KOLHAPUR: The Design Unfiltered Conclave 2026: Kolhapur Edition concluded on a triumphant note on June 6, 2026, at the prestigious Sayaji Hotel, Kolhapur bringing together the finest minds in architecture, interior design, and the built environment to celebrate creativity, innovation, and regional design excellence.
Curated by two of Maharashtra’s most respected design professionals Rahul Durgule of Avesana Design Studio and Santosh Ramane of Art N Space Studio the conclave established itself as one of Western Maharashtra’s most significant platforms for design discourse, collaboration, and community-building within the architectural fraternity.
From powerful keynote talks and interactive workshops to a grand awards gala honoring extraordinary built works, the Kolhapur Edition was a full-spectrum celebration of everything that makes Indian architecture exceptional.
Psychology of Architecture: How cities shape architects
Panel Discussion- 1
Ar. Vivek Singh Rathore
Salient Design Studio, Kolkata
“Kolkata doesn’t let you design in straight lines. The city curves, breathes, and contradicts and that tension is exactly where great architecture is born.”
A city of colonial layers and raw energy, Kolkata has shaped Ar. Vivek Singh Rathore into a designer who finds poetry in complexity. His work reflects a deep understanding of how urban density and cultural memory can become design tools.
Ar. Yatin Pandya
Footprints E.A.R.T.H., Ahmedabad
“Ahmedabad taught me that climate is not a constraint it is a design brief.”
Rooted in the intellectual rigor of Ahmedabad’s design culture, Ar. Yatin Pandya brings a philosophy where sustainability, community, and spatial storytelling are never separate conversations. His practice, Footprints E.A.R.T.H., stands as proof that inclusive design can also be timeless design.
Ar. Sham Salim
aslam.sham Architects, Calicut
“Calicut gave me the sea, the spice, and the silence. My architecture is all three.”
From the coastal heritage of Calicut, Ar. Sham Salim brings a fearless and sensory approach to design. His work asks a simple question does this space make you feel something? If not, it isn’t done yet.
Panel Discussion-2
Ar. Sidhartha Talwar
STA+D, Delhi
“Delhi is brutal and beautiful at the same time. That duality lives in every project I design.”
Delhi’s scale, speed, and contradictions have made Ar. Sidhartha Talwar a designer who thinks big but details sharp. At STA+D, he builds spaces that hold their ground in a city that never stops moving.
Ar. Qutub Mandviwala
Mandviwala Qutub & Associates, Mumbai
“Mumbai has no spare space. So every square foot you design has to work harder than anywhere else.”
Shaped by Mumbai’s relentless pace and layered urbanism, Ar. Qutub Mandviwala designs with precision and purpose. His practice reflects a city that demands efficiency and rewards creativity.
Ar. Swapnil Valvatkar
Collage Architecture Studio, Bengaluru
“Bengaluru is a city in transition. My architecture tries to hold onto what matters while making room for what’s next.”
Bengaluru’s tech-driven transformation and green legacy have given Ar. Swapnil Valvatkar is a unique lens that balances innovation with identity. His studio, Collage Architecture Studio, weaves together materials, memory, and modernity.
The D-Unfiltered Talk panel discussion on “Psychology of Architecture” explored a powerful question: How do cities shape architects, their design thinking, their relationship with people, materials, climate, and ambition?
Six voices. Six cities. Six very different answers.
From Kolkata’s layered chaos to Mumbai’s relentless density, from Ahmedabad’s climate-conscious design culture to Bengaluru’s tech-meets-green identity each speaker brought their city into the room. And in doing so, they showed Kolhapur’s architects something vital: your city is not just where you work. It is how you think.
Design Baithaki: Hunt for the Quiz Architecture
One of the most beloved traditions at Design Unfiltered events is the Design Baithaki, a spirited, team-based experience that transforms architectural discourse into an energetic and collaborative exercise. Moderated with flair by Nupur Magdum, participants were split into three competing teams, each drawing on their expertise, instincts, and creativity to engage with architectural challenges in real time.
Participating professionals included:
• Ashish Anand Kulkarni
• Swapnil Sankalp
• Parshad Waichal
• Girija Kulkarni
• Tejan M. Nalavade
• Sahas Patil
Through buzzer rounds, rapid-fire quizzes, creative challenges, and design debates, the Baithaki brought infectious energy and laughter to the event proving once again that architecture is not just a profession but a passion, a community, and a celebration.
