Bindu is more than a droplet, it is the primordial seed, the point from which all creation unfolds. In Sanskrit cosmology, it symbolizes the source of consciousness, the beginning of form, and the pulse of intention. As a water droplet, it holds the tension between ephemeral presence and eternal origin. A quiet metaphor for renewal, reverence, and the infinite within the minimal.Bindu reinterprets everyday water rituals, revealing the hidden narratives of consumption and consequence. Through a set of rhythmic, reflective objects ( Pavita, Sanchaya, kalasha) it fosters a mindful connection with water not as a mere utility, but as a living entity. Blending barefoot design thinking with Indigenous wisdom, it challenges Western anthropocentrism, weaving history, and cultural memory into design. In a world seduced by convenience, these artefacts act as poetic interventions, urging slowness, reverence, and behavioural change. By engaging the senses, they disrupt habitual myopia, inviting a deeper, more sustainable relationship with water one shaped by recognition, ritual, and respect.

Living in a time of climate extremes, rising costs, and unchecked water consumption, Pavita, Sanchaya, and Kalasha form a set of frugality tools desig

Living in a time of climate extremes, rising costs, and unchecked water consumption, Pavita, Sanchaya, and Kalasha form a set of frugality tools designed to prompt reflective, restorative behaviours in daily life in our kitchen. These artefacts challenge the culture of convenience by reintroducing ritual, intention, and care into acts of water use transforming the ordinary into a space of awareness, resilience, and ecological shift.

Component 4 Akhil Krishnan

Pāvita reimagines the act of dishwashing by questioning our dependence on water, synthetic liquids, and plastic tools. Inspired by indigenous practice

Pāvita reimagines the act of dishwashing by questioning our dependence on water, synthetic liquids, and plastic tools. Inspired by indigenous practices from water-scarce regions of India, particularly Rajasthan, it draws from traditions that relied on natural, locally abundant, and chemically attuned materials for cleaning.At its core.

Pāvita

 Pāvita repurposes used wine corks, pairing them with kitchen by-ritual. By replacing water with cork granules as a dry-cleaning medium, Pāvita offers

Pāvita repurposes used wine corks, pairing them with kitchen by-ritual. By replacing water with cork granules as a dry-cleaning medium, Pāvita offers both an ecological intervention and a poetic gesture toward mindful domesticity.

Pāvita 

A greywater vessel and wash bowl inspired by ancestral Indian forms like the lota and hand bowl. Designed for modern kitchens, it features a terracott

A greywater vessel and wash bowl inspired by ancestral Indian water vessels like like the Lota and Chilamchi. Designed for modern kitchens, it features a terracotta and charcoal filter to reclaim and reuse water for non-potable tasks. Kalasha ritualises everyday actions, encouraging measured use, ecological care, and quiet frugality in domestic life.

Kalasha

kalasha not only makes consumption visible but also enables a second use of this resource - water " the substance of life and death"

kalasha not only makes consumption visible but also enables a second use of this resource - water " the substance of life and death"

Clay holds memory-each mark, each gesture etched in silence. It carries the weight of intention, turning touch into trace, form into meaning.

Clay holds memory-each mark, each gesture etched in silence. It carries the weight of intention, turning touch into trace, form into meaning. Klasha bowl is fully handcrafted from rescued clay from London construction site- repurposed. Kalasha clay filter is a micro porous bisque fired disc blended repurposed with wine cork granules.

Kalasha Bowl

 Sanchaya is a frugal tool that transforms the everyday act of cooking into a quiet ritual of conservation. Designed to capture steam and condense it 

Sanchaya is a frugal tool that transforms the everyday act of cooking into a quiet ritual of conservation. Designed to capture steam and condense it into usable water, the lid channels evaporated droplets into a ceramic reservoir, turning loss into recovery.

Sanchaya

Inspired by ancestral distillation practices, and crowned with a transparent glass top, it makes the invisible cycle of water visible—reminding us tha

Inspired by ancestral distillation practices, and crowned with a transparent glass top, it makes the invisible cycle of water visible—reminding us that every drop has a journey, a memory, and a future. The collected water can be returned to the dish or used elsewhere in the kitchen, turning habit into intention, and routine into reflection.

