Design Conclave 2025 Returns to Mumbai with Global Design and Indian Craft

Design Conclave 2025 has returned with a two-day programme celebrating architecture, interiors, design, and craftsmanship. Scheduled for August 29 and 30 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, the event will bring together architects, designers, artisans, and cultural thinkers for an exchange of ideas that bridges global design with Indian craft traditions.

This year’s edition features Transition, a special curation by Bulbeer Gandhi, Director of Design Conclave. The showcase highlights design innovation from around the world while celebrating India’s craft heritage, presenting discussions, installations, workshops, and cultural showcases.

Among the international speakers are Phillipe Fouché of SAOTA (South Africa), Palinda Kannangara (Sri Lanka), and Zaha Hadid Architects (London), who will join Indian practitioners including Hafeez Contractor, Pooja Bihani, Manish Kumat, Sravanya Pittie Rao, and Oscar & Ponni. Conversations will explore themes such as sustainability, cultural identity, and the future of design.

The Karigar Showcase will highlight India’s artisanal traditions, with live presentations by master craftspeople including fifteenth-generation potters from Rajasthan, terracotta artists from Molela, bamboo artisans from Gujarat, and pichwai painters from Nathdwara. These craft legacies will be presented in contemporary formats to engage new audiences.

The conclave will also include large-scale installations by Karan Desai, Kalyan Rathore, and Tanisha Bansal, who will transform the venue into an immersive design landscape. Hands-on workshops will be hosted by creative leaders such as Arzan Khambatta (“Take a Dot for a Walk”), Kalyan Rathore (“From Spark to Sculpture”), and Folds Design Studio (“Print, Cut & Assemble”), offering attendees direct engagement with materials and creative processes.

In addition, Design for Good, a silent auction curated by Ruchi Sharma in collaboration with Shiva Organisation, will feature original design pieces to raise funds for girls’ education.