DESIGN, DIALOGUE, AND COMMUNITY

Where culture, circularity, and cost-smart creativity reshaped workplace conversations: Smart Office Summit, Bengaluru

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A thriving hub of innovation and design thinking, Bengaluru played host once again to one of the commercial design industry's most anticipated events, the Smart Office Summit, held on May 16, 2025. Organised by Commercial Design and ITP Media India, the summit brought together a discerning mix of architects, workplace designers, developers, facility heads, and product leaders to discuss the future of office environments across India. The day-long event unfolded as a layered narrative, exploring how modern workplace strategies must now integrate cultural depth, sustainable purpose, and budgetary intelligence.

Following a welcome note by Indrajeet Saoji, Group Publishing Director at ITP Media India, the day officially commenced with a compelling industry address by Nandini C G, Senior Manager - Sales at Dormakaba. She highlighted the evolving role of smart access systems in shaping not just secure workplaces, but seamless and intuitive ones.

Later in the morning, Saurabh Agrawal, Vice President - Commercial Spaces at Welspun Flooring, took the stage to discuss how flooring, often considered a finishing touch, is emerging as a strategic layer in workplace design. With hybrid workplaces, footfall patterns have changed and so have the functional demands from the floor beneath us. He showcased how Welspun's offerings respond to these shifting expectations with high-performance, recyclable, and design-forward surfaces that are as pragmatic as they are premium.

Abhishek Gupta, Business Head, and Mattia Ferrari, Sales Manager - Dubai, from Atlas Concorde, delivered the final industry address of the evening. With striking visuals and material samples, their presentation introduced new surface collections that fused Italian craftsmanship with performance-led innovation.

SPEAKERS ON PANEL 1: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN GLOBAL STANDARDS AND LOCAL REALITIES