Designing for Humanity: How Rena Parikh Built Encore Design Studio Around Human-Centric, Purpose-Driven Spaces
Rena Parikh is the founder of Encore Design Studio, a design-led practice focused on creating thoughtful, human-centric environments across workplaces, retail, hospitality, healthcare, and residential spaces. Founded in 2022 and based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, Encore Design Studio is built on a larger vision: shaping environments that influence behaviour, culture, well-being, and business performance in meaningful ways.
At Encore, design is not merely about aesthetics or physical infrastructure. It is about building experiences, emotional connection, and spatial identity. From collaborative workplaces and retail experiences to healing environments and hospitality spaces, Rena's approach integrates functionality, psychology, culture, and long-term relevance. Every project is seen as an opportunity to improve the way people feel, interact, work, and live within a space.
A Journey Shaped by Curiosity and Purpose
Rena's journey into design began not with drawings, but with clay and curiosity. Long before she became a professional, she was shaping miniature worlds with Lego, quietly observing how people move and exist within a space.
That early fascination evolved into a formal education at CEPT University, where she had the privilege of learning under some of the finest mentors in design. A defining moment came in 2008 during her internship at Eisenman Architects in New York City, which expanded her understanding of architecture beyond form—into thought, theory, and global dialogue.
From 2009 to 2012, Rena worked with KSA DPS in Ahmedabad, contributing to diverse projects including a cancer hospital, golf club, and restaurants. These experiences grounded her in the realities of design—where creativity meets complexity.
In 2012, Rena began her independent practice, working on residential and office spaces in Ahmedabad. Alongside, her role as a Resource Manager at Avani Dye Chem exposed her to the industrial and business side of operations—shaping her understanding of scale, systems, and impact.
The Pandemic Pivot: Founding Encore Design Studio
Then came 2020. The pandemic was a turning point. It reinforced a simple but powerful truth: home is not just a space—it is a sanctuary.
This realization led Rena to establish Encore Design Studio in 2022, with a renewed purpose—to design environments that truly support the way people live, think, and feel.
Her leadership journey has evolved through entrepreneurship, creativity, resilience, and an ongoing commitment to purposeful impact. Over the years, she has learned that leadership is not only about building businesses, but also about building ecosystems, communities, and conversations that create value beyond commerce.
What Makes Encore Design Studio Unique
What differentiates Encore Design Studio is the ability to combine design thinking, human behaviour, business understanding, and execution intelligence into one integrated approach. Spaces are not viewed as isolated physical environments—they are seen as strategic tools that influence productivity, culture, customer experience, emotional well-being, and brand perception.
Key differentiators include:
Creativity balanced with practicality
Conceptual thinking combined with attention to detail
Process clarity and material understanding
Strong project coordination with a personalized and collaborative approach
Every project treated uniquely—not through a standard design template
Another key differentiator is the emphasis on emotionally intelligent and culturally aware design. Rena believes spaces should reflect identity, values, and human connection—not just trends. Her perspective is shaped by a strong understanding of workplace psychology, community impact, sustainability consciousness, and evolving lifestyle patterns.
A Design Philosophy Rooted in Human Connection
Rena believes a designer's role is not to follow culture, but to quietly shape it. Spaces are not collections of objects—they are living stages for human life.
Her practice is rooted in the intersection of design thinking and technical precision.
She specializes in advanced 3D development and technical detailing—not just as tools for visualization, but as instruments for clarity, accuracy, and global collaboration.
Key areas of expertise include:
Design Specialization:
Translating client vision into meaningful spaces
Functional harmony between aesthetics and usability
Thoughtful and sustainable material selection
Technical Mastery:
Advanced 3D development and visualization
Detailed technical documentation
Clear and effective design communication
Project Scope:
Global conceptual design collaboration
Regional execution and on-site build oversight
At its core, Rena's work is still driven by that same childhood instinct—to create spaces that feel intuitive, human, and quietly transformative.
Beyond Design: Nation-Building and Social Impact
Alongside her professional work, Rena actively engages in nation-building and awareness-driven initiatives.
