Words Craft Narrative
Images Studio f/8
Editing The Kanto team
In the small village of Hignigada near Baramati, Maharashtra, a young village head approached Craft Narrative to build an outdoor play area for school children. The school campus has a large playground divided by an avenue of seven trees, with classrooms arranged along the perimeter. Villagers fondly shared how they enjoyed evening walks and sitting under the trees.
Inspired by this connection to nature & community space, we designed the play area around the banyan tree, making it the centerpiece of the insert. The result was the POD for Happiness, a multi-utility pod seamlessly integrating with the banyan tree. It not only serves school children but also the entire village, preserving the open playground.
Children can climb from one end, slide down the other, and enjoy a raised bridge offering views of the school grounds and the nearby village temple. During school hours, the POD functions as an outdoor classroom where small groups of students gather under the banyan tree’s shade. A circular seating area, made from bricks and repurposed terrazzo tiles, is perfect for painting, clay modeling, and storytelling. Intimate pockets carved into the POD provide children with cozy spaces to read.
The POD also supports cultural activities. Students practice traditional dances, rehearse music, and prepare for events, using it as a stage and practice space. During breaks, kids enjoy playing hide-and-seek in the cave-like pockets, climbing the tapered walls, swinging, and sliding.
After school, the POD becomes a lively community space. Villagers take evening walks and gather around the katta—a shaded seating area under the banyan tree, reminiscent of traditional village platforms that encourage social interaction. A library shelf adds further value, inviting both students and villagers to explore books.
In terms of its build, the pod was constructed using the ferrocement technique and finished with traditional red oxide color plaster. This incorporates waste and leftover reinforcement rods for the railings, adding a sustainable touch.
During cultural events, the POD transforms into an amphitheater for performances. As the school playground is the village’s largest gathering space, the POD accommodates people sitting around it, making it a hub for celebrations and shared experiences.
As designers, we’re happy and honestly satisfied that, with a small footprint and limited funds, we could bring happiness to the faces of the children who use the POD. They have embraced it as if it had always been there, naturally blending with the banyan tree.
Beyond being a play area, the POD has also become a cultural and spiritual space. It serves as a gathering place for Vat Purnima rituals, where women come together to worship the banyan tree, a tradition deeply rooted in rural life. The space now allows for a changed outdoor atmosphere for these rituals, enriching the village’s cultural fabric.
With its ever-present wonder and familiarity, the POD for Happiness becomes the backdrop for daily meaningful activities, an inseparable part of the community’s lives and the village’s identity. •
Project Information
Site area: 4110 square meters
Built area: 15 square meters
Completed: November 2024
Project Credits
Principal architects: Yatindra Patil and Vijay Kharade
Design team: Bharat Yadav, Manasi, Yatindra Patil and Vijay Kharade
Structural consultant: Sonal N
