This research project presents a comparative study of the effect of three epidemics on Mumbai’s urban form: the plague, tuberculosis and covid-19.
It is impossible to prevent any virus from infecting humans, through the experience of generations and the help of science, the human body should be able to defend itself from foreign agents. The multiplication of the pathogen is possible as they can adapt very easily to any environment and any host. Diseases however, can be prevented with vaccines. As seen in the case of COVID and other dormant infections, this is the most efficient approach used. The vaccine produces a specific immunity against a disease because it trains antibodies and cells to recognize the infectious agent.
What does this approach mean when applied to the urban realm? Through this research project, we look at the specific case of Mumbai and how three pathogens changed and continue to change the fabric of the city and look for ways in which urban form can prepare itself to recognize and prepare for a pathogen.
That said, the improvement of the urban environment after the Plague, the attempt at creating new and sanitary housing for the poor after Tuberculosis, and the process of containment and lockdown policies during Covid-19 don’t seem to have made much of a difference in the amount of impact each epidemic had on the population of Mumbai. One might classify each of the changes as, urban, architectural, and related to policy, or better yet a mixture of all three. But to really understand how one might deal with an epidemic in the best one, is it worth the research to look into countries such as New Zealand or China to understand how a mixture of these three efforts can lead to better results? In the case of Mumbai, the population is constantly growing, and spaces for living in the center of the city are decreasing. The spread and urbanization of the city are visibly seen in the urban growth and yet living conditions remain poor for most.
Is it possible to create a formula that combines urban, architectural, and policy changes in order to face the future epidemic? In a world that is constantly split between economic power, environmental degradation, and social instability, what is the future anthropogenic response to the cycles of epidemics that won’t stop coming?