An Informal Urban Generator: Redefining the Human-Trash Relationship

Overview

This thesis investigates the complex relationship between informal urban settlements and waste management infrastructure in New Delhi, India. By mapping the spatial patterns of trash accumulation alongside the organic growth of informal neighborhoods, the project proposes an architectural framework that redefines how communities interact with waste—transforming it from a liability into a generative urban resource. The design leverages existing social networks within these communities to create new typologies of shared space where collection, sorting, and material reclamation become catalysts for neighborhood identity and economic opportunity.