Bio-Integrated Cladding solution from India wins 2025 Swarovski Foundation’s Creatives for Our Future Program

Bio-Integrated cladding for greener cities, an innovative solution by a 29-year-old Indian architect, has won the 2025 Swarovski Foundation’s Creatives for Our Future programme, an initiative in partnership with the United Nations Office for Partnerships. Mangesh Kurund is the only Indian to win the 2025 Swarovski Foundation’s Creatives for Our Future programme.

Eco-friendly housing solutions for refugee camps in Nigeria, textiles made from ocean waste in Egypt by local fishermen, and a device making music more accessible for the Deaf community from Indonesia are among other winning initiatives.

With the support of the Creatives for Our Future programme, Mangesh hopes to turn his concept into a scalable, impactful and commercially viable system, developing functional prototypes that can be tested in a variety of real-world conditions.

Mangesh’s bio-cladding system uses lightweight tiles embedded with water reservoirs to cultivate algae and moss, mimicking natural water management processes. This living cladding purifies air, sequesters carbon, and reduces urban heat, contributing to healthier, greener cities.

Mangesh Kurund, said, “My architectural ideas have always revolved around bridging the gap between built and natural environments to create inter-connected, complementary spaces. I am excited and grateful that the Creatives for Our Future programme will give me the opportunity to develop prototypes of my bio-receptive cladding systems. Just as trees purify the air and provide natural cooling, this cladding acts like the bark of a tree and does exactly that for buildings.”

Jakhya Rahman-Corey, Director of the Swarovski Foundation, praised the winners, stating, “Each year, I am inspired by the remarkable creativity and vision of these young innovators. Their groundbreaking solutions demonstrate the transformative power of creativity in tackling global challenges.”

At the event, Annemarie Hou, Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Partnerships, stated, “Supporting young people with the tools to create a sustainable world is more important than ever. They bring fresh ideas, hope, and drive change for a better future. We are proud to support these innovators grow their projects and work towards the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Now in its fourth year, the programme identifies and supports the next generation of creative innovators driving sustainable solutions across architecture, fashion, circular design, community development, product design, and technology. The 2025 winners were chosen from 487 applicants and announced at a reception at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. There were 5 other winners of the programme.