Architecture students turn design into tools of inclusion

In a powerful example of how design can reshape lives, around 75 student volunteers from the GITAM School of Architecture transformed their classroom learning into a hands-on mission of inclusion during a special NSS camp at the Government Residential School for Visually Challenged Girls.

Organised in collaboration with the Indian Green Building Council, the week-long initiative focused on creating tactile learning tools and sensory spaces to help visually challenged students explore their surroundings more independently.

As part of the programme, volunteers designed 3D tactile models of historic monuments, allowing students to experience architectural heritage through touch. They also installed Braille alphabet panels and tactile maps across the campus to help students navigate the school more confidently.

The team further developed a vegetable and sensory garden and a barefoot sensory pathway, both designed to stimulate touch and smell and create an engaging learning environment beyond traditional classrooms.

A medical camp was also organised for the students, where doctors conducted health check-ups and awareness sessions on personal hygiene and safety, including discussions on “good touch and bad touch”.

The initiative was coordinated by NSS Programme Officer Jyothi Marri and IGBC Coordinator Divya Harini, in collaboration with the school’s principal, Vijaya.

Dean and Director of the School of Architecture Vibuti Sachdev said the camp helped students understand that architecture carries a social responsibility beyond aesthetics.

“This initiative encouraged students to step into the lives of those with different needs and design spaces that are truly inclusive,” she said, adding that meaningful architecture must make environments accessible to everyone.

For the young residents of the school, the campus now offers new ways to learn, move, and explore — a reminder that thoughtful design can make the world a little easier to navigate.