Project: DAWN

Home, an amenity and a privilege that everyone deserves. A resource that must not be taken for granted and must be embraced. Big or small, lavish or not, a home is where life is made, preserved and thrives. Home is a part of our lives,

Hence! for this instructables, I have decided to come up with a project (idea) to help the people in need to get this privilege.

Slums are densely populated areas where living conditions are very poor, and lack proper to any basic infrastructure, services or even security.

why slums exist? :-

1. Due to migration of people from rural to urban regions and the people cannot afford the housings at urban pricings.
2. High cost in urban areas.
3. unemployment, one of the great contributors.
4. Weak urban planning by the respective governments.
5. Natural disasters or conflicts causing masses to migrate leaving their homes.

To tackle these issues, I introduce:-

Project: DAWN

> It is a series of studies and ideas that can be taken to tackle the slum problem.

> the main focus of this project is:-

1. using shipping containers for housing the masses.
2. Designing the containers to give decent, better quality of life living spaces and not luxury apartments.
3. Analysing the slum area of interest and its surrounding to search for suitable land for temporary relocation and development.
4. Creating a budget of the material used, construction costs and overall funding required.
5. Employing the residents in the redevelopment process, hence providing employment and learning skills.
6. Layout of the residential and public spaces and also structural integrity of the proposed apartments.
7. Policies and acceptance from the masses.

This is going to be a looong instructable, hence sit back, get some snacks and get ready to be inspired!

The pics I used above are the homes of some of the most important people that lived on earth. Try guessing them!

1. The first deafblind person in the United States to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.
2. Indian freedom fighter also known as 'Netaji'.
3. French vacation home of the lady who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity.
4. Former home of a professor who found the equation: S_BH = A_h/(4G).
5. Home of the person who discovered the equation that if compared at an atomic level, release 50 million times the energy released in combusting 1 carbon atom by fissioning a single uranium atom.

1. Revit (for architecture planning)
2. Fusion 360 (for creating 3d models of the prototype)
3. blender (for animating)
4. and a chunky PC!
5. 3d printer
6. 1kg pla filament (or more).

The area of focus here is the slum in Pune (Maharashtra, India). Specifically the slum of "Kashewadi".

I am starting small and not going for the largest slum of India (which will require EVEN more planning... I am not ready for that). I will first try to know if this research and case study will work in the first place.

The Kashewadi Slum:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/7csLNt5Q4o4C7pgC7

It is a slum area located below the 'Bhavani Peth' in Pune. With a population of over 25000 people, it is one of the largest slums in Pune.

It spans across an area of about 145,880 ~ 150,000 meters square. That is roughly 1.5 times the size of the Vatican City.

1. The population density of the region can be calculated by the formula: (total population)/(total hectares).
2. Taking the population to be roughly 29200, and an area of 14.6~15 hectares, the density is around 2000 people/hectare.
3. Hence the reworked living spaces must have a population density of equal or above 2000 people/ hectare or all will not be housed.
4. This is an important matter, as some companies may design a house or Highrise concept, but it may not have enough population density per building to house all the people in the given area.

As we can see, there is 2 blobs of land that the slum occupies. The left-hand side we shall refer as Site A and the right-hand side as Site B

Site Analysis:-

1. Has an area of roughly 145~150 thousand sq. meters and a population of 25000+ and a population density of 2000/hectare.
2. Has urban amenities near the vicinity as it is near the centre of Pune(within 3km radius).
3. In between the 2 areas of the slum there is a hospital.
4. Land is mostly level throughout the area.
5. Soil type is mostly shallow, well drained, clayey soil with mild erosion.
6. Not much free space available near the site. There is a 'Pune race-course' at 2.5km to the east of the site.

Overview:-

1. Area is limited, hence we shall focus on maximising vertical space usage and efficiency.

Location is highly valuable as it is near the Pune city centre and proper development of the site can increase the household property value of the residents.

1. Need to integrate mixed use of spaces.
2. Level terrain allows for easy deployment of pre-fabricated rooms and installing them on site.
3. Clayey soil can cause sinking, hence deep foundations need to be built.
4. Erosion is minimal, hence slope stabilization is not a major concern.
5. Due to limited space, the Pune race-course can be leased (part of it) to temporarily house the inhabitants while their respective area is under construction.
6. Construction must be done in phases to ensure minimal displacement.

This project focuses on well-planed housing redevelopment rather than forced eviction.

