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The Unboxed School, a classroom designed inside a shipping container, aims to reduce educational disruptions among children living at temporary construction sites.
Divit Garg developed the idea after teaching Economics in government schools and visiting settlements inhabited by construction workers.
Divit Garg, a Class 12 student at Inventure Academy in Bengaluru, has developed The Unboxed School, a portable classroom and playscape aimed at providing children of migrant construction workers with a dedicated space for learning and play.
The initiative addresses the educational challenges faced by children whose families frequently move in search of construction work. Repeated relocations, difficulties obtaining school admissions in the middle of an academic year and language barriers can disrupt their education.
The first unit of The Unboxed School, situated within a residential development on Sarjapur–Attibele Road in Bengaluru, is nearing completion. Built using a standard 40-by-8-foot shipping container, the classroom is designed to accommodate 20 to 25 children. It will include a small washroom and a storage area that can also serve as an additional classroom. The portable structure can be transported to another construction site if workers and their families move elsewhere.
The project is estimated to cost less than Rs 10 lakh. To tackle Bengaluru’s heat, the design incorporates heat-reflective paint and passive turbine vents that function without electricity, helping reduce the need for expensive insulation. The container will be placed on a 420-square-foot concrete platform and can be moved by truck at an estimated cost of Rs 30,000.
Garg developed the idea after teaching Economics in government schools and visiting settlements inhabited by construction workers. During these visits, he observed that children often lacked safe spaces for studying and playing. The temporary nature of their living arrangements also made access to regular schooling difficult.
“The colonies are incredibly dusty, noisy and cramped,” Garg said.
The proposed classroom aims to bring learning facilities closer to children living in construction worker colonies. Teaching support could come from educators at nearby government schools outside regular school hours or from volunteer organisations. The facility will also need periodic maintenance to check for leaks, rot and rust.
Garg’s interest in educational infrastructure and sustainable public spaces began in Class 9, when he received an Honourable Mention in a playscape competition organised by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His design was intended for a government school.
He later delivered a TEDx talk on sustainable public spaces for young people and interned at Anthill Creations, where he gained practical experience in building affordable playgrounds using recycled materials.
Through The Unboxed School, Garg hopes to demonstrate how adaptable infrastructure can help children of migrant workers access learning opportunities despite frequent relocations. He plans to pursue higher studies in Economics and Urban Planning in the United States, with a long-term interest in sustainable real estate development.
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Ask News18The Unboxed School is a portable classroom and playscape built from a standard 40-by-8-foot shipping container designed to provide children of migrant construction workers with a dedicated space for learning and play.
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October 23, 2026, 2:21 PM IST
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