International Journal of Housing and Human Settlement Planning
Sustaining Artisan Livelihoods through Community Cooperative Housing: A Socio-Spatial Study of the Kumbhar Community in Pune, India
1. Department of Architecture, Marathwada Mitra Mandal's College Of Architecture (MMCOA), Pune)
2. Hazare, (Practising Architect, Independent Researcher, Academician and Junior Architect at MAP Architect Studio and Pioneer Construction, archivist and journalist at Manasaram Architects and CGBMT Bangalore)
Abstract
This research addresses the problem in contemporary community housing. Housing is delivered as a physical product, while the social, economic, and cultural systems that sustain community life are largely ignored. In the resettlement of the Kumbhar (potter) Community in Pune, equal land was allotted without cohesive architectural planning, which has led to fragmented spatial organisation, underutilised work areas, conflicts over resources, unclear boundaries, and a decline in economic efficiency due to internal competition. These outcomes demonstrate how the conventional housing model fails to support cooperative livelihoods and collective identity. The paper examines how housing for communities can be redefined as a socio-spatial system that integrates living, working and shared practices. It proposes a design blueprint, Socio-Spatial Design Parameters for Community Cooperative Housing (SSDP-CCH), to suggest that architects in designing housing should support cooperative economic structures and community life. rather than isolated dwelling units. The framework is developed through a rigorous mixed-method approach, including site observation, structured interviews, participatory design and an extensive literature review on cooperative systems and community housing. As part of the participatory design process, more than 30 Members of the Kumbhar community. were asked to draw and illustrate how they would organise their workspaces, houses, and shared areas based on their experiences. These findings revealed spatial logic shaped by daily practises, community interaction, and collective use of infrastructure, offering critical insights into how space functions within community housing and cooperative systems. Throughout the study, over 10 practising architects were continuously consulted to critically review, refine, and validate the proposed parameters, ensuring their architectural relevance and practical applicability. While the Kumbhar community serves as the primary case study, the (SSDP-CCH) framework is adaptable to other artisan community housing contexts. The research positions community housing as socio economic Infrastructure capable of sustaining livelihood, cultural identity, and community cohesion.
Key Words: Community cooperative housing, artisan communities, socio-spatial design, Cultural identity. (SSDP-CCH) Perimeters.
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