Since Pune is near landlocked region, it would be quite hot in the summers and cool in the winters. In India, monsoons are usually heavy. (honestly I feel the monsoons are the only time it gets cool here)

Weather Analysis:

Tropical: Hot and dusty in the summer, monsoon with heavy rainfall. winter is cool and pleasant.

Rainfall: average of 721mm of annual rainfall.

Temperature average (highest/lowest) in degrees Celsius:-

1. March 35/16
2. April 38/20
3. May 37/23
4. June 31/23
5. July 28/22
6. August 28/21
7. September 29/21
8. November 30/15
9. December 29/12

Average Humidity: 69% (That is real...)

Overview:

1. Heat management:
2. Temperatures can rise to 38°C in April, making metal containers extremely hot inside.
3. Applying solar-reflective paint (white or light colors) to reduce heat absorption.
4. Roof coatings with elastomeric paint can reflect up to 80% of solar radiation.
5. A green roof (plants on the rooftop) can reduce indoor temperatures by 5–10°C.
6. Monsoons:
7. Water accumulation on flat roofs can lead to leaks and rusting. High humidity (69%) increases condensation inside metal containers. Risk of flooding and waterlogging in low-lying areas.
8. Applying epoxy-based waterproof paint and zinc-rich primer to prevent corrosion.
9. Sealing all gaps with high-quality silicone sealants.
10. Garden spaces on the rooftops and rainwater harvesting systems.
11. Winters:
12. Using spray foaming to insulate the container walls and also preventing condensation.
13. using gypsum dry wall to further increase the insulating and sound proofing layer.
14. The spray foam and the outer corrosion-resistant paint helps avoid the air to come in direct contact with the container walls thus preventing condensation.

Sources:

1. climatestotravel.com
2. https://iccp2020.tropmet.res.in/weatherinpune
3. https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/india/pune
4. https://www.accuweather.com/en/in/pune/204848/weather-forecast/204848
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pune#Climate

Benefits:-

1. Affordable compared to usual building methods (30-40% less).
2. Prefabrication reduces labour costs and also allows for faster construction and assembly at site.
3. Greatly reduces project delays.
4. Stackable, which makes limited space utilization efficient.
5. Suitable for phased developments.
6. Strong and durable as containers are made of corrosion-resistant ;Corten steel' .
7. Minimal maintenance.
8. More environment friendly than using concrete.

Disadvantages:-

1. Needs to be insulated as metal is an excellent conductor of heat.
2. Cutting doors and windows can lead to structural weakening and extra reinforcement is required in the form of galvanized steel supports.
3. Zoning and Building codes can conflict at times.

Overall, containers are a great way to provide housing to the masses as it is portable, mass produced and built to last decades.

If properly insulated and structurally reinforced, container homes can easily last of decades to come.

Preparing the Container before turning it to a space to live in is a very important step, hence from here, I prepare the container to make it a more comfortable space.

For this project I shall be using the two '40ft high cube container' as it the perfect size for the density in hand.

With a total living space of 66msq it is spacious enough for up to 4-6 people.

Dimensions:-

Ext: Length- 12.19m, Breadth- 2.44m, Height- 2.89m

Int: Length- 12.03m, Breadth- 2.33m, Height- 2.69m

This Video Explains the next 4 Steps. (app used: - Blender)

The 2 40ft containers shall be joined along their sides to make it more spacious.

Steps:

1. For each container, the respective sides that will be joined, at the mid section underneath the container, a steel plate is welded so that it will act as a stand like the 4 corner foot of the container. It is made sure that the height of the steel plates matches the gap between the ground and the foot's height. This prevents the container floor sagging in the middle over time.
2. Now before the respective side walls are cut open, a small section of the container's wall is cut first to install the temporary support so that the roof of the container does not sag.
3. Once the temporary support is installed, the respective walls are cut and dropped opening the containers at the facing sides.
4. Add struts at every 2nd corrugation in the container walls so that it will form a rib to strengthen the container.
5. Join the struts and weld shut the containers together to form a water proof seal at the welding.

The 2 containers are joined!!!

The doors and windows are cut out according to the design or floor layout.

The windows are on a fixed position in the container (At the door end. I plan on sealing the door and using the rear end as the new entrance)

We have doors and windows!!!

To Stabilize the structure of the container and also to make it more stronger:

1. At every 2nd corrugation of the container wall, we install galvanized steel struts before the containers are cut open.
2. The struts runs along the 2 sides of the container (The side wall that is not cut and the roof).
3. When the container is joined, we can weld all the struts together to form a series of ribs like structure that support the weight of the roof.
4. Additional steel struts is added in the interior walls of the container home once the layout is decided.
5. The layouts that I came up with all have at least 3 interior walls that can support the roof.

