rashtriya swachhata kendra
An immersive edutainment museum showcasing the success of the world’s largest behavior change campaign
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overview
The Rashtriya Swacchata Kendrs (RSK), is an immersive and interactive edutainment center, to commemorate the success of the nationwide initiative The Swachh Bharat Mission. The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) successfully achieved Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.2 ahead of the United Nations’ 2030 target. Inaugurated by the Prime Minister on August 8, 2020, RSK serves as a dynamic hub to engage citizens, imparting information, awareness, and education on sanitation through immersive digital and outdoor installations.
behind the work
Designing and launching a museum during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic? A logistical maze from start to finish. Safety protocols, tight timelines, and the sheer complexity of storytelling through craft mediums made this project both challenging and rewarding. As the lead designer, it meant wearing many hats—from researcher to art director to production overseer. Collaborating across teams while ensuring the core message was conveyed with clarity and depth was a major learning curve. Navigating government approvals added another layer of complexity, requiring persuasive pitches to align design goals with bureaucratic processes. This project wasn’t just about design; it was a crash course in collaboration, adaptability, and advocating for the power of storytelling.
Inspired by the success of the world’s largest behaviour change campaign, RSK celebrates the people who made this transformative movement possible. This immersive space highlights the power of community engagement as a driving force for social change and public hygiene—honouring both the individuals and the remarkable impact they achieved.
In Hall 1, visitors experience a 360° immersive audiovisual show that traces India's sanitation journey—from independence in 1947 to the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission in 2014, and the five years that followed as the nation united for an Open Defecation Free (ODF) India. This first-of-its-kind turntable film with set reveals brings the narrative to life by dynamically transitioning between key moments in history, enhancing the immersive experience. The show captures the evolution of sanitation efforts and the power of collective action through a seamless blend of storytelling and technology.
Hall 2 offers a multi-sensory journey through the Swachh Bharat Mission’s transformation into a jan andolan (people’s movement). Through interactive exhibits, immersive films, and an interactive timeline dome, visitors explore key milestones, stories of grassroots change, and the impact of community-led action. Gamified experiences focus on waste segregation management, and building virtual twin-pit toilets, where participants are challenged to complete tasks within a timed, score-based system, encouraging mindfulness and accuracy. This interactive approach motivates visitors to carry these sustainable practices into their daily lives.
The outdoor space features iconic exhibits that celebrate the people behind the Swachh Bharat Mission. Visitors encounter Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership from Satyagraha to Swachhagraha, honouring his vision for a people-led movement. The Rani Mistri's of Jharkhand are highlighted for breaking gender norms by building rural toilets, while the Vaanar Sena showcases the playful yet impactful activism of children who promoted sanitation in their communities. A 2.5D wall mural artistically maps the entire Swachh Bharat journey, blending storytelling with public art to emphasize the collective effort behind the mission’s success.
year
2019 - 2020
timeframe
11 months
location
New Delhi, India
analog tools
Immersive Storytelling + Concept Visualisation + Art Direction
digital tools
Interactive Game Design + Photoshop + AutoCAD + SketchUp
category
Museum Design
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Art directed the turntable and programmed dynamic lighting embedded in the sets, revealing different parts of the scene in sync with the 360° film narration
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Conceptualized & visualized three set reveals, collaborating with the content production team to ensure smooth transitions between film content and physical sets. Each reveal featured trompe-l'œil backgrounds, layered cutouts, set elements on stage, and mannequins representing key figures from the Swachh Bharat Mission
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Developed the visual language for the graphic panels layered with cutouts and assisted in preparing print-ready artworks for production
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Reimagined the presentation of SBM jingles and ad campaigns into an engaging set reveal film integrated with layered cutouts, embedded monitors, and set elements
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Conceptualized interactive, knowledge-based games that reinforce museum learnings through play. Worked closely with the game development team and provided initial storyboards to guide the concept development
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Conceptualized the content storyboard for an artistic timeline mural, visually representing the journey from Satyagraha to Swachhagraha through a layered, narrative-driven composition
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Art directed the ideation and production of the sculptures, providing direction for the artist to bring the stories to life through three-dimensional pieces
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A captivating museum walkthrough showcasing RSK’s immersive exhibits, documented by PAN Intellecom Ltd (production team). This video captures the dynamic journey of discovery within the museum's innovative environment.
