Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s rich architectural and craft heritage can serve as a strong foundation for contemporary and globally competitive design, Rareform Studio Co-Founder Prashant Dwibedi said at a conclave while speaking on the future of the state’s design culture Wednesday.
City-based Rareform Studio, recently recognised as ‘India’s Best Young Design Studio 2026’, hosted a panel discussion titled ‘The Future of Odisha’s Design Culture’, bringing together creative leaders, industry veterans and cultural practitioners to discuss the state’s evolving creative landscape.
The discussion focused on the intersection of the state’s traditional architecture, crafts and performing arts with contemporary industrial and digital design.
Participants explored ways in which homegrown studios could draw from indigenous artistic traditions while developing modern design solutions without compromising their cultural authenticity.
Opening the session, Dwibedi said Rareform Studio’s approach was centred on concepts and narratives rather than decoration alone.
“Odisha’s temple architecture, indigenous crafts and classical performing arts represent a sophisticated visual grammar.
Our approach is to treat that heritage not as a static museum relic, but as active fuel for modern branding and structural storytelling,” he said.
Co-Founder and Creative Head Neel Aya highlighted the studio’s national recognition, attributing the achievement to its focus on context-driven narratives.
He said building and scaling the practice from Bhubaneswar had given the studio a distinct spatial and cultural identity that helped its work stand out on national platforms.
The panel also examined the challenges and opportunities confronting emerging design talent in Tier-2 cities. Participants stressed the need for stronger design-business partnerships, academic incubation programmes for vernacular crafts and measures to retain local creative talent.
“The objective is clear: create from Odisha, build for India, and export these ideas globally.
Fulfiling that ambition demands an open, resilient ecosystem right here at home where young practitioners can build sustainable careers,” Dwibedi said.
The conclave concluded with an open networking session involving design students, agency founders and institutional representatives.