Structural Stabilization is complete!!!

For insulation, I decided to use spray-foaming as it is easy to install and also increases the structural integrity of the container. 4inches of spray foaming.

For insulation:

1. Clean all the surface to make sure the container walls is ready for spray-foaming.
2. Apply tape to the struts and other surfaces like doors and windows to prevent the foam going everywhere.
3. Spray-foam the walls and let dry.
4. Spray-foam the bottom of the containers too so that the floor is also insulated and it will help prevent dew and moister through the floors.
5. Once spray foamed, the gypsum walls is installed on the struts using screws or rivets and the interior plaster is applied.
6. The interior paint is applied after the plaster dries.

Insulation is complete!!!

from here on I design the container home.

Designing the floor plan using Revit.

I designed the floor plans using Autodesk 'Revit' (Amazing app!!!)

The design is done using a few things kept in mind:

1. The apartment needs to have rooms kept side to side to meet the target population density per hectare.
2. The apartment can have a maximum of 6-7 floors due to structural constraints.
3. Hence only 1 side of the rooms will have access to windows.
4. 2BHK, 1 bath w toilet room.

I made 3 types of floor plan that emphasises on 2 main ideas:

First Type - The Living/ kitchen is at the end which makes it the only room with windows. In this layout, the room where the family is going to spend the most time has the access to sunlight and the outside.

Second Type- Here the two bedrooms have the access to the windows. This layout emphasises on the kids that may be in the family and their study areas have access to the sunlight.

Third Type- Here the Bedrooms again have the windows, but more room is given to a 'study area' in case there is more than 2 kids.

(Autodesk if you are seeing this pls pls pls let all apps work in mac os!!!)

Using Fusion360, I designed the 3D of the floor plan.

I 3d printed the model of the layout of the floor plan so that it is easier to see and feel how the layout will be.

Before Printing:

1. Take sure to adjust for any contacts, gaps and other parts because dimensions in real life is different than that in the 3d modelling app. (due to printer accuracy little errors etc, whereas in the software it is perfect)
2. The printer is working fine.
3. you have enough filament.
4. You slice the model before you print it.

for more details on how to 3d print, pls refer:-

https://www.instructables.com/Dougong-an-Ancient-Chinese-Technique/ (under Steps 9,10, 11)

For those who wish to print it, the stl files are given below:

In this step (video) I design the apartment Autodesk Revit.

The apartment has 7 floors in total (6 floors are living spaces) and a roof top garden.

The ground floor is open and allows for vehicle parking of cars and bikes (mostly a bikes and cycles) and has multiple access points.

There are 2 staircases and 4 elevator shafts in the apartment, 2 elevators on each side. Each floor has 2 garbage chutes that are connected to the ground floor in the waste collection and disposal area. The ground floor also has a mail room and two security rooms.

The roof top has plenty of green spaces and open spaces too for kids to play in. The open spaces are in the in the middle so that kids will not play around or near the railings. There is also a large, covered terrace that can be used primarily for hanging clothes as that is an important feature in the Indian culture.

Speciality: ---

1. Each floor has 12 - 2BHK rooms which can house up-to 6 peoples each. This makes it 72 people in each floor and a total of 432 people in one building.
2. The building has a net footprint of 1146m^2 hence by calculating the density (432/1146 m^2) is about 2.65m^2 per person.
3. In the slum condition, the average space per person is: 5.832m^2 per person, taking there are 25000 persons in an area of 145,880-meter square.
4. This is a major advantage as it reduces the area occupied by the slum hoses of 145,880 m^2 to about 65,646 m^2 of buildings, which gives plenty of space (80,234 m^2) to non-housing buildings like schools, hospitals, roads, parks etc.
5. Removing spaces for the roads and spaces around buildings, there is still about 55,321 m^2 of space left (if the apartments are placed side to side with minimal gaps, it saves even more space).

Concept:

I plan to stack the each room 3 times on top of each other twice. So a total of 6 floors. The containers will be supported on steel beams that will take the weight of all the 6 containers.

1. Stacking System:
2. Containers are stacked three times, one on top of the other.
3. Steel Beam Support:
4. Containers are slid into steel beam frames, which bear the weight of the containers.
5. This ensures Each container only carries the weight of two containers above it at maximum.
6. The steel beams take most of the structural load.
7. Load Distribution:
8. Once three containers are stacked, another steel beam support is added on top.
9. This repeats for the next set of stacked containers.
10. A total of 6 floors (6 container homes).
11. The steel beams disperse the weight of the containers and any above structures directly to the ground and foundation.
12. This prevents excessive stress on individual containers.

