Maximizing minimums: space-utilization in the small homes in the Mumbai metropolitan region

Purpose: Many people living in and around Mumbai face space scarcity within homes, an issue exacerbated for families with members having differing and conflicting spatial requirements. By investigating how families live in existing residential environments, planners and designers can enable families to cope better with space scarcity. Design/methodology/approach: A case study approach is used to examine four small home settings in and around Mumbai, followed by a thematic analysis of the data collected. Findings: This study contributes a framework for studying small homes in and around Mumbai wherein they are characterized by five categories of information: internal zoning pattern, expansion pattern, spatial specialization and stratification pattern, outdoor space appropriation pattern and household adjustment pattern. Analysis through this framework gives insight into how small home settings are used by residents. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study offering in-depth comparative analysis of small home typologies in India.