Young children bear many gifts that are pure and unadulterated. Between the ages of 4 and 10 years, before being pushed into class rooms and other sterile environments, they love the opportunity to run in open spaces and be a part of nature. It is at this age that they begin to exercise their imagination and bodies simultaneously; hence, the spaces and scenarios that they are in have to be easy to manipulate.

The Sishu Vihar building is a bungalow amongst a series of bungalows situated on the IIT Bombay, Powai campus. As a foundation, it is a crèche and a day care unit formed as a decision by the IIT Staff Club in 2001. Currently, there are close to 100 children and 20 caretakers, excluding three administrators, in an indoor space meant for a family of six.

Our concepts and ideas for the play space in Sishu Vihar, IIT Bombay, are keeping in mind the distinct ecosystem that is IIT Bombay and other constraints that have strengthened rather than limiting the outcome of the project.