Shivani Pinapotu is a spatial thinker and designer interested in how space intersects with story, society and our sense of self.


Her earliest memory of a space was a pillowfort that her aunt had built when she was young. The experience of having a space that fit her and a place to call her own fascinated her beyond measure. She has since then been driven by the impact of empathy, wonder and a story well-told, and always finds herself reaching for these virtues to position herself within a project. Her practice is, therefore, an attempt to humanise the built environment.

She holds an MDes. in Interior Studies from the Rhode Island School of Design, where she concentrated in Exhibition and Narrative Environments, and has extensive experience in architecture, interiors, exhibitions and theatre design across India and the States.

She is presently working at Home Studios, Brooklyn.

Reach out to spinapot@gmail.com or find her on Linkedin, if you have anything in mind!

WORK ︎︎︎
Site A, Chittranjan Park, New Delhi, photographed October, 2020


Swipe to see the proposal schematic.

Addas for transformative spaces


The culture of Bengal and their native practices were thoroughly studied in order to arrive at the concept of ‘Addas’ as the driving catalyst to a minimally-invasive, culturally-rehabilitating and socially-flexible urban intervention.



“A central spirit of unity”, was the essence of the cities of the past that “expressed the love and hope of man” and showed some “creatively human aspect of a great empire”, which were a product of the “self-respect of a man.”

RABINDRANATH TAGORE



urban mapping, analysis and design

A Central Spirit of Unity: Reimagining Chittaranjan Park’s Public Spaces in New Delhi, India


Chittaranjan park of New Delhi, India, started as a refugee colony for East Bengal’s Displaced Persons (EBDP). It has evolved into a close-knit cosmopolitan community, sharing markets, temples, tea-joints, parks etc. as their social spaces and share ideas over various Community-Based Organisations, Collectives and Associations.

This competition was organised by Chittaranjan Park Green Community Initiative (CGI), a community-led forum which champions safe public places, as a ‘call for ideas’ to enhance its neighborhood public spaces.

After thorough site and contextual studies, and by drawing inspiration from Rabinadranath’s thought provoking essay, “City and Village” (1924), wherein he described the life on the moon whimsically as being a “constant festival of colour, music, movement”, we sought to redevelop the Market such that the individual quality, character and style could allow the shop owners, street vendors and social spaces the socio-cultural flexibility to express the free spirit of Chittaranjan Park. The urban strategies thus proposed also envisages a framework for the city to ensure accessibility, safety and liveability.



program urban design, competition proposal

collaborators Priyanka Verma, Vaishnavi Nair

place New Delhi, India

commissioning jury C. R. Park Participatory Public Space Reimagining + Multilogue Collective


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