Intent
The workshop is envisioned as a practice-led learning module that exposes architecture students to Universal Design, Accessibility, and Inclusive Practice through direct engagement with experts, institutions, and lived realities. The elective balances sensitisation, skill-building and applied workshops, ensuring students move from awareness to action. The elective travels across colleges to expose students to multiple institutional cultures and to understand accessibility.
The Travelling Elective successfully completed its first chapter in Bengaluru in 2026.
Building on the insights and experiences gained there, the initiative now continues its journey to explore new cities, cultures, and learning opportunities through immersive, place-based education.
Curators
Ar. Gita Balakrishnan
Founding Trustee | Arcause | Ethos Foundation
Ar. Ramiya Gopalakrishnan
Senior Program Manager | Arcause | Ethos Foundation
Themes
An immersive expert led walk at ‘Museum of Possibilities
Students will visit the Museum of Possibilities, where accessibility experts will guide them through the space, exposing them to the various assistive technologies and design frameworks utilised for inclusive access.
Theme 1 : Sensory Landscapes
Prof.Kavita Murugkar
Architecture is often “eye-centric.” This theme forces students to design for the other four senses to create intuitive navigation.
Theme 2 : The Architecture of Autonomy & Spatial Agility
Ar.Tarun Walecha
Universal design is truly successful when a user never has to ask for help. This track focuses on dignity, the “seamless experience,” and the raw physical interface between diverse body types and the built environment.
Theme 3 : Lived Experience & Symbiotic Landscapes
Ms.Kavitha Krishnamoorthy
The most profound spatial insights often come from outside the traditional architectural lens. This track focuses on the deep emotional and practical realities of navigating the world as a primary caregiver, and how personal necessity can drive pioneering, real-world inclusive design solutions.
Experts
Prof.Kavita Murugkar
Principal at BVDUCOA is a distinguished architect, educator, and Universal Design evangelist with an impressive 25 -year track record in both education and practise.
She has been recognised by numerous international, national and state-level awards for her outstanding contribution to architecture education and research. Her unwavering passion and expertise lie in Disability-Inclusive development and rights, with a specialisation in diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. Throughout her career, she has relentlessly advocated for people-centric and inclusive design policies, conducted groundbreaking research, and fostered inclusive practices in the design industry and various professional platforms in India.
Profe. Singanapalli Balaram
A Fellow of Royal Society of Arts, UK. He was conferred the Design Guru, India’s highest Design teacher award (2023) by JKL University, Jaipur. He is presently the Honorary Design Chair, DOT School of Design, Chennai and Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Shiv Nadar Institute of Eminence, New Delhi.
He is one of the pioneers who established Design Education in India through the National Institute of Design where he held many top positions including Chairman of Education.
He patented 4 innovations and is the only Indian to be conferred the International “Ron Mace Designing for the 21st century” award. Other prestigious awards include the Grand jury award for the best Universal design education in the world by the International Association of Universal Designers,(Japan ) and the ‘Helen Keller (NCPEDP)Lifetime achievement award’ for outstanding contribution for the people with diverse abilities.
He received the best product design award from the National Research and Development Council of India.
He established Indian government’s first Craft Development Institute in Kashmir and was founder dean of DJ Academy of Design in Coimbatore, the first design institute in Tamilnadu.
His published 11 books including ” Thinking Design, Speaking Design and Design approaches “. He was professor emeritus of CEPT University, member of PhD
panel NID, boards of Alagappa University, Jain University, Yenopaya University, Saintgits college of technology and DOT school of design.
Balaram coined the word “majority world” to replace the biased “third/developing world”. A champion of universal design education in India, he is responsible for introducing UD as major course in colleges. He is part of the authors who developed the landmark “Universal Design India Principles” in 2011. He wrote on the subject frequently and was invited IAUD speaker to Japan several times.
Recently he was confirmed with Lifetime achievement award
Ms.Kavitha Krishnamoorthy
A social development professional and a parent of a young adult with autism, has been engaged in understanding the gaps in services for children and young adults with autism and in evolving innovative solutions to address these needs. Through Kilikili, an organisation she founded, she has been articulating the need for inclusive public play spaces, influencing public and private actors to develop inclusive play spaces across the country.
An Arts-based Therapy (ABT) practitioner, she has, over the last decade, been involved in exploring the relationship that children and young adults with autism have with the Arts, through initiatives she co-evolved that facilitate children’s natural artistic expression (Visual Arts Unit in Bubbles Centre for Autism, Bangalore; Sampoorna Music Therapy centre, Bangalore and A Brush with Art, Chennai).
She is the Co-founder and Co-Director of the CanBridge Academy, Chennai – a college-like space for young adults with autism that seeks to help them find meaningful avenues for their engagement and opportunities for supported community living.
FAQ’s
Who is eligible to attend?
This is a closed event.
Will certificates be provided?
Yes, all participants will receive a certificate of participation.