engaging conversations

India, 06th December 2023: Continuing to stand as the ultimate rendezvous for architects, interior designers, and leading brands, Home & Design TRENDS hosted the sixth edition of D/code 2023, a Times Group initiative. The immersive event was held at DOME, SVP Stadium in Mumbai. Curated by some of the finest architects and interior designers’ teams, D/code 2023 was a 2-day extravaganza with an array of activities that included Speed Dating, BFFs Mystery Challenge, Design Debates, The Designers Corridor and more. The event served as an engaging and a knowledgeable experience for the attendees who came to explore the futuristic elements of design and décor.

Introducing an exciting new segment, the event featured The Design Debate, an engaging forum that brought together leading designers and architects. The team captains, included Kunal and Khushboo Khandelwal; Farah Agarwal and Arun Shekhar Gawda, who led teams of upcoming talents sharing their unique perspectives on topics like urban cityscape development and high-rise vs low-rise buildings respectively. Furthermore, an interactive activity, Speed Dating with the Stars of Design was hosted, wherein young designers had one-of-a-kind chance to engage with prominent architects such as Alan Abraham, Aakif Habib, Vaishali Kamdar, Divya Thakur amongst others. Putting communication between designers to test, a Mystery BFF Challenge was held with renowned architect Arzan Khambatta as the workshop lead. Couples in Design, an activity curated for couples, witnessed them go head-to-head in an exhilarating Jenga challenge.

The event hosted the 9th edition of the TRENDS Excellence Awards for Architecture & Design by Home & Design TRENDS. The celebration stood as the epitome of recognition for the finest in Indian and international design. The jury members comprised of Sonali Bhagwati, Lalita Tharani, Nina Puri, Kiran Gala, Abin Chaudhuri and Ronitaa Italia, who recognized and honored unparalleled creativity, and innovation across categories such as architecture, interior design, product design, and visual design. VPA Architects had resounding number of wins at the awards including The Best Practice of 2023. The Purple Ink Studio, Muaz Rahman Architects, Pantone Collective, Beetle Design Studio, Kunal Maniar and Associates, Studio Indigene and more were also amongst those who took home the coveted trophy.

Additionally, the event included invigorating power talks on topics such as Smart Windows: Shaping the future of design, Innovation of Windows: The confluence of privacy and transparency, Modernising aesthetics vs westernising aesthetics, How AI is going to affect the future of design, and The confluence of privacy and transparency. The panelists for the power talk featured names such as Nehal Bazari, Eternia, Divyakant Mistry, Divyakant Mistry Associates, Anand Sharma, DFI, Kavita Sastry, KS Designs, Devika Khosla, The Works Interiors, Apoorva Shroff, Lyth Design, Aahana Miller, ABM amongst others who unraveled the insights on the brilliance of design.

Ronitaa R. Italia, Editor in Chief, GoodHomes and Home & Design TRENDS, says, “Quite literally the country’s first and (dare I say so myself) finest curated, luxury interiors show, it was my pleasure to bring to you the sixth edition of D/code. I’d like to wrap all nine of our curators in a big bear hug of gratitude, for bearing with me and the team’s constant poking. Annkur, Deepak, Ekta, Rajiv, Maithili, Pooja, Vaishali, Hameeda and Aamir, thank you! To all of my visitors, I’d like to say: Thank you for visiting us and always supporting us. It is because of you that we are constantly striving to up the game and raise the bar on everything that we do.”

Featuring over 60+ decor brands, D/code 2023 was in association with Alumil, C.Bhogilal West-End, Arte, and Art De Rug as associate partners, while Focal is the sound partner. In the spotlight are renowned names such as A to Z Lifestyle (Zipscreen), AndBlack Design Studio, Aura Art, Baaya Designs, BAB Leather, Bharat Floorings & Tiles, C Bhogilal Westend, Chesterfield Furniture, Conifur, Decor Story Studio, Elementto, Esvee Atelier, Eternia Windows, Fantini, Fima Carlo Frattini, Formica, Grandeur Interiors, Hardware Concepts/Veneto, HSC Designs, A Clay Story, Bloon Toys, Harshita Jhamtani, MuseMART, Sthetix In Stone, Studio Aurawala, and Yasanche amongst others showcased their exciting new creations in Indian design.

Here are the list of winners of TRENDS Excellence Awards:

PRODUCT DESIGN- Furniture Design Winner: Kunal Maniar and Associates Winner: Aloft Design Studio Commendation: OWM Architecture

PRODUCT DESIGN – Light Design Winner: Studio Indigene Commendation: Eitri Design Commendation: Studio Indigene

PRODUCT DESIGN – Accessory Design Winner: Wriver Design Studio Commendation: Studio Trataka

LANDSCAPE DESIGN – Best Concept for an Unbuilt Project Winner: VPA Architects

LANDSCAPE DESIGN – Public Institutional Project Winner: Spaces Architects. Ka

LANDSCAPE DESIGN – Commercial Winner: VPA Architects

LANDSCAPE DESIGN – Residential Project Winner: Viveka Design Studio

INTERIOR DESIGN – Leisure Project Interiors Winner: Workshop Inc Winner: Shreyas Patil Architects Commendation: KAAS Design Studio

INTERIOR DESIGN – Retail Interiors Winner: Kaushal Tatiya Architects Winner: Beetle Design Studio Commendation: FN Design Studio

INTERIOR DESIGN – Public Institutional Project Commendation: Aanai Design Studio Commendation: Figments Design Pvt. Ltd.

INTERIOR DESIGN -Workspace Interiors Winner: Workers of Art Winner: Spaces and Design Commendation: Colab Company Commendation: Chalk Studio

INTERIOR DESIGN – Bar/Restaurant Interiors Winner: Pantone Collective Commendation: FADD Studio

INTERIOR DESIGN – Residential Winner: Workers of Art Winner: OWM Architecture Winner: Studio In Dtale Commendation: Amoeba Design

ARCHITECTURE – Best Concept for an Unbuilt Project Winner: Studio Camarada Commendation: Studio Lotus

ARCHITECTURE – Sustainable Project of 2023 Winner: Morphogenesis

ARCHITECTURE – Public/Institutional Project of the Year 2023

Winner: Murali Architects

Winner: The Purple Inc Studio

ARCHITECTURE – Commercial Project Winner: Studio Inscape

Commendation: Chalk Studio Commendation: Workshop Inc

ARCHITECTURE – Temporary Architecture Winner: VPA Architects Commendation: Bureau of Architecture and Design

ARCHITECTURE – Best Residential Project Winner: Muaz Rahman Architects Winner: ADND Winner: Studio Inscape Commendation: AKAD – Amritha Karnakar Architectural Design Commendation: Portal 92 Commendation: Asim Merchant

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