Like most countries, India faces a perpetual housing crisis. As the world’s most populous nation, with an urban population expected to grow from 410 million in 2014 to 814 million by 2050, this becomes a pressing concern. The Indian built landscape brings further complexities in the form of a pervasive market-driven approach and the need for socially relevant housing. Looking into the future, how will India address the needs of its growing population to house the next million urbanites?
The intricacies of housing in the context of urban development in India demand attention from the government, private actors, and the architecture and urban design community in India. Architect and founder of Chennai-based studio ArchitectureRED Biju Kuriakose identifies three facets of the housing crisis in India - accessibility, funding, and citizenship. The first one is a crisis seen globally, where citizens are unable to access quality housing due to the lack of economic means. Furthermore, government projects in India often struggle to fund quality housing projects in cities.
