A design retreat that brings together disciplines

400 creatives are set to come together in Kerala for MATRA – Find Your Rhythm

03 Sep 2026

ELLE DECOR

Creativity is an interdisciplinary act. And a five-day retreat in Kerala, MATRA: Find Your Rhythm brings together 400 architects, designers, artisans, chefs, musicians, filmmakers and technologists to exchange ideas, make together and explore the space between disciplines. Presented by the MATRA Design Foundation, the inaugural edition will take place from December 2 – 6, 2026, at the Avani Institute of Design Campus in Thamarassery, Kozhikode.

Introduced in Bengaluru at The Circle, MATRA is conceived as a retreat rather than a conventional conference, bringing disciplines that are often experienced separately into conversation. Architecture will meet music, craft will meet technology, and food will meet film, with talks, workshops, shared meals and informal dialogues forming the core of the programme. “Design is not an isolated act of making. It is a cultural force that shapes how we live together,” says Tony Joseph, Principal & Partner, Stapati. “MATRA creates the conditions for design to be experienced as dialogue, as environment, and as shared inquiry. By bringing together material innovation, craft intelligence, digital tools, and spatial thinking within Kerala’s landscape, we hope to nurture a more human, forward-looking way of practising design.”

The idea is rooted in MATRA’s name, which refers to rhythm, and its belief that different creative disciplines can find a shared rhythm while retaining their distinct perspectives. The identity was unveiled in Kozhikode on August 8, 2026, by Brinda Somaya, Founder & Principal Architect, Somaya Sampat. “MATRA means rhythm, and I think we all need to find the rhythm of our lives,” says Somaya. “What I find most interesting is the combination of architecture, food and film, and the way these disciplines can interact with each other rather than remain separate. I think that is very unique. India needs this, and I do hope this idea spreads across our country, which is so full of young and talented people working across design, living, culture and experience.”

The inaugural edition will remain deliberately intimate, allowing participants to engage meaningfully. Its final day will open to the public, students and young practices from across Kerala, extending the exchange beyond the invited community. MATRA is envisioned as the first step towards an ongoing platform for cross-disciplinary collaboration, bringing together studios, institutions, patrons and community practitioners with the ambition of creating relationships and ideas.

MATRA: Find Your Rhythm will be open to the public on 6th December 2026.