Mumbai, 24, September 2026: As conversations around responsible design increasingly move beyond sustainability to include people, communities, culture, accessibility, ecology and resource-conscious practice, Ethos Foundation / Arcause is building the Responsible Design Repository — a growing platform to document, recognise and share work that is contributing to a more thoughtful built environment and society.
The Repository invites architects, designers, practices, organisations, community members, students, researchers and individuals from across India to submit projects, initiatives, practices or ongoing work that demonstrate meaningful approaches to responsible design.
Importantly, the initiative is not limited by project type, scale or discipline. From architecture and urban interventions to community-led initiatives, research, material practices, accessibility, ecological responses and cultural preservation, the Repository seeks to capture the many ways in which responsibility is being understood and practised today.
“Responsible design cannot be defined by a single checklist or a particular project scale. It is reflected in the questions we ask, the communities we engage with and the consequences we consider through our work. With the Responsible Design Repository, we want to create a shared space where these diverse practices can be seen, understood and learned from — and where good work can inspire more good work.”
— Ar. Gita Balakrishnan, Founder, Ethos Foundation / Arcause
Selected submissions will become part of the Responsible Design Repository, creating an accessible body of knowledge and practice for the wider design community. Beyond recognition, the initiative aims to enable visibility, knowledge-sharing, professional engagement and further opportunities for participating individuals and practices.
The initiative is open to work that responds thoughtfully to people and communities, ecology, resources, culture, accessibility, sustainability and other dimensions of responsible design. By bringing these varied practices together, Ethos Foundation / Arcause hopes to highlight not only established models, but also emerging ideas, local responses and context-specific approaches that can contribute to the larger conversation around responsible design.
Registrations are now open to contributors across India. Those interested can register through the link below. Upon registration, participants will receive the submission form and further details on sharing their work.