Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat

Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat is a vast open air laundromat, spanning 28,000 square meters in the heart of Mumbai. The prime real estate is coveted for many purposes other than its current use. However, is not only a place where people work, washing clothes by hand, it is also home to some 1,500 residents. Votes and talks involving the residents are underway and companies such as Lokhandwala are eager to begin redevelopment projects that would displace these workers and residents. Many of the residents, however, are fearful of the plans supervised by the slum rehabilitation authority (SRA). My objective with this project was to document the current state of Dhobi Ghat - both the lives and cultures of the inhabitants and workers as well as the physical structures found there - as it seems likely that in the future the landscape and function of this area will be revolutionized.