Media Release
Mangaluru, March 3: As Mangaluru continues to expand with new infrastructure, real estate development and Smart City projects, key questions are coming to the fore: How do we protect our coastline? How do we improve waste management? How do we preserve heritage buildings while modernising the city?
The Mangaluru Design Summit 2026, scheduled for March 7 and 8 at St Aloysius (Deemed to be University), seeks to create a public platform to deliberate on these pressing issues.
The event is organised by The Ohana Community Foundation in association with St. Aloysius (Deemed to be University), an institution that has served Mangaluru since 1880.
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The two-day summit, themed “Designing Futures, Honouring Heritage”, will feature over 20 speakers from diverse fields including urban planning, marine ecology, waste management, heritage conservation and governance.
Among the prominent speakers are Arun Prabha, general manager of Mangaluru Smart City Ltd; Divya Hegde, founder of Baeru Collective; architect and urban planner Ashok Mendonca; Sharon D’Souza, founder of Green Xperts; Niren Jain, founder of Niren Jain Architects & Environmental Planners; Nester Fernandes, marine biologist and nature educator; chef Shriya Shetty, founder of BuCo; Mamatha Rai, founder of Kadike Trust; and Madhu Manohar R, environmental officer at Mangaluru City Corporation.
Representatives from Coastal Heritage Collective, Anti Pollution Drive, Hasiru Dala, Animal Care Trust and other civic organisations will also participate.
In recent years, the city has witnessed increased flooding during heavy rainfall, coastal erosion, rising temperatures, mounting waste management challenges, and rapid construction and infrastructure expansion.
The Summit aims to provide a common platform for professionals, students and citizens to discuss how these issues can be addressed in practical and locally relevant ways.
The programme is structured around four themes: designing with heritage, climate-responsive futures, materials, waste and circularity, and livable and inclusive cities. The stated objective is to explore how Mangaluru can grow responsibly without losing its identity.
In addition to panel discussions, the Summit will feature hands-on workshops, including terrarium building, cartography and sustainable design; a Repair Fair where cobblers and tailors promote traditional repair culture; a Green Initiatives Zone showcasing local environmental projects; a screening of the film Samudrada Motte (Ocean’s Egg); and an Eco-Flea Market featuring local sustainable brands.
The organisers describe the Summit as “a platform for conversation, collaboration and action”.
The event is supported by Fishing Cactus as event partner and is held in collaboration with INTACH Mangaluru chapter, along with outreach partners including Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) and Young Indians Mangaluru (YI Mangaluru).
Seating inside session halls and workshops is limited.
Registrations are open at https://bookings.airmenus.in/fishingcactus/order