Beyond Well-being.
Contemplative Design technology that empowers designers to flourish. And design spaces of flourishing.
WORKSHOPS, SPEAKING, COACHING AND RESEARCH FOR DESIGNERS, DESIGN FIRMS, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND DESIGN CONFERENCES.
The next iteration of conscious design starts at its very source. The designers themselves.
As we brace for unprecedented global challenges, architects and designers have to dare to design an equitable built world for all that promotes not just well-being, but also our higher order human needs of self-actualization and self-transcendence to enable humanity to flourish.
How can we successfully meet this challenge?
At Contemplative Designer our mission is to train designers, architects and students in our framework of Contemplative Design Technology that synergizes untapped “inner technologies” with “outer technologies” of design through workshops, speaking and research.
This framework is developed through synthesizing research in the science of human flourishing, neuroaesthetics, psychology and diverse contemplative traditions and real world architectural practice, aligned with how designers think, work and imagine directly embedded within daily design practice. Through this sophisticated technology, you as a designer can begin to embrace an expansive and interdependent Contemplative Designer self to build a flourishing built world of tomorrow.
Beyond Well-being Newsletter.
Contemplative Design Technology for a Flourishing Built World.
SIGN UP to receive this bi-monthly newsletter and join a community of conscious architects and designers on a journey of learning and flourishing :
Discover how cutting-edge insights from research in fields beyond architecture can give you an edge in designing spaces of flourishing.
Explore fun and evidence-based Contemplative Design Technologies to transform design challenges into resources for your flourishing.
Here’s where we have recently ignited transformative experiences.
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Experiential Keynote at American Institute of Architects Connecticut Conference
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Contemplative Design seminar at Parsons School of Constructed Environments
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Interactive Workshop with Spacesmith architects and designers in NYC
Authentically transforming our built environment one designer’s mind at a time.
We give inspiring keynotes, lead deep-dive workshops, engage in customized coaching programs both in person and virtual for individual designers, design firms, educational institutions and design conferences.
We conduct research on how our Contemplative Design Technology impacts design process, designers and project outcomes.
Our Contemplative Design technology embedded directly in the flow of your design process
The skills we instill have been specifically designed to speak to your designers where they are now delivering immediate benefits to their daily design practice. Informed by neuroscience, our programs drive positive changes in mental and physical health, rewiring their brains to thrive.
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Creating Space for Attention: Building Resilience
cultivate Creative Agency in a reactive design process
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Expanding Perspectives: Enabling Conscious Collaboration
foster Wonder and Compassion within and between teams
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Designing a Mental Blueprint: Synergizing Values and Intention
deepen Self-knowledge to align core design values
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Becoming an Instrument of Design: Embodying Meaning, Now
embody Design Intention instilling meaning in your design life
Unlocking possibilities. Our diverse workshops meet your needs and aspirations. In-person or virtual.
Whether you prefer short sessions, immersive workshops or customized programs, in-person or virtual, our transformative learning journeys blend experiential design practices, interactive group breakouts and practical tools for immediate application to your projects. Rest assured, the change we facilitate will endure.
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Focus on the Four: Introduction to Contemplative Design Technology
Succint yet comprehensive workshop introducing cutting-edge research in allied fields of design and engagement with practical contemplative design tools to transform design challenges into resources. 60 -90 minutes
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Foundational Four: Deep-dives into Contemplative Design Technology
Workshops each focused on one of our Contemplative Design technology to drive transformative and sustainable change in design process, culture and project outcomes within your organization. 90 minutes each
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Custom-Designed: 1:1/group Contemplative Design Technology
Custom-designed for you, your organization and your projects to give leaders and the next generation of change makers the tools to cultivate sapient Eco-design leadership for Design’s Next Chapter.
Interactive, Insightful, Inspiring, Actionable.
In our Keynotes and Workshops we ignite transformative conversations and experiences. By synergizing learnings from ground-breaking findings from research at the intersection of neuroaesthetics, science of human flourishing, psychology and contemplative practices with engagement in our powerful and interactive Contemplative Design tools, Sarika empowers designers, architects and students to transform challenges and burnout into resources for their flourishing so that they can design “spaces of flourishing” in our built world.
The exceptional benefits of our unique methods
In addition to the survey results here, designers also reported that our methods helped them forge deeper connections with their colleagues, embrace authenticity and vulnerability, and find greater meaning in their projects through contemplative design practice.
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I am confident in my ability to be creative on demand.
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I am able to fruitfully engage with difficult clients and colleagues.
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I have clarity of vision of the future designer I want to become.
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My design life is aligned with my intentions for the built world.
“ Contemplative Designer is working at the frontiers of architectural practice.
The research and methods hold great promise in creating a profession that is more deliberative, reflective, and attuned to how architecture and design is perceived and experienced by everyone.”
Michael J. Crosbie, Ph.D., FAIA. Professor of Architecture, University of Hartford
How we are different
We are not a generalized well-being training program for a broad audience. We are a flourishing training program for designers by designers. We don’t just teach contemplative techniques to designers. We make the practice of design itself contemplative. That distinction makes all the difference.
Contemplative
Beyond generalized professional development and mindfulness programs, we deploy an expansive array of design focused contemplative tools.
Complementary
Methods have been carefully constructed to be integrated into daily design practice and 40+ work week of each designer. Not on top of but part of.
Custom-designed
Our framework is specifically designed for designers by designers aligned with how they think, work and imagine and catered to their challenges and expertise.
Meet our Founder Sarika Bajoria
Hi! I founded Contemplative Designer and my design practice Sarika Bajoria Unlimited in New York City with the singular vision to bring about a world where everyday built spaces profoundly connect people to their environment, each other, themselves, and something greater than themselves. I realized that first we as designers have to make inner transformations in how we think and work and who we can become before we can bring about this transformation in our built world.
Synthesizing 22 years of practicing architecture at firms in New York City including Skidmore Owings & Merrill, Perkins & Will and my own firm and 16 years of teaching contemplative practice along with research in diverse fields, I have developed very practical and evidence-based design tools for you, my fellow practicing designers and students, to transform your challenges and burnout into resources for creativity, self-knowledge and purpose. As Adjunct Professor at Parsons School of Design I bring this unique framework for contemplative design to the classroom.
My work has been recognized with several awards including “Building Design+Construction 40 under 40” and “Engineering News Record New York Top 20 under 40” and I have held leadership roles at organizations like Architecture for Humanity. I obtained my Masters in Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania and Bachelor of Arts in Physics, Math and Art from Luther College, Iowa.