We will be using the HSS or Hollow Structural Section (HSS) – Square, rectangular, or circular steel tubes for columns. (Square ones to be more precise)

The steel support beams will be the 'HSS 350 x 350 x 16 mm square steel column' and they will be the main backbone of the apartments. The joints can be either welded or bolted, but I prefer it being bolted just in case we need to disassemble it for renovation or other purposes. Also, welding it all will cost a lot of money.

For reference, A single average HHSS 350 x 350 x 16mm beam at 40 ft tall can hold more than 79 tonnes at safety factor of 1.7! (That is if we apply all that weight on the very brim of the column which is not very ideal in real world conditions... But that is strong enough!) And if the column is braced at every few intervals, it can easily hold 4-5 times that weight.

So, for my model, we will have 6 columns 3 on each side of the space where the container homes will be. At the height of 11.8m, which is a little higher above (30cm) the height of 3 stacked containers, will be I-beams (HEM 550) welded to the columns which will support 3 more containers that is stacked on top of each other.

When I tested the model (as in the video), the platforms can support all the weight at a safety factor of 2+.

This makes the concept of using steel columns for sacking containers very strong and stable. This is also much easier to install and construct than conventional building methods.

The Stress Test: ---

Here, for my stress test, I used Fusion360's inbuilt 'static stress' simulator.

The specification of the test is given as such:

1. 6 HSS 350 x 350 x 16mm HSS steel columns are pinned at the perimeter of the space where the container home goes.
2. between each pair of HSS columns an I-Beam (HEM 550) goes across. Thus giving 3 pairs of columns joined with I-Beams. The I-Beams help in transferring the weight of the stacked 3 container to the columns.
3. 9 loads are distributed evenly at 9 locations i.e. the ends of the I-beam where it is connected to the columns and the centre of it.
4. The net load is 238 tone force.

Result: ---

1. Maximum stress of 71.38MPa is at the joints of the I-Beam to the columns and the centre of the I-Beam.
2. Max displacement of 14.338mm is at the tips of the columns since it sags inwards in between the columns. Adding I-beams or struts or floors will prevent the bending in the columns. (for the test I left it open).
3. Minimum safety factor at 2.9 at the joints of the I-Beam to the columns and the centre. Maximum is 15+.

I 3d printed the apartment at size ratio of about 1:133

I printed the apartment in 18 total pieces as my print bed is only 155mm by 155mm.

In the F3d and the STL file, I have sliced the entire apartment into 4 parts.

to know more about 3d printing, check this out! : 👇(STEP 9)

Dougong, an Ancient Chinese Technique : 16 Steps (with Pictures) - Instructables

The school shall be in 'Site A'.

I designed this school keeping in mind the primary school that I used to go to. I felt that the school I went was good enough to make me who I am today. I never felt there was anything lacking nor the layout or the design and facilities to be bad. Hence what I got back in my tender days, I wish others to get that too as in my experience of my life, my school is the only place like it that I experienced and will ever get to experience, and I will say I was lucky and blessed enough.

So let's spread that blessing!!!

Now, The school's features are:-

1. It has upto 5th grade.
2. Each grade has 6 classes (A,B,C,D,E,F) we call them "sections" here.
3. Each class is made of two 20ft container joined at some gap together to create a 6m by 7m class.
4. Each class can hold upto 30 students. This makes the school's max capacity of 900-1000 students.
5. The primary school shall have an Auditorium that is made in the conventional way since it would be too big for even joining 40ft containers together.
6. It shall also have a football (SOCCER) ground and a smaller multi-purpose ground.
7. It shall also have a pool.
8. Staff parking area for cars and vehicles.
9. Has a library and a computer lab.
10. The school boundary is 203m by 146m, a total of 29,638m^2.

The School Layout:

The basic school layout. To the centre is the school building, to the east is the auditorium and to the west is the football ground (SOCCER) and pool! (our primary school did not have one, it would be awesome to teach children how to swim early on). Parking is at the front-east of the school.

Classroom: A place of learning, memories, and gathering.

Computer Lab: The best part of a primary school!!! miss those flash games.

Library: Books! and Books!! that's it I guess...

Staff room: The place where the teachers can gather, exchange chit chat and relax! work too.

The principal's office: Command and Control! the room of atmost importance! and posh! sort of...

