Design For Thought

November 2026

The best design often goes unnoticed. Seamlessly woven into an experience, it quietly elevates how we move through the world without us even realising it.

Our Cover Story section leads with designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee, who writes: “India offers the world an understanding of continuity: design that responds to life, respects what exists, and allows it to evolve.” In Spain, we explore two relatively unknown landmarks by architect Antoni Gaudí that showcase how his vision aligns with today’s architectural values of sustainability, contextual design, and craftsmanship. Art historian and conservationist Tasneem Zakaria Mehta picks out cultural spots and heritage sites in India worth visiting. To view design in a modern context, we look at how Indian food is being plated creatively without compromising its essence.

Effective design can also tie together a brand’s narrative and communicate its values, and our new cabin interiors in
the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aim to do just that—enhance the guest experience while expressing our intrinsic
warmth and hospitality. The theme flows into our other sections: the Bauhaus architecture movement that shaped Chicago and Berlin’s hidden courtyards that have morphed into cultural hot spots but still reveal the city’s history.

Travel is no longer about ticking off bucket lists; it is about seeing places with a different lens, about forging connections, about understanding cultures and values, and Air India has always aimed to connect the world with
the country’s culture, creativity, and contemporary spirit. In the first of many, we hosted a performance by sitarist
Rishab Rikhiram Sharma at London’s venerated Royal Albert Hall.

It is a small step towards building bonds through art and culture. Because we are not an airline that simply carries people—we carry ideas.

Happy Reading!