovely way to preserve tradition. There’s nothing in it for us, except the joy of being part of the community. And I think people recognise that and there’s a real sense of belonging,” says Srila.

At the time of starting the gallery in 2022 as a joint venture with Chatterjee & Lal art gallery (they are no longer involved), Srila had mentioned her keen interest in contributing to the ongoing conservation efforts of the neighbourhood. Almost three years later, Srila still has a lot on her mind that she wants to do, but has also realised that it’s a tough battle. “There isn’t much regard for heritage overall in this city, in this country. There is a lot of red tape, and there’s not enough clarity about what you can or cannot do. And sometimes, there’s also resistance from the community because everyone has an opinion.”

As she continues to make efforts to do more, her vision to create a space that’s welcoming, inclusive, and attracts visitors who are genuinely interested in meaningful connection with the neighbourhood has come true.

Another space where having a meaningful connection with the community has become a way of life is a ‘chawl’ in Sewri, a neighbourhood with a rich past that involves being a military fort and then an industrial area. This particular chawl has slowly metamorphosed some of its space into creative studios. Not a curated ‘artist collective’, it just organically became a space where a bunch of different creatives found their studios, thanks to each other.

Says graphic designer and visual artist Poorva Shingre: “When we moved in, the builders were shocked that we didn’t want false ceilings or white tile flooring. But we wanted to retain the rawness. The space – the high ceilings, the pleasant breeze through the wide windows, the view outside, and the sense of calm – inspires creativity and allows me to focus. It’s great to see other creatives in the building doing their thing, and we exchange ideas whenever our paths cross. That kind of artistic connection is invaluable.”

More than the artistic exchanges with other creatives though, what binds Poorva to the place is the local community she is surrounded by. “I love looking out the window and seeing daily life unfold — kids playing, aunties cooking, a whole family watching TV in the evening. A lot of us get food from the locals in the neighbourhood. It’s a community without agendas. Just people living with simplicity, honesty, and kindness. This really grounds me.”

Poorva is well aware of how this structure, where she has temporarily found so much peace and inspiration, will be demolished sooner or later. And she also feels that the issue is not redevelopment, it’s about how it’s being done. She says, “The city is losing its character. Everything’s being torn down and replaced with generic and sterile towers. Redevelopment is fast and thoughtless, and it feels like no one’s imagining better alternatives – just “newer”. In the process, we’re erasing so much, like community activities, heritage architecture, intricate motifs that are so unique, and even a lot of functional aspects of old buildings.”

She adds, “It’s dismissed as purana (Hindi word for old). But the purana has a soul. It has so much history. And when this space goes, and it most likely will, I know I’ll miss it deeply.”

Closer Look

Payal shares further reading and places to visit in Mumbai, if you’re interested in finding out more about this topic.

• IF.BE in Ballard Estate is a great example of how heritage spaces can be reused and preserved in meaningful ways. Malik Architecture consciously and painstakingly restored a 145-year-old ice factory in Ballard Estate into IF.BE – a contemporary space for architecture, design and the arts.
  
• Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum in Byculla, a 19th-century Victorian structure, is Mumbai’s oldest museum. It recently reopened after two years of restoration work.
  
• To read more about the history, evolution, and future of ‘chawls’ in Mumbai, I recommend two articles – in Disegno and Bloomberg.
  
• Read more on Khotachiwadi’s story in this detailed piece in Architectural Digest.