This is where the guest can visit the school and also is sort of like a wating room also where the school's principal sits and does principal stuff... (No offence, I loved our headmistress! she was like a grandmother to us all)

Toilets: The place where most kids spend time in between the classes... (I never got that tho...why the toilet? what is there that I never knew??? too old for that now...)

Clinic: Where the nurse can treat children/staff.

Overall: write notes here- power consumption, water consumption wate management etc.

And that's it! half the future of the children of Kashewadi is set!!!

I first created a rough sketch in my notebook of the 2 sites.

The slum is divided into 2 areas, here I mentioned them as "Site - A" and "Site - B". "Site - A" has the school and "Site - B" has the central park where a green 4 lane avenue will pass at the middle of it. While designing it, I kept in mind that the area can be developed keeping in mind the essence of walking rather than making large motorways. That is the key concept of this development. Sure, there are roads that lead to the apartments as some space for cars (few... very few) and bikes are a convenience too! The people of the slum might not be able afford vehicles to begin with. There are multiple spaces for plazas so that the people can directly have access to it from the apartments.

In both the sites, where there are 'main roads' i.e. roads where there are public buildings to one side and apartments at the other can have mixed use apartments having commercial at the ground floors (except for the ones behind the school, as having residential behind schools is a good and safe idea).

Since both the site are quite near the city centre of Pune, I felt that it is not required to have separate or specific office buildings as not only the space is limited, but some office space can also fit in the ground floor space too. Tho I have added only some office spaces as having offices requires highly educated workers that takes a long time to sprout.

Also, I do not plan on adding a wall or gates around the sites, as separating the people of the slums from the rest of the populations is meaningless. Walls will be around those areas where there is either a lot of trees or shrubs that are growing at the borders or near areas that are not safe to access.

Let's Dive into the details!!!

SITE A

>>>School Area:

1. The school has an area of about ~9700 m^2.
2. Has a capacity of up to 1000 students depending on the class layout.
3. 1st to 5th grade.
4. Has a football (SOCCER) ground of 25m by 50m (Which can be used for other purposes too).
5. A basketball court
6. A pool area having 2 pools of dimensions 15 x 8m one is 1m deep and the other is 60cm deep.
7. Auditorium that can accommodate all the students.
8. A parking area.

>>> Green Spaces:

1. The areas that are given by slanted lines spread around the Site is green spaces.
2. Net area of about ~8260m^2 (11%) of the Site - A.
3. This area is comprised of plazas and parks with few playground equipments, few pavilions and benches.
4. This area is made accessible directly to all connected apartments. This creates social and green spaces wherever possible. Since these are open social spaces, there is effectively lesser "Shady spaces" where "shady" things can happen, hence making the society as a whole a nicer and safer place to live.
5. This area is similar to the picture given below: - (Notice how the plaza is accessible from all directions)

image source: South City Square | OCULUS

>>> Roads

1. 2lane roads that are 7m wide.
2. No footpaths as the apartment block has enough space around it to accommodate pedestrians.
3. Simple road with led light post every 38m.
4. Total length of approx. ~833m. Covering an area of approx. ~4000m^2.

SITE B

>>> Central Park

1. The "Central Park" is composed of 2 halves divided by a 4-lane green avenue.
2. Total area of approx. ~20,800m^2m (25.8% of Site B).
3. The central park instead of playground stuff, can have benches, fountains, pavilions and maybe a small (17mx17m) empty space with step benches around it where local teens and adults can play casual sports.
4. The Central Park can look something like the picture given below: -

Something like this but much bigger.

image source: Central Park Common – The Residences at Central Park

>>> Green Spaces

1. The areas that are given by the dots spread around the Site is green spaces.
2. Net area of about ~6700m^2 (8.3%) of the Site - B.
3. This area, like site A is comprised of plazas and parks with few playground equipments, few pavilions and benches.
4. This area is made accessible directly to all connected apartments. This creates social and green spaces wherever possible. No more shady stuff!

>>> Green Belt

1. The areas that are given by the thin striped area surround Site B.
2. Net area of about ~6600m^2 (8.1%) of the Site - B.
3. This green belt is mainly a bicycle path with plants benches and other facilities depending on the thickness of the belt in that area.
4. This area is made accessible directly to all connected apartments. This creates an easy access and transport facility all the way around Site B.

image source: Cycling infrastructure - Wikipedia

>>> Roads

1. 2lane roads that are 7m wide.
2. No footpaths as the apartment block has enough space around it to accommodate pedestrians.
3. Simple road with led light post every 38m.
4. 'Site B' has 2.1Km of roads. Covering an area of approx. ~14,700m^2.

