Design Grads

In this section we spotlight thesis projects of recent graduates of Bachelors of Design from different disciplines in Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Bengaluru (SMI). These projects demonstrate a variety of interpretations, approaches and methods of practicing design.

The thesis project at SMI is a semester long project that a student pursues under the guidance of a faculty member. Students from different disciplines respond to a transdisciplinary context and generate their own inquiry around it.

Revive

Cocoam

Palak Aggarwal

Chocolate production heavily impacts land use, with only 20% of cocoa pods utilized and the rest discarded. Research in Indian cocoa production involved collaborating with farmers and experts to repurpose this waste. India generates 27,000 metric tons of cocoa beans yearly, producing around 75,000 metric tons of waste. This project transformed waste into valuable products like natural sugar syrup and bio-composites, creating India-specific business models. Amidst global cocoa challenges, it aims to set a new sustainability standard, supporting India’s emerging cocoa industry.

Embracing Re-use: A couch full of memories

Palak Aggarwal

This project explores why a product’s journey should end with its owner’s preferences by examining functional items discarded prematurely. It aims to reintegrate these items into the economy, creating a circular system. By shifting consumer mindsets and challenging stigmas around second-hand goods, it proposes a C2B2C service where items are sold as “pre-loved” with unique histories. This fosters transparency and trust between buyers and sellers, establishes a new re-commerce standard, and promotes sustainable consumption while valuing emotional connections to possessions and extending product lifecycles.

Reimagine

Second Life of Packaging

Rachel Thomas

This project redefines packaging by giving it a “second life,” extending its purpose beyond initial use. Instead of being discarded, packaging materials are creatively reused or recycled. Through innovative materials, typography, and imagery, the project designs visually appealing and functional packaging that captivates consumers and elevates brands. It transforms concepts into tangible designs that protect products while conveying their essence, leaving a lasting impression. This approach promotes sustainability, ensuring that packaging remains impactful and purposeful long after its primary use.

Unpacking Waste & Repacking Biriyani

Adya Giridhar

This project addresses the wasteful packaging culture linked to biryani, India’s favorite dish, which saw over 10 crore orders on Zomato in 2023. Traditional takeaway packaging – plastic, aluminum, and paper – contributes to a buy-use-throw cycle. By redesigning biryani packaging and creating a replicable “assembly line,” the project aims to make sustainable packaging convenient for restaurants and consumers. With biryani ordered every 2.5 seconds, this solution promotes eco-friendly choices, reduces packaging waste, and moves toward a more sustainable future, eliminating the “unwanted elaichi” of waste.

Reiterate

Ifrit

Samarjit Chavan

Samarjit is using this thesis to make a comic book about superheroes in an alternate 1970s India that is establishing itself post French colonial rule, as they uncover a global neoliberal conspiracy. The publishing of this comic is also a part of the project. He has also explored branding and publishing opportunities to understand graphic design and visual communication.

Pixie

Tariq Aziz

Tariq is working on the design system, user experience for a web-application called Pixie, alongside two other stakeholders. Pixie is a multi-modal AI tool where people can create libraries consisting of information of various formats uploaded by them. They can use semantic search in the platform, which leverages AI, to find insights within these libraries. The product is mainly designed with researchers, journalists, students in mind and is open to anyone who creates content.

The target is to build an pilot showing the basic features of the tool, and a landing page which pitches their idea to potential investors. The pilot has been completed, and they are awaiting funding as well as applying for VC’s. Tariq and his team plan to make major revamps and a roadmap for Pixie for the next quarter.

Recognise

Into the tiny world

Rumjhum Gupta

Puttenahali Lake hosts a diverse array of insect species that serve as bioindicators of the lake’s ecological health but have received limited attention. This communication project aims to raise awareness about the rich world of insects at the lake, focusing on the order Odonata, particularly dragonflies and damselflies. It employs data visualization and storytelling through engaging characters to reach various demographics. Key elements include an interactive website and social media posts designed to foster interaction with the wetland, serving as an educational tool to catalyze conservation and research efforts.

Symbiotic Shores

Rohita Manupati

Sustainable development necessitates understanding the delicate balance of urban ecological systems. This project aims to explore spatial human interventions that harmonize with the natural rhythms surrounding North Bangalore’s lakes. By examining natural patterns and ecological processes, the project seeks insights to guide the development of interventions that support human activity and ecological well-being. The key question driving the investigation is, “How can we create spatial interventions for humans that align with existing ecological patterns without disrupting nature?” Ultimately, the goal is to design functional, ecologically empathetic structures around the lakes.