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


My earliest memory of a space was a pillowfort that my aunt had built when I was young. The experience of having a space that fit me and a place to call my own fascinated me beyond measure. I have since then been driven by the impact of empathy, wonder and a story well-told, and always find myself reaching for these virtues to position myself within a project. My practice is, therefore, an attempt to humanise the built environment.

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

I am presently working at Home Studios, Brooklyn.

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

WORK ︎︎︎

Swipe to see the presentation deck for Dan Barber


Swipe to see the presentation deck for Gabrielle Hamilton


Swipe to see the presentation deck for Ferran Adria






hospitality design - retail design

Omakase: Dining as a retail experience


Food has long been known to bring people together. A shared meal can forge relationships, bring us joy and make us count our blessings1. It can also bring an environment together. In creating a space within which to cook and share a meal, several mediums of interior design come into play- from the wallpaper, to furniture, to lighting and to tableware.

The building site is, therefore, imagined to host a range of ephemeral dining experiences within its containment every three months. To achieve a sense of conviviality, it is designed to be akin to a theatrical stage. With interventions that become a series of wall and ceiling systems with floating floors, the design demands the in-house chef and designer to take on the role of a showrunner to manipulate interior design elements that suit the ambience they desire. The building is also morphed such that light takes the role of an actor within the space, moving through the two-floor building to enhance the drama of the environment.

1 The Joy of Food ︎︎︎
program retail design - academic
professor Jeffrey Katz
place Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI
Running on Cargo