Hence in total, Site A has 11% reserved for green spaces.

Site B has 42.2% reserved for green spaces.

That is a LOT of improvement compared to the almost 90-98% spaced used solely for housing in slum conditions.

I 3d printed the site to make it more visually understandable.

to know more about 3d printing, check this out! : 👇(STEP 9)

Dougong, an Ancient Chinese Technique : 16 Steps (with Pictures) - Instructables

Power and water are the 2 most important resource required for any type of settlement.

Hence, I made a rough estimate of how much power and water is required in Site - A and Site B respectively.

Site A

Power:

Site A has 18 apartments which upto 72 units each.

1. Therefor 72x18 = 1,296 units.
2. Lets assume that a low-income household sues about 180 kWh/month/unit (As per BEE, Urban DISCOM Data, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai)
3. That is: 1,296 units × 6 kWh/day = 7,776 kWh/day ≈ 7.78 MWh/day
4. Taking other loads such as Stairwell + corridor lights, Elevators, Water pumps + security, Parks + streetlamps etc: 8.2 – 8.3 MWh/day.

Water:

Site A has 1,296 units which can house upto 6 people each.

1. Therefor 1,296 x 6 = 7776 people.
2. According to the CPHEEO (Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation), an average person uses upto 138L/person/day in urban areas.
3. water use = 7776 × 138 = 10,73,088 L/day ≈ 1,073 KL/day
4. Since the parks are mostly grass and trees that are suitable for that climate (Neem, Tamarind, Jamun, Bakul trees), lets assume it requires 3.8L/day/m^2. Hence: Park water use = 8,260 × 3.8 = 31,388 L/day ≈ 31.38KL/day
5. Total Water Use = 1,104.38KL/day

Site B

Power:

Site B has 42 apartments which upto 72 units each.

1. Therefor 72x42 = 3,024 units.
2. Lets assume that a low-income household sues about 180 kWh/month/unit (As per BEE, Urban DISCOM Data, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai)
3. That is: 3,024 units × 6 kWh/day = 18,144 kWh/day ≈ 18.1 MWh/day
4. Taking other loads such as Stairwell + corridor lights, Elevators, Water pumps + security, Parks + streetlamps etc: 18.1-18.2 MWh/day.

Water:

Site B has 3,024 units which can house upto 6 people each.

1. Therefor 3,024 x 6 = 18,144 people.
2. According to the CPHEEO (Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation), an average person uses upto 138L/person/day in urban areas.
3. water use = 18,144 × 138 = 25,03,872 L/day ≈ 2,503.8 KL/day
4. Since the parks are mostly grass and trees that are suitable for that climate (Neem, Tamarind, Jamun, Bakul trees), lets assume it requires 3.8L/day/m^2. Hence: Park water use = 33,902 × 3.8 = 1,28,830 L/day ≈ 128.83KL/day
5. Total Water Use = 2,632KL/day

Costing for this MASSIVE project... This is only a rough estimate of the total cost.

For one Apartment:

1. Considering that one apartment has 72 units and each unit is a joined twin 40 feet high cube containers: 1 apartment requires 144 containers
2. Taking 1 container to be around 2L rupees (brand new is not required, minor rusting and dents can be fixed), that is: 2.8 crore rupees (330K dollars).
3. Stairs, lifts and core construction: We’ll assume ₹75L (87K $).
4. Landscaping, Sitework, Roads, Drainage: assuming ₹50L (57.83K $).
5. Approvals, Design, Labor, Miscellaneous: Take ₹1.25 Crore (144K $).
6. Plumbing + Electrical: ₹1 Cr (115K $).
7. Total for 1 apartment: ₹10.73 Cr (1.2 million US dollars).
8. Here the cost of a million sounds earth shattering, but if we take it per capita of the total 25K people, it drops down to ~2.5 Lakh rupees per person (2891$). That is a very VERY low price per person to pay to get a decent house with sanitation and with green urban spaces.

