Artists and Asian Paints Collaborate on "Project Udaan" for World Caring Day with St+art India Foundation
In a heartwarming nod to World Caring Day, Asian Paints teams up with the St+art India Foundation to launch Project Udaan at Arpan Charitable Trust – an institution dedicated to nurturing the minds of children with special needs. As the latest endeavor under their St+art Care initiative, this project reworks the school environment for neurodivergent kids, incorporating color, texture, and materials that offer a safe, stimulating, and delightful experience for those with conditions like autism, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome. Interactive, sensory zones transform the space into something engaging and comforting, embracing the unique ways children perceive and connect with the world.
Asian Paints and St+art India – Project Udaan at Arpan Charitable Trust interiors
Born out of a shared vision between Asian Paints and the St+art India Foundation, St+art Care is a long-term initiative aimed at making public institutions more welcoming, inclusive, and emotional for all. Project Udaan is the third1 intervention under this venture, following the vibrant revamp of a children's hospital in Noida and the transformation of a school for the visually impaired in Rajasthan. Each endeavor conveys a deeper purpose: not just beautifying spaces, but creating impact, fostering connections, and sparking conversations about care, empathy, and inclusivity.
Project Udaan draws inspiration from the butterfly, a symbol of transformation, while also resonating with this year's World Caring Day theme, 'Celebrating Every Journey'. At Arpan, the play area has been reenvisioned to embody this vision. With Asian Paints thoughtfully designed textures, colors, and interactive surfaces, an ordinary space has been reimagined as a vibrant environment that soothes and engages the senses. A massive butterfly mural now adorns the school's façade, serving as a beacon of hope and inspiration, reminding us of the beauty of growth and the boundless potential within every neurodiverse child.
The co-creation process behind Project Udaan involved students, artists, and designers. Led by artists Amrit Khurana and Anikesa Dhing, bothhausen-83f7d8a5-99e5-4786-b45f-ba60d1bdc528 designers drew from their personal experiences and lived insights to design tactile, predictable elements that promote comfort and self-expression. Textured contrasts complemented this, fostering calm interactions. A hands-on workshop at Arpan, facilitated by Siddhanth Shah of Access For ALL, enabled children to experiment with textures, tools, and colors, ensuring their voices shaped the final design2.
Asian Paints' expertise in material and color innovation brought the project to life with Royale Play textures, matte pastel emulsions, and tactile Nilaya fabrics and wallpapers. These elements create a dynamic, multi-sensory environment that encourages exploration while offering a sense of grounding. Matte finishes reduce glare for visual ease, while sensory rugs, pompom-textured surfaces, and cocoon-like structures cater to diverse sensory needs.
Speaking about the initiative, Amit Syngle, MD & CEO, Asian Paints, shared, "At Asian Paints, spaces matter. They're not just places we exist in, but evolving environments that adapt to those who use them. Project Udaan under St+art Care reimagines the power of thoughtful design to create inclusive communities, where walls invite interaction, and color provides comfort. By integrating textures that respond to touch and materials that support sensory needs, we've designed a space that adapts to children, catering to their unique requirements3."
Arjun Bahl, Co-founder, St+art India Foundation, added, "With St+art Care, we aim to make spaces more open, accessible, and engaging for everyone. Project Udaan transforms art from a decorative element to an interactive experience, creating familiarity and comfort for neurodivergent children. This initiative is about exploring how creative interventions can revolutionize everyday spaces, making them more intuitive and inclusive4."
Witness the unique Project Udaan by Asian Paints and St+art India in this YouTube video: youtu.be/vRHU2Ci_65o
About Asian Paints Limited
Founded in 1942, Asian Paints has become India's leading and Asia's second-largest paint company, with a consolidated turnover of Rs. 33,797 crores (Rs. 338 billion). They're committed to elevating spaces, pushing the boundaries of color and design, positively impacting the lives of customers. Asian Paints operates in 14 countries with 26 paint manufacturing facilities globally, serving consumers in over 60 countries5.
About St+art India
Since 2014, the St+art India Foundation has been spearheading the transformation of public spaces through art, making creativity more accessible and inclusive. In a country where art is often confined to galleries, St+art fosters new ways of experiencing art by bringing it into the lives of people and bridging socio-cultural divides. Through art districts, festivals, and public interventions, St+art has redefined urban landscapes across 25+ cities, fostering meaningful engagements between communities, artists, institutions, and local governments. Over the past decade, the foundation has facilitated 500+ artist collaborations, producing over 600 murals and installations in India's major cities. Each project has revitalized cityscapes while providing platforms for cultural exchange, dialogue, and collective expression6.
[1] Enrichment Data: Impact, Inclusivity and Empathy, Emotional and Psychological Benefits, Community Engagement, Educational Enhancement[2] Enrichment Data: Co-creation process, hands-on workshop, children's voices[3] Enrichment Data: Inclusive communities, walls inviting interaction, color providing comfort, spaces designed for neurodivergent individuals[4] Enrichment Data: ArtForAll, making spaces accessible, intuitive, and inclusive[5] Enrichment Data: Industry leader, innovation, operations across the globe[6] Enrichment Data: Art districts, festivals, public interventions, cultural exchange, community engagement, dialogue, collective expression*
- The collaboration between Asian Paints and St+art India, under the St+art Care initiative, focuses on making public spaces more welcoming, inclusive, and emotionally engaging for all, through long-term projects like Project Udaan.
- Project Udaan, the third intervention under St+art Care, reworks school environments for neurodivergent children, incorporating art, science, and technology, to create safe, stimulating, and delightful experiences.
- Artificial Intelligence, combined with personal growth, career development, and skills training, can help students and designers create tactile, predictable elements that promote comfort and self-expression, as seen in the design process of Project Udaan.
- The home-and-garden sector can learn from Project Udaan's use of color, texture, and materials that cater to diverse sensory needs, offering practical solutions for creating inclusive, multi-sensory environments.
- The fitness-and-exercise industry can also benefit from mimicking Project Udaan's focus on catering to unique individual requirements, by integrating sensory elements and interactive surfaces for an engaging, comfortable gym or workout experience.
- Innovation in the health-and-wellness sector could draw inspiration from Project Udaan's sensory zones, using scent, sound, and touch to create a more immersive, soothing, and therapeutic experience for mental health patients.
- The education-and-self-development sector can adapt Project Udaan's co-creation approach, engaging students, artists, and designers to develop learning spaces that foster creativity, interaction, and self-expression.