Maison/0 Green Trail 

MullenLowe NOVA Awards 2025 

Bindu - “Each drop a memory, each object a pause”

while often overlooked, waste wine poses serious environmental and infrastructural challenges if poured into standard sewage systems. With an average 

while often overlooked, waste wine poses serious environmental and infrastructural challenges if poured into standard sewage systems. With an average pH of 3–4, wine’s acidity can corrode ageing metal pipes, accelerating infrastructure decay. Its residual yeast and sugars foster biofilm growth, contributing to clogs and foul odours. Critically, wine contains 12–15% ethanol, which disrupts wastewater treatment microbes, impairing the breakdown of organic matter. Additionally, its high Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) can deplete oxygen in water bodies, endangering aquatic life. When disposed of in bulk, wine also disrupts the delicate pH balance of treatment facilities, undermining operational efficiency. Given that London’s wine bars serve tens of thousands of litres annually, with millions of litres of wine waste produced globally each year, the cumulative impact is non-trivial.As part of the project’s material research, waste red wine was collected from a selection of London-based bars to be repurposed as a natural staining agent for wood. Applied in layers, the wine created a subtle ombre finish that visually narrates the gradient of use and time. This was then sealed with a clear shellac coating, providing surface protection while preserving the organic patina. The process reflects a commitment to material reuse, sensory storytelling, and ecological surface finishing, turning discarded liquid into a meaningful design element.

Repurposing Waste Wine as a  Sensory Surface Finish

To assess the hygienic efficacy of alternative dish-cleaning methods, an agar agar test was conducted comparing three approaches: (A) conventional soa

To assess the hygienic efficacy of alternative dish-cleaning methods, an agar agar test was conducted comparing three approaches: (A) conventional soap with a plastic scrubber, (B) water-only hand cleaning, and (C) a cork-based wash using cork granules, lemon peel, and rice starch water. Ceramic plates were cleaned using each method, then swabbed and cultured on agar plates under warm light for four days. The results showed that specimen A-despite involving soap-demonstrated the fastest and densest bacterial growth, while specimen B exhibited slower, more dispersed microbial activity. Remarkably, specimen C showed no visible bacterial growth for four days, and only negligible growth by the fifth day. These findings suggest that the cork-based wash may possess natural antimicrobial properties, potentially due to cork’s phenolic content and the acidity of the rice starch and lemon. The experiment reinforces the value of natural, biodegradable alternatives that challenge mainstream assumptions about synthetic cleaning efficacy.

Cork-Based Washing Versus Conventional Methods Under Microbial Analysis.

When ground finely, cork absorbs both oil and water—enhancing its natural abrasive quality. Rich in Suberin and phenolics, cork resists microbial grow

When ground finely, cork absorbs both oil and water—enhancing its natural abrasive quality. Rich in Suberin and phenolics, cork resists microbial growth. But wine-stopper corks offer more: after years in contact with wine, they retain malic and tartaric acids, creating a mildly acidic surface. This unique composition makes discarded corks not just waste, but powerful degreasers, gentle abrasives, and antimicrobial agents-offering a regenerative alternative to synthetic kitchen cleaners.

Material testing

SANCHAYA lid poetically reframe our relationship with water, presenting it as a precious living element rather than a product. As water evaporates fro

SANCHAYA lid poetically reframe our relationship with water, presenting it as a precious living element rather than a product. As water evaporates from the objects, traces of the water are left behind on the glass, showing us that water is alive, ever-changing, and possesses individual characteristics. At a time when water is taken for granted and consumed as a utility, Waters treats this essential element with a reverence that has been largely lost.

Exploartions

The collaboration with Rescue Clay is closely aligned with the ecological and ethical foundations of this project. Each year, vast amounts of clay fro

The collaboration with Rescue Clay is closely aligned with the ecological and ethical foundations of this project. Each year, vast amounts of clay from London’s construction sites are discarded into landfill. Rescue Clay intervenes in this cycle by reclaiming the material and giving it renewed purpose-not only as a sustainable medium for making, but as a vehicle for community engagement, care, and circular design. Their practice illustrates how waste can be reimagined as resource, and through this co-creative process, the designer was able to engage with a material narrative that reflects both environmental responsibility and cultural continuity. Significantly, all materials used throughout the project- including clay and glaze- were either rescued or repurposed multiple times, reinforcing a strong commitment to material frugality and sustainable production.

Collaboration 

Terracotta functions as a natural filter due to its microporous structure, which allows for slow percolation of water-physically trapping suspended pa

Terracotta functions as a natural filter due to its microporous structure, which allows for slow percolation of water-physically trapping suspended particles, sediments, and some microorganisms. In this design, the terracotta is bisque-fired, maintaining its porous integrity, and blended with cork granules, which further enhance porosity and reduce density. This composite not only improves flow rate but also expands the surface area for filtration. Studies show that such ceramic filters can remove up to 95% of turbidity and significantly reduce bacterial content when paired with secondary filtration like activated charcoal. As a result, the material becomes an effective, low-tech, and sustainable medium for non-potable water reuse in domestic settings.

natural filter 

Bindu is more than a droplet, it is the primordial seed, the point from which all creation unfolds. In Sanskrit cosmology, it symbolizes the source of consciousness, the beginning of form, and the <st...

Akhil Krishnan

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Component 4 Akhil Krishnan

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Bindu - “Each drop a memory, each object a pause”

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