Design & Architecture Awards: Honoring the Best of Kolhapur and Beyond
The most anticipated moment of the evening was the Design & Architecture Awards, a grand gala recognizing professionals whose work has shaped the built environment of the region with vision, craftsmanship, and purpose. This year’s award categories spanned the entire spectrum of design practice:
| Category | Winner | Studio / Firm |
| Cafes / Bars / Lounges | Alok Magdum | Alok Magdum & Associates |
| Retail Outlet | Vineet Shivajirao Patil & Sphurti Vineet Patil | Studio Sukta |
| Ongoing Project | Amol Karade | Mantrana Architects |
| Healthcare | Maahesh Doiphode | Masterminds Architects & Interior Designers |
| Weekend Homes | Jaykumar V. Nejdar | Jaykumar Neidar and Associates |
| Hospitality Architecture | Rahul Dattatraya Durgule | Avesana Design Studio |
| Weekend Homes | Umesh Raje | Spacecraft Architects |
| Residential Architecture | Santosh Ramane | Art n Space Studio |
| Residential Interior | Tejan Nalavade | Vishwakarma |
| Corporate Building | Amarja Rajaram Nimbalkar | Amarja Nimbalkar Associates |
| Residential Interior | Nupur Abhijit Magdum | Sernya Spaces |
| Public Institution | Girija Girish Kulkarni | Girija Kulkarni & Associates |
| Design Vision | Santosh Ramane | Art n Space Studio |
These awards do not merely recognize completed projects, they honor the stories behind the spaces, the design decisions that shaped lives, and the professionals who continue to raise the bar for architectural excellence in India.
Architectural Buzzer Round: Design Under Pressure
Adding a competitive and entertaining edge to the evening, the Architectural Buzzer Round tested the knowledge, instincts, and creative thinking of participants in a fast-paced format. The session drew laughter, applause, and a healthy dose of competitive spirit reminding attendees that design knowledge is most alive when it is applied, tested, and shared in community.
Honoring Architectural Masters: Celebrating Lifetime Legacies
No Design Unfiltered Conclave is complete without pausing to honor those whose lifetimes of work have laid the foundation for the next generation of designers.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Shirish Beri
Shirish Beri of Shirish Beri and Associates was honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, a recognition that speaks to decades of dedicated, meaningful work in Indian architecture. Shirish Beri’s practice is defined by a deep commitment to sustainability, contextual sensitivity, and human-centered design. His work across institutional, residential, and cultural projects has left an enduring imprint on the built landscape of Maharashtra and beyond.
Masterstroke of the Session: Prashant Kapdi
Prashant Kapdi of Vision Associates was recognized with the Masterstroke Award honoring his exceptional vision and outstanding contribution to the profession. The Masterstroke Award recognizes not just a single project but a body of work and a mindset that consistently challenges conventions and elevates design practice.
Industry Partnerships & Innovation Showcase: Where Design Meets Technology
A design conclave is also an ecosystem and the Kolhapur Edition brought together some of the most forward-thinking industry partners to showcase the materials, systems, and technologies that are redefining modern construction and interiors.
Title Partner: Mikasa
Mikasa’s presence at the conclave underscored their position as one of India’s leading names in tiles and surface solutions. Their showcase highlighted innovations in textures, finishes, and large-format surfaces that are setting new benchmarks in residential and hospitality architecture.
Luxury Coating Partner: Sirca
Sirca, renowned globally for premium wood finishing and coating systems, presented cutting-edge solutions that are transforming how designers think about material aging, longevity, and aesthetic depth. From matt lacquers to high-gloss polyurethane systems, Sirca’s technologies are enabling a new language of material refinement in Indian interiors.
Together, these partnerships illustrate how the design industry is evolving where the boundary between architecture and material science continues to blur, and where innovation is as much about surface and finish as it is about form and space.
Expert Insights: Why Tier 2 Cities Are India’s Next Design Frontier
The Kolhapur Edition of Design Unfiltered arrives at a critical moment for Indian architecture. As design culture matures and spreads beyond the metros, cities like Kolhapur, Nashik, Aurangabad, and Nagpur are emerging as vibrant hubs of regional architectural identity. Several themes resonated strongly across the day’s sessions:
Material Honesty & Regional Identity
Architects practicing in Western Maharashtra are increasingly turning to locally sourced stone, laterite, and mud brick not as a nostalgic gesture, but as a deliberate strategy of climate responsiveness and cultural rootedness.
About Design Unfiltered
Design Unfiltered is India’s premier platform dedicated to fostering authentic, raw, and unscripted dialogue within the architecture and design community. By removing the ‘filters’ of traditional discourse, it creates a dynamic space for thought leadership, meaningful networking, and creative exchange across every discipline of design.
From its conclaves in Udaipur and Kolhapur to its growing network of design professionals across India, Design Unfiltered is on a mission to bridge the gap between industry stalwarts and emerging voices redefining what it means to build, design, and think about the future of India’s built environment.