For 'Project: Dawn' :

1. Total site area: 150,000 m^2
2. Total number of apartments is 60 (42 + 18) and each block is ₹10.73Cr, hence total apartment cost of : ₹600 Cr approx. (or 72 million in freedom units).
3. 'Site A' has 833m of roads, taking about 17,000 rupees per meter, 833 x 17K = ₹1.4 Cr ($162K).
4. 'Site B' has 2.1Km of roads, 2100 x 17K = ₹3.8 Cr, we will take ₹4.38 Cr as there is a 4 lane green avenue ($500K).
5. Central Park (20,800m^2m @ ₹3.8K/sqm) will be: ₹7.9 Cr ($910K).
6. Other Parks & Plazas (14960 sqm @ ₹2.5K) will be: ₹3.78 Cr ($ 438K).
7. Design, Mgmt, Contingency ₹65.0 Cr ($7.8M).
8. Total: ₹683.0 Cr or $78.999M as of 26th Jully 2025

78 million! ... is it feasible? ... Absolutely!

78 million may sound universe shattering, but when taken per person, i.e. the population of over 25000, that is 79.999/25000 = $3200 per person (₹ 2,76,658.56)

Even Taking per home, i.e. there are 4320 units (homes) hence for 1 home it costs: 78Mill/4320 = $18K per family. That is 15.5 Lakh per family. Now comparing that in a city centre like Pune, the cost of a 1BHK apartment is above 45Lakh and starts at 30Lakh minimum ($35K - $52K).

This is even more affordable if the money is also partly helped/granted by the government or NGOs.

Considering that similar projects only give barely liveable spaces with cramped housing for extracting profits, Having to pay 15.5 Lakh or $18K for a 2BHK and spacious living with moderate to decent facilities and also having a school and plenty of parks greatly outweighs the price.

If this was a 1BHK container style luxury apartment, it would easily sell for upwards of 50L per unit in such an environment and social structure. But, NO, luxury is not necessary when it comes to starting a family and having loving home to stay in.

Implementation of this project can be in phases, as we cannot displace the entire population while the whole area is being built.

Phase1 Groundwork & Feasibility:

1. Community Identification
2. Government recognition or potential for regularization.
3. Access to basic services (water/electricity/sewage).
4. Stakeholder Mapping
5. Residents (tenants and owners, if a home is owned by someone and there is a tenant residing, then the owner will have to units to his/her name and the tenant resides in any one of them)
6. Local government (Municipal Corporation, Urban Development Authority)
7. NGOs & housing rights groups in the area.
8. Builders & engineers
9. Feasibility Survey
10. Legal land ownership status (this is where things will be... difficult to settle).
11. Soil test & flood safety analysis (The are is flat, moderate rains and well drained).
12. Existing infrastructure mapping
13. Electricity, sewage, and water connection points.
14. Community size and household count (the number of people part).

Phase 2: Planning and Approvals:

1. Community Engagement
2. Explain the benefits: safety, sanitation, jobs, future value.
3. Getting their preferences (unit size, open space, religious needs).
4. Form a resident welfare committee to boost confidence.
5. Dispel fears of eviction and clarify return policies (this is where we need to convince them the most).
6. Preparing Detailed Project Report (DPR)
7. Design: Container apartment layout, green space, roads.
8. Demographics: no. of units, estimated families, floor plans.
9. Utilities: Water, sewage, power supply plan.
10. Sustainability: Solar integration, waste mgmt, water harvesting.
11. Phasing Plan: How to build without displacing everyone at once.
12. Financial Estimate: Cost per unit, total cost, possible subsidies.
13. Government Approvals
14. submitting the DPR to Slum Rehabilitation Authority (since in Maharashtra).
15. to Urban Development Department.
16. Electricity & Water boards.
17. Pollution Control Board (for waste & drainage plans).
18. Seeking Funds from:
19. PMAY (Urban) – Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS).
20. State housing schemes.
21. CSR + NGO partnerships

Phase 3: Design Finalization & Site Prep:

1. Land Reorganization & Temporary Housing: The people who's respective area is under development can be moved to the Pune race course (After leashing some part of it) and can be given temporary housing in the form of tents and reusable structures.
2. Design Adaptation:
3. 2× 40ft high-cube containers = 1 unit (approx. 600 sq. ft.)
4. 7 floors, 12 units/floor (except the grnd floor), 2 stairwells + 4 elevators, etc.

Phase 4: Construction:

1. Container Fabrication & Transport: containers are bought, cut, weld and insulated off site in a manufacturing facility elsewhere. transported to site, crane lift and stack bolted.
2. Services & Infrastructure:
3. Water tanks, solar panels, battery storage.
4. Street lighting + internal lighting + meters.
5. Roads (as per 7m width plan with drainage).
6. Parks, public seating, tree plantation (using low-irrigation species like Neem, Jamun, etc.).

