In the meanwhile or as a gamble: juxtaposing incremental building in informal settlements of Cape Town and Delhi

Building incrementally, and many times repeatedly, is a reality in informal settlements of the global South. However, the everyday lived experiences and logics of residents in this process are not well documented. Juxtaposing incremental building in the informal settlements of Cape Town and Delhi, this photo essay makes visible the varied form incrementalism takes in these two contexts. It also highlights the drivers that inform and shape the mode of incrementalism—‘in the meanwhile’ in Kosovo, Cape Town and ‘as a gamble’ in Gayatri Colony, Delhi—rooted in the distinct spatial, legal and political contexts of the two cities.