Event Director Verticaa Dvivedi says strong participation and regional representation underline East and Northeast India’s growing design ecosystem
Kolkata, 5 February 2026: The MATECIA Exhibition, held alongside the Surfaces Reporter Architecture Event, concluded its East and Northeast India edition at Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan in Kolkata after a three day run from 30 January to 1 February 2026, bringing together architects, interior designers, developers, and building material stakeholders from across the region.
The event was inaugurated in the presence of senior industry leaders and architects, with Ashish Vidyarthi, National Award winning actor, motivational speaker, and Founder of Ashish Vidyarthi and Associates, attending as Chief Guest. The platform also featured a keynote session at India Interior Retailing on Day Two by Keshav Bhajanka, Executive Director of Century Ply, and recognised architect Dulal Mukherjee with a Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Surfaces Reporter Magazine.
Spread across more than 1,50,000 square feet, the exhibition hosted over 100 interior and surface brands and recorded an estimated footfall of 14,000 to 16,000 visitors over three days. Attendees travelled from more than 100 towns and cities across West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, Chhattisgarh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim.
The platform facilitated interaction between architecture and design firms, interior designers, developers, dealers, and channel partners, representing projects across residential, commercial, hospitality, and institutional segments. Engagement and footfall remained consistent across all three days, reflecting the scale and momentum of the region’s design and building materials ecosystem.
Commenting on the conclusion of the event, Verticaa Dvivedi, Director of the Surfaces Reporter Architecture Event, said the response to the Kolkata edition highlighted the depth and maturity of the architectural community in East and Northeast India. She said the sustained participation, regional representation, and quality of dialogue between architects, designers, and industry stakeholders reinforced the relevance of platforms that are rooted in the region while maintaining national significance.
A key highlight of the event was Surfaces Reporter Salutes Architecture and Design Honours, held on 31 January 2026, which recognised around 100 architects and interior designers from East and Northeast India for contributions across residential, commercial, hospitality, institutional, and urban design categories. Among those recognised were Ar Jay Prakash Agarwal of Agrawal and Agrawal, Architects Planner and Interior Designer, Kolkata; Ar Anjan Gupta of Anjan Gupta Architects, Kolkata; Ar Santosh Banka of Banka and Associates, Guwahati; Ar Lalrinzuala Ralte of Catalyst Architecture, Aizawl; and interior designer Deborup Das of Internal Affairs, Kolkata.
The honours were presented by a group of industry dignitaries including Ashoke Viswanathan, Professor and National Award winning film director; Rahul Todi, Managing Director of Shrachi Sports and Shrachi Housing Development; Pragat Dvivedi, Director of the MATECIA Exhibition; Verticaa Dvivedi; and Madhurima Chaudhary, Executive Director of Surfaces Reporter.
Speaking on the broader response to the exhibition, Pragat Dvivedi said the region is witnessing a transformation driven by evolving design aspirations and growing demand for globally benchmarked materials and solutions. He said Kolkata demonstrated how emerging regions will play a defining role in shaping the future of India’s architecture and building materials industry, alongside traditional metropolitan centres.
In addition to the exhibition floor, the event featured India Interior Retailing, facilitating engagement between interior retail stakeholders and industry leaders, and the Surfaces Reporter Showcase, where brands presented products and architects shared professional observations, encouraging direct dialogue between designers and manufacturers.
With steady visitor engagement, strong professional participation, and active industry involvement across all three days, the MATECIA Exhibition and Surfaces Reporter Architecture Event concluded with a reinforced position as a key regional platform for East and Northeast India’s architecture and design community.
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