Are You Ready To Design For Impact ?

Join The Design Impact Movement !

The Design Impact Movement, an initiative by Titan, is here to revolutionise the way we solve real-world challenges. It’s all about using your creative skills to tackle pressing issues like climate change, poverty, and accessible healthcare. This movement is a mission to inspire and empower the next generation of architects and designers to think beyond buildings—toward bold ideas and hands-on projects that promote innovation and social responsibility. With mentorship opportunities and a focus on turning socially driven design ideas into impactful enterprises, this initiative aims to build a launchpad for purpose-driven design talent. If you’re passionate to make a difference through design — Join the movement and submit your ideas!

WFA has entered Kerala!

KL100 – WFA 5.0: A 100-kilometre Journey Through Kerala!

With Walk For Arcause (WFA 5.0), titled KL100, Ar. Gita Balakrishnan is all set to connect with the landscape, stories, and spaces of Kerala. The 100-kilometre walk, stretching from Kannur Lighthouse to Freedom Square in Kozhikode, is set to unfold over five days. Joining this journey are key academic institutions and organisations, including IIA Kerala Chapter, NIT Calicut, Avani Institute of Design, CET Payyannur and a young architect Varun Javalekar from Pune.

Saint-Gobain Grants

24-25 Winners Announced!

The Saint-Gobain Grants winners for the year 2024–25 were announced during the Transparence Finale held on 7th March in Chennai. Out of 10 shortlisted teams who were interviewed, 4 outstanding proposals were selected as this year’s winners!

UK100: A Journey on foot from Pauri – Kotdwar

In March 2025, during the vibrant festival of Holi, Ar.Gita Balakrishnan completed a remarkable 100-kilometre journey through Uttarakhand, immersing herself in the region’s stunning natural landscapes and serene altitudes. As she engaged with locals along the way, she gained deep insights into their daily lives, traditions, and concerns. The conversations also revealed the challenges faced by remote villages – limited facilities and a growing trend of migration to urban areas. Despite the hardships, the integrity of local life and heritage remains beautifully intact.

What we did in January 2025 at Ethos Foundation

A journey of reflection, action, and collaboration. Our founder “Ar.Gita Balakrishnan” shares insights, experiences, and the road ahead. Read the February 2025 letter for a glimpse into the vision shaping our path forward below.

Design Legally: Enrol with Project UDita!

Are you designing against the law? According to the Rights of Persons with Disability Act (2016) (Section 44), it is now against the law to build public buildings that are not inclusive or Universal Design compliant. But fear not – Project UDita’s self-paced online course on ‘Universal Design for the Built Environment: Beyond Ramps and Railings’ has got you covered! Tailored for students, teachers, architects, and professionals in the ACED community, this course dives deep into the legal landscape while equipping you with practical insights into Universal Design Principles. Don’t miss your chance to design for inclusivity.

Empower learners with Universal Design

The course “Universal Design for the Built Environment: A Teacher’s Guide” is ideal for educators, and professionals within the ACED community, providing valuable insights for educators to guide learners at all levels in applying Universal Design to their design and research endeavors.  Join us now, and play a pivotal role in driving accessibility as a leading principle for an inclusive built environment!

36 Colleges Win

Rs. 20,000 each!

Guess what? 36 colleges just hit the jackpot! They’ve bagged FREE incentives worth Rs. 20,000 from Saint-Gobain for their stellar participation in Transparence 18.0. From Acedge Membership to Collaborative Studio Access and Faculty Development Programs, these incentives are all about turbocharging growth and innovation in architectural education. Ready to level up your institution’s educational experience? Join the excitement and grab your share of these amazing opportunities

Skill Upgradation workshop in Lucknow!

In May 2024, Ethos Foundation, in partnership with the Lucknow Architects Association and AKTU’s Faculty of Architecture and Planning, hosted a transformative workshop on Lime Restoration for construction workers. The event featured an enlightening seminar and hands-on demonstrations at Qaiserbagh, immersing participants in traditional restoration techniques. To engage the shramiks from various parts of Lucknow and India, an interactive exhibition on the ShramA Project pilot was displayed. This was followed by ShramA-Q, a lively quiz testing participants’ knowledge. The workshop concluded with a certificate ceremony, enhancing technical skills and fostering a deeper appreciation for heritage conservation.

Empowerment Workshops in Mumbai and Pune

Empowerment workshops in Mumbai and Pune were designed for construction workers, covering financial management, budgeting, savings, and reading architectural drawings. An interactive display presented data on migration, amenities access, working hours, gender disparity, accident awareness, income, and resource rights, based on the Inclusion Survey. Collaborations with Jan Sahas, Basera, and Learn NGOs ensured impactful, informative sessions, leaving participants empowered and informed.

Get Inspired!!

Feature of the Month!!

SUSTAINABLE PUCCA HOME:

SG Grant Winner

Kapil Mahadik and Amol Deshmukh, recipients of the SG Grants 2024–25, are demonstrating a sincere commitment to improving the lives of people in the rural regions of Western Maharashtra. Their design intervention presents a model prototype of a single-unit home, developed in accordance with the guidelines of the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin.

This well designed, climate-responsive dwelling is thoughtfully crafted with consideration for both cost-effectiveness and regional climatic conditions. It also offers potential for future expansion and supports the concept of clustered housing units, thereby reducing overall construction costs. The design emphasizes the use of locally sourced materials, ensuring sustainability and relevance to the local context.

“It is important for us to understand who we are working for. just like that it is more important to understand who is working for us, on our sites- our construction workers. learned a lot through the ShramA Fellowship.”

“It was a truly wonderful journey, and to be honest, I was a little scared about the fellowship and how I would manage it. However, our mentors were incredibly supportive. This fellowship has helped me connect with numerous people from our construction community, including different architects, construction workers, and site visits. Prior to the fellowship, I didn’t have any contacts with Ferrocement contractors, but now I have 10-15 people who work with Ferrocement, which will greatly benefit me in the future. Overall, it has been a fantastic experience. Thank you very much for this opportunity, Ethos team. I truly hope to work with you again in the future !”

Ignite your Mind!!

From the hands

that build

In this video series, “Learning from the hands that build,” we explore a wide range of building techniques, from traditional masonry to modern Mivan Aluminium Formwork. Watch the videos as our shramiks share insights on various construction systems and materials