Design To Define Noida: Dialogues On Luxury, Living And The Homes Of Tomorrow
- January 24, 2026
- By: Sanyukta Baijal
- NEWS
Design to Define Noida Edition marked yet another impactful chapter in the ongoing design dialogue series of Building Material Reporter. The event happened in Crowne Plaza, Mayur Vihar on January 16, 2026 and witnessed most influential voices from the design fraternity. Backed by Havells, the conference had engaging panel discussions and candid perspectives from leading architects and interior designers.
It also saw an active participation from industry leaders. Some of the big names who collectively brought together decades of experience were Ar. Sanjay Singh of Acorp Associates, Ar. Aparna Kaushik of Aparna Kaushik Design Group, Ar. Vivek Gupta of Arvind Vivek and Associates, Ar. Ankit Agarwal UPAA President (Acro Ventures) and many more.
Here’s a closer look at the conversations, ideas, and moments that shaped the Design to Define – Noida Edition.
Welcome Note by Prashant Karmakar
At the beginning of the event, Partha Karmakar, Vice President, Professional Lighting at Havells India Limited and welcomed everyone. He described Design to Define Noida edition as a platform by Havells to celebrate design, leadership and the pivotal role architects and designers play in shaping India’s development. He emphasised that design today goes beyond form and is now driven by purpose, emotion and intelligence. Karmakar even announced the launch of Havells’ latest switch range, Apogee, underlining the brand’s commitment to design-led innovation.
Panel Discussion 1- Redefining Exclusivity: Personalisation as the New Luxury
The first panel discussion was quite an interesting segment filled with humour and candid conversations. Moderated by Ar. Vivek Gupta, this panel had an engaging exchange on how everyone views luxury. Titled “Redefining Exclusivity: Personalisation as the New Luxury”, the discussion set the tone for the evening with a layered and thought-provoking conversation which featured Ar. Aparna Kaushik, Ar. Sanjay Singh, Ar. Abhigyan Neogi of Chromed Design Studio, Ar. Love Choudhary of AND Studio, Ar. Tejeshwi Bansal of Chaukor Studio and Prashant Gulati of Havells. The conversation challenged the conventional notion of luxury as mere material excess. It stated how luxury today is increasingly defined by time, experience, emotional connect, rather than just opulence.
Apogee Product Launch by Prashant Gulati
The highlight of the event was when Prashant Gulati, Senior Vice President at Havells, introduced Apogee as Havells' most premium switch range. He called it the true pinnacle of switch design in India while showcasing its standout features from metallic plates and handcrafted finishes to ultra-quiet switches that are 60–70% softer than Havells' competitors. The range spans across satin, metal, real wood, glass, and even artisan-crafted zinc plates.
Gulati also unveiled the Apogee Smart Series, for seamless home automation without rewiring. Apart from the new product, he featured Havells’ Made-in-India legacy with pride where he termed strong manufacturing and evolving engagement with the architecture community as their 'backbone'.
Panel Discussion 2- Designing for the Next Decade: The Evolution of Future-Ready Homes
'Designing for the Next Decade: The Evolution of Future-Ready Homes,' carried the event ahead by examining how changing lifestyles, technology and climate realities are impacting the residential design in India. Moderated by Ar. Shipra Jain of Sustainable Space Designs, the discussion explored how homes today are expected to function as living, working and multi-generational spaces.
The esteemed panel had Ar. Ankit Agarwal, Ar. Rahul Tyagi of RTA Pvt Ltd., Ar. Parul Agarwal of Renascent Consultants, Ar. Gaurav Saini of Architects Atelier, Ar. Gaurav Gupta of Arch Line Design, and Ar. Adreesh Chakraborty of The Earth Home.
From climate-responsive architecture and optimisation of resources to the democratising technology-led comforts, the panel shed light on everything that the homes of the next decade must have.
Also read: Design To Define Lucknow: Inside The City’s Design Gathering
Also read: Design To Define Chandigarh: Decoding What Luxury Truly Means In Tech-Savvy Homes
Also read: SDCA Chennai 2025: An Ode To City's Charm And Its Ever-Evolving Architecture
