Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, is taking initiative to make a difference to the Public Spaces of Mumbai. The students of the newly introduced Bachelor of Design course in IDC (Industrial Design Centre)are trying out a real-life design case study which is being tested right now at two prominent public spaces of Mumbai - Sir JJ Hospital and the jetties at Gateway of India.

The process involved many visits, observations and on-site surveys in order to analyse problems faced by the common people in public spaces, categorized as: Healthcare Services, Transportation hubs, Recreational Spaces, Commercial Settlements, Religious Places

It was found that many of our public places have a common problem, namely way-finding. People find it difficult to navigate around the space, either due to inadequate signage or the lack of organisation. So, two different spheres were selected with the plan of ideating and implementing way-finding solutions - Healthcare and Transportation Hubs.

At JJ Hospital, the problem is solved through three levels. It will use colour coding and visual elements to make way-finding easier for both patients and visitors. Secondly, wearable bands and tags are used to give directions corresponding signage along the ways and finally signage for quicker identification of destination. The underlying objective is to make the system as simple and universal as possible, bearing in mind the end user's comfort. A part of the project will be implemented in the case study on Monday, the 18th of April, the aim being to bridge the gap between various levels of literacy of the patients.

At the Gateway of India, however, it is going to be different. Being a tourist location where the gates cater to vessels destined towards various locations, the signage must be versatile in addition to being engaging. The plan includes an installation with lighting elements. The main aim here being to resolve any confusion while navigating in the dynamic space of the Gateway of India.

The projects involved the cooperation of authorities at JJ Hospital, headed by Dr. T.P.Lahane (Dean, JJ Hospital and Grant Medical College) and also Mr.Sawant and Mr. Shirsathe (BMC Heritage Cell), Mr. Wagh and Mr. Tirloskar (Ward Office), MBPT office staff and Colaba Police. It was a collective effort which could get the case studies to their current level. This reflects greatly on the spirit of Mumbai, where people are happy to come together for making it a better place.

The course took place under the guidance of Prof. B. K. Chakravarthy (HOD, Industrial Design Centre, IIT Bombay), Prof. Jayesh Pillai (Professor, IDC, IIT Bombay) and Prof. Peer Sathikh (Associate Chair (Academic) at School of Art, Design and Media, Nanyang Technological University).

The projects involved the cooperation of authorities at JJ Hospital, headed by Dr. T.P.Lahane (Dean, JJ Hospital and Grant Medical College) and also Mr.Sawant and Mr. Shirsathe (BMC Heritage Cell), Mr. Wagh and Mr. Tirloskar (Ward Office), MBPT office staff and Colaba Police. It was a collective effort which could get the case studies to their current level. This reflects greatly on the spirit of Mumbai, where people are happy to come together for making it a better place.

Mitigating chaos and helping patients find their way at:
1. Disha Project at JJ Hospital: Facebook link
2. The Gateway of India Jetty: Facebook link