Building Futures
Growing opportunities through everyday space
L.I. Prins (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
N.J. Amorim Mota – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
Brook Teklehaimanot Haileselassie – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
M. Tabassum – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
M. van Ham – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
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Abstract
This research explored how housing in Rajiv Nagar, Ahmedabad can support flexible spatial conditions for domestic life, education and income generation, with the aim of expanding opportunities for stay-at-home women and children across generations. Rapid urbanisation in Ahmedabad has led to the growth of informal settlements, where residents often face inadequate housing, limited access to services and socio-economic marginalisation. Existing redevelopment and resettlement approaches frequently fail to address these conditions, as they rely on standardised housing models that overlook everyday spatial practices and informal livelihoods.
The study focuses on Rajiv Nagar to understand how spatial organisation, infrastructure and everyday practices shape social and economic opportunities, and how these influence daily life and long-term prospects. The findings show that women and children primarily operate within the immediate surroundings of the dwelling, which strengthens social networks but also limits access to education, work and services. Housing is already multifunctional, yet constrained by limited infrastructure, space and dedicated facilities, while informality reveals strong adaptive capacity.
Climate conditions further intensify these limitations, as extreme heat impacts reduce comfort and safety in both indoor and outdoor spaces. At the same time, passive design strategies can significantly improve environmental conditions and extend the usability of spaces for everyday activities.
The research concludes that improving opportunities for women and children cannot be achieved through housing alone. It requires an integrated spatial approach in which housing, social infrastructure, economic activity and climate responsiveness work together. By strengthening flexibility and connectivity across scales, housing can act as a means to break intergenerational cycles of limited access to education and economic opportunity.