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Because design isn't just about what you create, but how you create it.

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Here's a glimpse into my work as a Participatory Design - Researcher & Placemaker.

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Project Thiruvanmiyur
Mada Veedhi Pilot

Initiated and implemented a community-led public realm improvement pilot in my neighbourhood.

 

We are currently seeking CSR funding and a partnership for permanent implementation. â€‹

Dhun Craft Cluster Study

Mapping of creative ecosystems, done as part of the cultural placemaking strategy for Dhun's catchment area and functional districts.

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Dhun is a 500-acre regenerative township designed as a place for creative expression, wellbeing and co-existence with nature.

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Research Update

2026 Happy City Index 

Researcher selected for collecting data on Rzeszow, Poland across 64 indicators.

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Inclusive Design Manual for Chennai City, 2025

Infrastructure Audits and Content Development​ Consultant for Design Co:Lab

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What I Do

Place Strategy 

  • Place Governance Plans

  • White Papers + Reports

  • Place Brand Vision

  • Design Management​

  • Programing + Partnerships

Participatory

Design-Research

  • Urban Audits & Tools

  • Workshop Facilitation

  • Ethonographic Study

  • GIS + Social Mapping

  • Design for Inclusivity​

  • Design Thinking ​

 Curation

  • ​Urban Experiments

  • Neighbourhood Archives 

  • Event and Exhibit Design

  • Public Installation
  • Tactical  Improvement

 Learning & Facilitation

  • Workshop Facilitation

  • Gamified Concepts

  • Curriculum Development

  • Mentorship & Capacity

  • Organizing Mapathons 

Strategic Comms 

  • Social Media Campaigns

  • Accessibility Tools

  • Outreach Communication

  • Writing & Blogs

  • Grant Writing

  • Proejct Briefs

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In a nutshell

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Few things make me happier than exploring public spaces, neighbourhoods, cities, subcultures, stories, and people. Trained as an architect in India, I found my passion for people and places, which led me to pursue Urban Placemaking and Management from Pratt Institute, Brooklyn.

 

My role is fluid--depending on the project, I am a designer, facilitator, researcher, placemaker, outreach lead, strategist, curator or project manager. Bridging pedagogy, practice, and advocacy, my work involves interdisciplinary teams and sectors that have constantly made me adapt and evolve my tools and ways of thinking.

 

From Chennai to Bengaluru to NYC, and now to Warsaw, I am grateful to immerse myself in different design cultures. You can find me with a guitar, on a cycle, laughing out loud, and getting lost in the city! Let's connect.

  • LinkedIn

 Clients & Collaborations

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© 2024 Dhanya Rajagopal

All images are subject to copyrights

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