Anulika Kumari

Nest Transit reimagines the lower deck of London’s iconic Routemaster bus through the eyes of those most often overlooked: caregivers and children. Sparked by a quiet but telling moment a mother being asked to fold her buggy on a crowded bus the project asks: What if we didn’t make families fit in? What if we designed for them first?

From that moment, the work unfolded through conversations, observations, and walking the city with a stroller listening, looking, and learning. The redesigned layout proposes three distinct buggy zones, a dedicated baby seat, and fold-up seating that allows caregivers to sit beside their children. A softly satirical poster gently nudges passengers to make space.

But most importantly, Nest Transit centres a child’s perspective: a seat at child height (ages 2–6), panoramic windows low enough to view the passing world, and a tactile play pole within easy reach of little hands.

While women and children are among the most frequent bus users, their needs remain peripheral. Nest Transit places care at the core inviting pause, proximity, and shared presence. It’s a call to rethink public infrastructure not just as a system of movement, but as a space for belonging.