SHIFT in Bangalore: A Vibrant Exchange at Sabha

Over 180 attendees gathered in Bangalore this June for SHIFT and the Homemakers Exhibition by Masons Ink.

Following their presentations, the panel discussion with Dr. Christine Lemaitre, DGNB German Sustainable Building Council, Chitra Vishwanath, Biome Environmental Solutions Pvt - India, Mohan Rao, Integrated Design (INDÉ (Integrated Design), Rosie Paul and Leena Thomastook the conversation deeper, and brought forward insightful perspectives on implementing sustainable, contextual, resilient, and human-centered design.

Here’s one key takeaway per speaker:

Leena Thomas: The design industry often defaults to the convenient and easy path and one-size-fits-all solutions. Instead, we should strive for adaptive, resilient buildings that make sense of their context and embrace spatial and temporal diversity.

Rosie Paul: Projects must connect with their site and community, while also considering the ethical and social dimensions of building. By upskilling workers and engaging with the community, social sustainability and the role of workers wont continue to be overlooked.

Chitra Vishwanath: The journey from learning to unlearning in practice is crucial. Designers must move beyond rigid frameworks to create buildings and spaces for people, prioritizing the human connection in every project.

Mohan Rao: Instead of focusing solely on outcomes, we should shift our attention to the process. Sustainability isn’t about adding "sustainability features" to a building, it’s about asking the right questions, and embracing the nuances between polarities.

A special thank you to Masons Ink, Sabha, and all the speakers for making this event a platform for meaningful dialogue. Let’s continue to challenge the status quo and redefine sustainable design!