HARIESH K SANKARAN
Architect + Product designer + Urbanist
Hariesh K. Sankaran is an architect and designer with experience in the fields of architecture, product design, furniture, urban landscapes and strategic design. He has collaborated with various firms and brands with his work spanning France, Switzerland, Japan, Italy, USA, UK, Austria and the Indian sub-continent.
After completing his undergraduate degree from India, Hariesh pursued his masters’ degree in Industrial Design from Domus Academy, Italy. Furthering his interest in architecture he pursued a Masters degree in Architecture, specialising in urban landscapes from the Politecnico di Milano. He is an award-winning designer with projects like the World Expo 2015, Milan and the Abu Dhabi capital complex master plan in his folio and has had his work exhibited at the Light+Building design expo ’06 (Frankfurt), Korean Design Expo ’06, Salone del Mobile ’07 (Italy), Opus design awards ’07 (Japan) and IBDC ’05 (Taiwan).
Alongside being an Associate Director and heading the School of Interior Design at UID, Ahmedabad; Hariesh currently runs a practice called “Beanbee”, hosts an online architecture magazine called “Descroll” and conducts workshops for design students in the name of Descroll design experience workshops. He is part of the jury panel at NIFT, AJ College, Crescent, McGans, VIT and part of the board of studies at SRM and Sathyabama University.
ANKITA TRIVEDI
Spatial Designer + Narrative Strategist + Design Researcher
Ankita Trivedi is a Spatial Designer and a Storyteller.
She graduated with a Bachelors in Interior Design from CEPT University, Ahmedabad and has worked as a Researcher and Creative Assistant in event design, branding, installation art, set design and film. Her lifelong fascination with stories led her to do an MA in Narrative Environments from CSM, University of the Arts, London where she discovered her interest in designing ‘entertaining’ experiences that open up critical conversations around social, cultural and political issues.
In 2018, she co-founded Living Midnight Narrative Outfit (LMNO) – a narrative-based design and research think tank which does projects involving participatory design and co-created research spanning multiple media and systems of audience engagement. She has conducted several design theory workshops in various institutions and continues to teach part-time alongside her professional practice.
SAMHITA GANDHI
Interior Architect
Samhita is a practising Interior Designer for more than 9 years. She did her Bachelors in Interior Design from CEPT University, Ahmedabad and went on to pursue an M.Des in Interior Architecture from Edinburgh Napier University, UK.
Her practice is multidisciplinary involving various genres of design. With a major in the adaptive reuse of historic buildings, she pursued her master’s degree in the context of using research and theory practices in actual design applications. Her work includes projects in the fields of residential and health sector interiors, development of workspaces for craft artisans, graphic design, research and academics.
Following her passion in the field of academia, Samhita believes in holistic education and constantly tries to inculcate that in her teaching and practice. She is also currently pursuing a PhD in Design Education.
PADMAVATI MOKARIA
Architect
Padmavati is a Practicing Architect with a B.Arch from SVIT, Vasad and an advanced PGD in Renewable energy from Teri University, New Delhi.
Since the last 12 years, she has been involved in residential, commercial, industrial, healthcare and hospitality projects. Her interest and concern in the environment lead her into Green Buildings and exploring alternative building materials and technologies like filler slabs, Rammed walls, etc.
Her career in academia spans 5 years with involvement in different institutions, teaching materials, and students groups to spread awareness about green buildings and alternative building materials.