The city is undergoing a massive construction boom, with more than 15 supertalls, hundreds of skyscrapers and thousands of high-rise buildings under construction. Currently Mumbai is home to the largest number of supertalls and skyscrapers under construction in the world.
More than 2500 high-rise buildings are already constructed in addition to more than a thousand mid-rises existing already. Most of the skyscrapers are residential. Even the richest man in the city lives in a skyscraper. Antilia is one of the taller towers in which 27 floors accommodate a family of four and 200 servants.
There is no centralized urban planning and the towers keep popping up in all areas of central Mumbai, in particular on the huge pieces of land that accommodated textile factories that are now closed, as well as in the suburbs. The building companies are supported by the government and are given tax exemption.
Advertising agencies appeal to the newly rich, the up and coming middle class, using slogans such as: "You don’t just invite friends over, you invite awe." The new Indian luxury consumer is pursuing a lifestyle where owning an apartment in the "newly builds", as much as possessing exclusive items, is seen as a clear sign of wealth and power.
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Alicja Dobrucka, 1985, lives and works in London. Recently was a recipient of the Sotiri Prize 2011, Korce, Albania. In 2010 received the Deutsche Bank Fine Art Award and Grant in Photography. Her work is exhibited internationally, most recently at the Barbican, London (2012), Experimenta EXD'11 - Architectural Biennale in Lisbon (2011), the 54th Venice Biennale.