Designer Rachana Rao on Hybridity, Memory, and Belonging

Rachana Rao, a designer at O'Neil Langan Architects in New York, reflects on her diverse career that encompasses architecture, interior design, and art. Originally from Bangalore, she completed her Bachelor of Architecture at MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology. After gaining experience as an architect in India, she pursued a degree in interior design at Pratt Institute. Her graduate thesis, titled 'Hybridity: Crafting Dining Experiences That Transcend Cultural Boundaries,' investigates the role of atmosphere, ritual, and sensory experience in cultural expression, referencing theorists Homi Bhabha and Juhani Pallasmaa. Rao's pen-and-ink artwork received an honorable mention in the Shared Ground online exhibition by Rexhibit. Currently, she is involved in retail projects for brands like Victoria's Secret and Faherty, while also focusing on hospitality and dining designs and continuing her art exhibitions.