Restaurant and hospitality design
A place to taste. A reason to stay.
Explore our approachOur next space
is digital.
It’s taking shape.
We’re I’m d’sign—architects, interior designers and storytellers based in New Delhi. We build a compelling narrative for every space and carry it through materials, detailing and execution, right down to the last nail.
↓A GLIMPSE OF OUR EXPRESSION A glimpse of our work
Nine frames. An ever-changing expression. Tap a photograph to explore.
01 / The practice
Every space starts
with a story.
I’m d’sign builds narratives through architecture and interiors. We find the story in a brand, a place or the people who will inhabit it, then give that story a physical expression.
We carry the narrative from concept through drawings, material choices, making and execution, right down to the last nail. Four partners bring complementary expertise to keep the original idea alive in every detail.
A little closer
From the first idea to the last nail
A project often begins with something that is difficult to draw—a feeling, an ambition, a way of living or an experience someone wants to create.
We explore what that thought means for the space and the people using it. How should someone arrive? What should they notice? Where should they pause? What needs to work quietly in the background?
The idea develops through plans, proportions, lighting, materials and detail. A line on a drawing becomes the edge of a counter, the meeting of two surfaces or the frame around a view. Each decision carries a little of the original story.
The material conversation
The character of a space comes from how its parts work together. Tile, metal, glass, terracotta finishes and wood can create a rich experience through thoughtful composition, proportion and craft.
We consider how materials meet, how light changes them and how they will be experienced over time. Maintenance, everyday use and the realities of making belong in that conversation.
For a retail brand, this can include recognisability and replication. For hospitality, the relationship between the guest experience and the operation behind it. For a home, the small, personal details that make everyday living feel considered.
Design in practice
One practice.
Different possibilities.
Based in New Delhi, we work across India and have completed projects in more than 10 countries. Explore how we approach places to eat, places to discover and places to call home.
Retail and showroom design
A brand you can walk into.
Explore our approachResidential architecture and interiors
A home with room for your story.
Explore our approachSome of our prominent clients
BARSANA
LOVELY GROUP
PRIVATE CLIENTSTHE LIST GOES ON…A selection of our prominent clients, alongside many private clients—and many more.
Our legacy
A practice that keeps evolving.
A legacy that began in 1979.
Our roots reach back to Deepak Kalra’s founding practice. Retail design followed in 1981, F&B in 1985, and bespoke luxury furniture with “I’m” in 1994. Hospitality, institutional work and international projects expanded the practice’s reach. In 2011, I’m d’sign took shape with a new vision.
45+Years of legacy
4,000+Completed projects
10+Countries
10+Awards
125+Publications & articles
Four partners / A shared practice
Different perspectives.
Designing together.
Deepak Kalra
Founder · 1979B.Arch, School of Planning and Architecture. Established the practice in 1979, laying the foundation for its long exploration of architecture and interiors.
Dhruva Kalra
Partner · Joined 2007B.Arch, TVBSHS; MBE in Sustainable Design, UNSW. Brings a grounding in sustainable design and a curiosity for the possibilities of retail and spatial experience.
Shifaa Kalra
Partner · Joined 2007B.Arch, TVBSHS. Part of the practice since 2007, contributing to its shared approach to architecture, interiors and the details of everyday living.
Aarushi Kalra
Partner · Joined 2015MID, Royal College of Art, London; B.Arch, Sushant School, Ansal University. Brings an international design education to the practice’s evolving spatial expression.
02 / Our vision
To create spaces with a story worth experiencing, and carry that story through with care, from the first idea to the last detail.
Recognition / A wider conversation
Work that gets noticed.
Published internationally. Recognised for ideas, people and places.
Dhruva Kalra · 2020
Dhruva Kalra · 2020
Most Futuristic & Leading Architecture & Interior Design Firm of the Year, North India · 2023
Manam Chocolate Karkhana, designed by I’m d’sign
In print / In conversation / In recognition
Architect & Interiors IndiaIndia Design World
Commercial Design
Rethinking The Future
iGen 50 · Dhruva Kalra · 2020design:retail 40 Under 40 · Dhruva Kalra · 2020Architecture & Interior Design Excellence Awards · 2023TIME World’s Greatest Places · Manam Chocolate Karkhana · 2024Selected publications and recognitions. TIME’s 2024 selection recognises Manam Chocolate Karkhana, a project designed by I’m d’sign.
