Saturday, January 26, 2008

Life at the lowest strata of the society!


I wanted to highlight the ups and downs of life in a single city...MUMBAI!!

Let us now take a look at the asia's largest slum...DHARAVI








This year, for the first time in human history, there will be more people living in towns and cities than in the countryside. That is the conclusion of a new study from the Population Division of the United Nations.

And the steady migration of people from rural areas to cities brings huge problems in its wake. Few places demonstrate this as clearly as Mumbai in India.

Mumbai - according to the UN - has a population of 19 million. And the UN forecasts that total will rise to more than 26 million by 2025.

At that point, it would be the most heavily populated "urban agglomeration" in the world, apart from Tokyo and its surroundings.

Mumbai's increase in population will partly be caused by increasing life expectancy and partly by migration from other, poorer, parts of India.



Construction has started on India Tower, a new 60-storey (301 meters) world-class Park Hyatt hotel, retail, and residential tower located in South Mumbai, India. The developer is committed to making India Tower a United States Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED Gold-rated project. Construction is expected to be completed in 2010.

India Tower is located in the prestigious South Mumbai coastal area fondly referred to as the Queens Necklace. The tower’s rotated form emerges in response to the 3-acre site (1.2-hectares), the building’s functional requirements, and its mixed-use program that changes with each rotation of the tower. This circulation pattern separates retail, a custom-designed residential-style Park Hyatt hotel and serviced apartments, and long-lease and duplex penthouse condominium apartments.

The design concept for India Tower was informed by Mumbai’s climate, the site, and the desire to create distinctive indoor and outdoor spaces with optimum views, inspirational settings, and personalized contemporary accommodations for all users. Designed to have the least possible impact on the environment, the tower will integrate current innovative sustainable systems and technologies throughout the building – solar shading, natural ventilation, daylighting, rainwater harvesting, and green interior finishes and materials – to make it one of the greenest skyscrapers in India.

India Tower’s 3-story podium will include restaurants and cafés, luxury-brand retail stores, a health/fitness club with a swimming pool, and a nightclub/lounge. When arriving at India Tower, Park Hyatt guests will be directed to the Sky Lobby (levels 30-35) to check-in, then descend to levels 14 through 28 to their hotel residences.

India Tower’s long-lease apartments will be located on levels 38 through 50, and will feature stylish and spacious two-story living spaces that have been specially designed to take full advantage of the expansive views from this height. Levels 52 to 59 of the tower will house one-of-a-kind duplex penthouse condominium apartments with unparalleled panoramic views.



Now what do u exactly call this?...life is weird ...isn't it??





No comments: