On 29 August 2026, the Lucknow edition of Design Debate, organised by Architect and Interiors India, brought together architects, designers, and industry voices around the theme Belonging vs Globalization: Designing Identity in a Borderless World. Held at The Centrum, Lucknow, the gathering examined a question increasingly relevant to contemporary architecture: how can design respond to global influences without losing its connection to place, culture, and identity? As Associate Partner, AluK India was part of this larger conversation, supporting a platform centred on the evolving language of architecture and design.
Under the curation of Anupam Mittal, Principal Architect & Director, Arinem, the Lucknow edition drew perspectives from six established voices in the field — Ashok Kumar, Anshu Singh, Dr Farheen Bano, Baiju Kacker, Shashi Suvarna, and Vivek Agarwal. Their perspectives opened up a wider discussion on the relationship between global architectural influences and local identity, touching upon the ways in which design can remain rooted in its context while responding to an increasingly interconnected world.
The discussion moved beyond the idea of identity as simply a visual expression, considering how culture, context, architectural language, and changing aspirations influence the way places are designed and experienced. The exchange also reflected on the challenges of maintaining a sense of belonging as architecture increasingly draws from ideas, influences, and practices that travel across geographical boundaries. Representing AluK India, Shilpa Chauhan, CMO and Business Head – Retail, North, West and Nepal, felicitated the Doyens and presented them with awards in recognition of their contribution to the architectural and design community.
The Next-Gen segment introduced a younger set of voices to the conversation, featuring Dr. Anjaneya Sharma, Juwairia Qamruddin, Kalankur Raj Gupta, Kushal Kumar Dubey, Prakhar Ranjan, Prashant Kumar, Rohit Parmar, Tulika Bhagoliwal, and Vimal Kumar. Their presentations added fresh perspectives to the central question of belonging and globalisation, bringing forward new approaches to architectural thinking and contemporary design. The format gave emerging practitioners an opportunity to present their ideas while placing them within a larger dialogue with the established voices on the panel.
At its core, the Lucknow edition brought the discussion back to the role of architecture in shaping a sense of belonging. In a design landscape where ideas increasingly move across borders, the debate highlighted the continuing importance of context, identity, and the relationship between people and place. The conversation reinforced the importance of participating in dialogues that look beyond individual projects to the larger questions shaping the future of the built environment.
