1.2: Designing for Play: A Case Study of aProCh's Urban Interventions
Tracks
Urban Planning & Design
Wednesday, June 25, 2025 |
1:35 PM - 2:40 PM |
Details
This lecture highlights the "urban play deficit" and how aProCh in Ahmedabad, India, addresses it by creating "Child-Friendly Cities." aProCh's play-centric programs, like Street Smart (reclaiming streets), Parents of the Park (revitalizing parks), and others, focus on safety, exploration, and community. These initiatives boost children's development (physical, cognitive, social-emotional), foster a sense of belonging, and promote inclusivity.
Speaker
Kirti Zala
Co-founder, Director
Aproch
Play Alchemist
Biography
Kirti has led ‘aProCh (a Protagonist in every Child) initiative to make cities more Child Friendly’ since 2011. Kirti holds an M.B.A. from B. K. School of Management, Ahmedabad & MSc in Finance from Strathclyde University, Scotland. She is passionate and strong advocate of building ‘A Better World for Children’. Having worked in India and UK for 8 years in corporate world, she changed her career into her passion for working with children and their rights.
Kirti has relentlessly worked to touch lives of 10,00,000 children & maximized the reach of aProCh to 12 Indian cities and in 3 countries, cementing a sustainable platform for children to engage in childhood, marked with culture, curiosity and creativity. She has been key note speaker and panelist at many global conferences. Has won IPA 2023 and Innovation Award at World Smart City Expo 2024.
Kirti is also a trustee and co-founder of The Bindi Project which is an NGO working to foster love and respect for women and girls in India.
Kirti is also with International Play association as the development Officer & core team of IPA India and core action community member for India for Children and nature network.
