Ground for all: Retrofitting the Vertical City Through a Child's Perspective

Author: Sneha Shyam
Site Location: Mumbai
Institute: Asian School of Architecture and Design Innovations
Advisor: Ar. Asish Kannan Badusha J

Description

The Space matter proposes a child-centric infrastructure system that transforms fragmented, high-density urban environments into connected and inclusive communities. The project responds to a site where high-rise towers, mid-rise housing, LIG and MIG communities, commercial edges, roads, and informal settlements exist in close proximity but remain socially and spatially disconnected.

Rather than treating play, learning, nature, and community spaces as isolated amenities, the proposal weaves them into the everyday urban fabric through a continuous network of Care Ribbons, Sky Loops, Sky Streets, Senscapes, and Community Commons. These connections transform circulation into opportunities for play, exploration, social interaction, and learning.

The elevated network bridges physical barriers created by roads and fragmented development while creating safe, pedestrian-oriented connections between different communities. Multisensory landscapes introduce sand, timber, rope, stone, planting, water, and varied levels, allowing children to engage with materials and nature through touch, movement, and exploration.

Equity is central to the proposal. The infrastructure connects HIG, MIG, LIG, and informal communities, providing shared access to play, learning, nature, and social spaces. A replicable prototype extends these principles into neighboring informal settlements. The project reimagines the city through the perspective of childhood, transforming isolated buildings into an interconnected urban community where play, learning, nature, and belonging become part of everyday life.