i'Local - Urban acupuncture and design for Hyderabad

The Hyderabad Urban Lab Foundation, in collaboration with Wipro Foundation, launched Imagine @ Low-cost Action Lab (i’Local)—a competition for urban rejuvenation aimed at addressing cracks and gaps in disadvantaged localities, marginalized communities, and neglected neighborhoods caused by inadequate social and physical infrastructure and multiple forms of inaccessibility. i’Local nurtures meaningful placemaking efforts through the (re)imagination of city spaces and the values associated with them. The initiative seeks to revitalize sites of neglect, disuse, and disrepair and return them to their communities, focusing on creative reuse of existing resources rather than large-scale investments.

LHL identified and documented 10 sites with potential for urban acupuncture design around Hyderabad. Our team also handled brief design, communications, and program management for i’Local, a low-cost urban design competition. Additionally, we supported the jury in vetting competition entries, mentored the selected cohort, and edited and designed a compendium book for the initiative. In 2024, I'Local engaged 483 participants from 24 countries, representing diverse disciplines such as art, architecture, law, and natural and social sciences. They participated in workshops, team-building exercises, and online group activities. From 51 entries, the jury selected 17 projects for professional mentorship to develop actionable proposals for implementation.