Architectures of Transition: Emergent Practices in South Asia

Inviting nominations for emerging architectural practices in South Asia engaged in shaping the public realm. Shortlisted practices will be featured in the traveling exhibition Architectures of Transition – Emergent Practices in South Asia, curated by Rahul Mehrotra, Devashree Shah, and Pranav Thole. The exhibition currently showcases the work of 41 architectural practices across the region that have contributed to the making of architecture, landscape, and infrastructure in the public realm.

The exhibition has traveled to New Delhi, Chennai, and Bangalore, Kozhikode and Kochi. Upcoming venues include Kabul, Lahore, and other venues in South Asia, with a culminating exhibition in Mumbai in 2026. Designed to grow incrementally as it moves across the region, the exhibition serves as a platform for integrating new practices that are shaping a broader discourse on architecture in South Asia. As it evolves and assimilates diverse perspectives, the accumulated body of knowledge—gathered collectively—will be showcased in the final show, offering a moment to reflect on key insights and engage with the project’s larger inquiries focused on emerging paradigms of practice in South Asia. The exhibition aims to foster diverse perspectives, responses, and contributions, and this open call is part of that process, inviting emerging practices to participate and expand its purview.

Shortlisted practices will be featured in the culminating exhibition in 2026 in Mumbai.

The State of Architecture in South Asia is a multi-year research project initiated in 2022 at the Graduate School of Design and the South Asia Institute at Harvard University and supported by the Architecture Foundation, India (Exhibition Partner) and South Asia GSD.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Founding partner(s) must be under the age of 45

  • The practice must have completed at least one public project (private homes and interior design projects will not be considered). Please submit only public projects.

  • The practice’s primary office must be in one of the following South Asian countries: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, or the Maldives.

Submission Requirements

Upload a single combined PDF document (20 MB or less) using the form below, containing:

  • A 500-word description of the firm’s approach and practice

  • A short bio of the founding principal(s)

  • The firm’s website and other socials

  • Up to 4 public project details. For each project, include:

    • Project Title

    • Location, built-up area, year of construction, and program

    • A 200–300-word project description

    • 4–5 project images (completed or under construction)

    • Any drawings/sketches/model images as relevant that explain the project

Selection

Submissions will be reviewed, and a selection will be made by the curators. Selected practices may be asked to submit additional materials for the exhibition.

Deadline

April 13, 2025

Please submit using the form below. For any questions or concerns, write to pranavthole@outlook.com