Phase 5: Allocation & Livelihood:

1. Assign units fairly area-matching method so that they can be with the neighbours that they are familiar with.
2. Ensure each family signs a lease/license agreement with: Basic bylaws, Ownership/residency rights, Utility bill responsibilities.
3. Skill Development & Employment, Train locals in:
4. Container fabrication
5. Maintenance and repair
6. Waste segregation
7. Offer some jobs in construction & facility management

Phase 6: Employment Strategies:

To ensure sustainable development and community empowerment, the project can integrate employment opportunities during and after construction:

1. Construction Phase:

We can employ residents as labourers, welders, masons, and assistants. Set up a training wing on-site for real-time learning and once they have learned the skill required, they can get a certification and also choose whether to work in the project or find suitable work elsewhere. They can be given the idea that more the number of people that work for in the project as not only labour intensive work, but also as assistants, engineers etc can greatly decrease the labour cost of the entire project.

1. Post-Construction Phase:

Once the construction is done, facility maintenance jobs like - cleaning, repairs, security, gardening etc can be installed. People can be employed to manage the solar panels, clean them, waste segregation, and rainwater system management. Encouraging small businesses like tailoring, tiffin services, repair shops, and kirana stores with low-interest loans or subsidies can help a lot too!

Project: Dawn is more than a housing redevelopment initiative—it is a movement toward dignity, opportunity, and sustainable community living for the underprivileged. At its heart lies a belief that every individual, regardless of their socioeconomic background, deserves access to safe shelter, clean water, electricity, open green spaces, and the right to dream beyond the confines of poverty. In envisioning the transformation of a slum settlement into a self-sustaining, thoughtfully planned urban cluster, I aimed to create an idea of not just buildings, but lives that thrive within and around them.

I had some immense challenges—learning Revit in a week, site plans, apartment layout and structure, etc. But equally, it has revealed vast potential I did not know I had. The slum, often seen as a zone of neglect, holds within it a vibrant and resilient population. For they have withstood the poverty, neglect and lack of opportunities but still are able to create a vast and complicated social network. The project’s phased plan aims to include the community as an active stakeholder, not a passive recipient. By employing slum residents in construction, park maintenance, waste management, micro-businesses, we ensure that redevelopment is not merely about displacement and relocation, but about empowerment and co-creation.

Importantly, Project: Dawn addresses the common criticisms of conventional redevelopment—overcrowding, loss of culture, and economic exclusion—by adopting a hybrid planning model that prioritizes open spaces, pedestrian movement, mixed-use buildings, and local economies. The parks are designed not just for recreation, but also to improve mental well-being and reduce the isolation effect.

My hope is that 'Project: Dawn' gives the idea and motivation to others to help the ones that are neglected as we are the ones that can help them further and faster than the government. We all know that government processes are slow and time consuming, but if more people are inspired to know at least a bit of what it takes to uplift the people that are in such conditions, it becomes a running goal by many to achieve it. This in turn creates a community of people that actively try to help those who are less fortunate.

I named this project to symbolize a new beginning—for a community, a city, and a mindset. I believe that even in the most overlooked corners of our cities, a new dawn can rise.

I thank to all the support I got, form my parents for learning how to use a 3d printer to make the printouts while I was in college and to Autodesk for giving me this opportunity to learn more about architecture, site planning, and about the conditions of the people of my country.

And Thanks to everyone that made it this far!!! 🙌

Also...

POIREINGANBA LOKTONGBAM

coff.ee/poireinganba.porin 😇

References I used:

1. (113) Mid-Rise Apartment Building - YouTube
2. Autodesk Revit - Full Beginner Course | Complete Project - Start to finish
3. How to 3D Print your own Cityscapes and Terrains (FREE Method)
4. Groups for Multi-Storey Buildings in Revit Tutorial
5. Topography for any Site with CADmapper - Revit Tutorial
6. https://beeindia.gov.in
7. http://cea.nic.in/reports/monthly/executivesummary
8. https://mohua.gov.in
9. https://cpheeo.gov.in
10. http://www.fao.org/3/x0490e/x0490e00.htm
11. climatestotravel.com
12. https://iccp2020.tropmet.res.in/weatherinpune
13. https://www.accuweather.com/en/in/pune/204848/weather-forecast/204848
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pune#Climate
15. Connecting Two Shipping Containers Together! Double Wide Home, Garage, Warehouse - DIY - NO WELDING!
16. The Ultimate Shipping Container Buying Guide - Avoiding SCAMMERS!
17. What YOU Should Put Your Shipping Container On!