As a CSA (Child Safety Awareness) trainer, she strongly believes in creating safer, more conscious environments for children and communities through education and dialogue.
She is also deeply interested in climate consciousness, sustainable thinking, and the role design can play in shaping a more responsible future.
Culture, human behaviour, and emotional intelligence remain central to both her personal philosophy and professional practice. Rena believes spaces carry energy, memory, and influence—and that design has the power to shape not just environments, but experiences, relationships, and society itself.
For her, the vision has always been larger than creating better spaces. It is about contributing towards making the world a better space through thoughtful leadership, meaningful design, and conscious action.
Overcoming Challenges in a Competitive Industry
One of the biggest challenges in Rena's journey has been communicating the depth and value of Encore's approach in an industry that is often compared primarily on aesthetics, pricing, or surface-level deliverables.
At Encore Design Studio, the practice operates from a more strategic and human-centric narrative. Design is looked at through the lens of behaviour, culture, experience, business functionality, and long-term impact. However, not every client initially approaches design with that level of thought or awareness, which sometimes leads to direct "apple-to-apple" comparisons between designers despite fundamentally different approaches and value systems.
A significant part of the journey has therefore involved educating clients, building trust, and helping them understand that meaningful design is not just about how a space looks, but how it performs, feels, and supports people over time.
This challenge has also been one of the greatest learning experiences for Rena as a leader. It taught her resilience, patience, communication, and the importance of standing firmly by her philosophy even when the market may prioritize faster or more transactional solutions.
Over time, this clarity of vision has helped attract clients who value deeper thinking, authenticity, and purpose-driven design.
A Leadership Philosophy Built on Resilience and Empathy
Rena's leadership reflects years of experience across design, business, and social impact. Her philosophy is built on:
Resilience – showing up every day with courage and commitment
Empathy – understanding clients, teams, and communities
Intuition – trusting her creative instincts
Accountability – taking responsibility for outcomes
Consistency – staying authentic while continuing to grow
She believes women naturally carry a strong sense of resilience, empathy, intuition, and accountability—qualities that are incredible leadership strengths.
Client Trust and Long-Term Relationships
At the core of Encore's practice is trust, relationship-building, and the intention to create meaningful impact through design. The studio is not simply delivering interiors; it is helping organizations and individuals shape experiences, culture, and environments that support growth, well-being, and lasting value.
With over 75,000+ square feet of spaces designed and delivered, Encore Design Studio has built a reputation for strategic, human-centric, and sustainable design solutions.
Rena's Advice to Women Entrepreneurs
My advice to aspiring women entrepreneurs is to first acknowledge the strength it already takes to navigate multiple roles every single day. Whether you are a mother, wife, daughter, caregiver, or entrepreneur—balancing these responsibilities itself is an achievement, and you do not always need external validation to prove your worth.
There will be phases where your capabilities are questioned, especially in industries that are still largely male-dominated. You may face judgment, self-doubt, burnout, comparison, and moments where giving up feels easier than continuing. But what matters is that you still choose to show up the next day—with courage, responsibility, and commitment.
I believe women naturally carry a strong sense of resilience, empathy, intuition, and accountability. What many call feminine energy is actually an incredible leadership strength—the ability to nurture, build, adapt, hold space for others, and continue moving forward despite challenges.
So my advice is: trust your journey, trust your voice, and do not underestimate the power of consistency. Success is not only about scale or recognition; it is also about staying authentic to who you are while continuing to grow, create impact, and stand tall through every phase of the journey.
For Rena Parikh, success is not only measured by completed projects or business growth. It is measured by the impact her designs have on people's lives, the trust she builds with clients, and the legacy she creates through thoughtful, purpose-driven work.
Quick Profile
Founder: Rena Parikh
Company: Encore Design Studio
Founded: 2022
Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
Industry: Interior Design / Architecture
Specialization: Human-centric design across workplaces, retail, hospitality, healthcare, and residential spaces
Education: CEPT University; Internship at Eisenman Architects, New York
Mission: Creating thoughtful, purposeful environments that influence behaviour, culture, well-being, and business performance
Social Impact: CSA (Child Safety Awareness) Trainer; Climate consciousness and sustainability advocate
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