ABSTRACT
By developing refugee colonies, the government had two goals that were in many ways conflicting. First, in the spirit of Nehruvian socialism, allocate resources to those in need. Second, pave the way for industry and modern living. The government’s standard colony plan addressed these divergent goals by employing both communist and capitalist design philosophies. Refugee housing units did not force complete equality or communal living, but they were modest in size and aesthetically austere. They were also designed for flexibility of use, giving refugees autonomy to build on and redevelop through time. The building forms used included semi-detached and row-style nuclear family living units. Most were composed of two multipurpose rooms, with a kitchen, washroom, and latrine extending out behind the unit alongside an open veranda. Open plot space allowed space for added rooms and foundations were made strong enough to withstand additional floors. None of these housing forms provided refugees with finished homes. However, because refugees could alter the units, they transformed them into valuable assets and/or comfortable living spaces. This chapter considers the commonality of this refugee colony housing type across Delhi’s urban footprint and identifies the location and scale of production of less-common government resettlement housing forms.
