Meet LAKSHMY NARAYANAN | Systems Thinker, Mobility systems, Design Researcher.

We had the good fortune of connecting with LAKSHMY NARAYANAN and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi LAKSHMY, why did you pursue a creative career?
Art was the stepping stone into my creative journey, which I started when I was six. It was a means for me to connect with my surroundings besides visually expressing the landscape around me, an active practice of embedding myself in my context. My “guru”-my drawing sir used to regularly take me to outdoor camps and clay-modelling workshops which helped me build the foundations of creative thinking. When you paint something through observation, you’re constantly in conversation with the environment – people, nature, and objects around you. You begin to notice the intricate details of systems – specific synergies in nature and the various mechanisms with which they operate. On the other hand, when you sketch something from your imagination, you actively frame those relationships and narratives while simultaneously learning how they might interact with each other. It’s a highly explorative space that makes you think in a complex manner as you visualize those micro and macro details. You become more aware and knowledgeable of those intersections and inter-relationships that are not seemingly visible. I mostly sketched human figures as I was curious about narrating people’s experiences, their gestures and stories, and how they move around. I believe this habit of “observation” has helped me develop an eye for detail.
Another critical point of learning from my early years of practicing art was the acceptance of perspectives. Art is extremely subjective- what you see and perceive could be in complete contrast to a second person’s interpretation. There is no one precise direction- It’s an alternate method of approaching things. Being a (Mobility) Designer today, I recognize the significance of adopting this holistic point of view on designing urban systems. This is where Systems thinking comes into the picture- It helps to identify and unveil those multi-scalar interconnections and nuances that necessitate the need to view them through different perspectives and lenses(such as social, cultural, political, etc.)
I pursued my Bachelor in Architecture which kickstarted my design career and gave me a broader understanding of space and planning. I was particularly interested in placemaking and how space affects one’s sense of place and Identity which was the basis for my undergraduate thesis as well. Currently, I am pursuing my Masters in Graduate Transportation Systems & Design where we (Students) are trying to engage in critical Mobility studies and design research with a systems approach. I follow a design path similar to my artistic journey where Design for me is more of a storyteller and facilitator of conversations rather than simply problem-solving.
I’m a strong advocate of social and transformational design – to be able to use design in a way that facilitates effective change that is beneficial for people and communities. My paintings were always very abstract in fashion, and their underlying concepts referred to specific social issues at the time. I have had the opportunity to explore a multitude of mediums and conduct several exhibitions over time through which I continued the dialogue with other people. At the moment, I have been engaging in co-design methodology as a design practice as I’m working on my Master’s thesis (Mobilizing Resilience: Expanding Resilience Thinking to Facilitate Alternate Mobility Futures) and am trying to leverage the power of collective creativity. One of the larger implications of the thesis is to understand the changing role of design in today’s design practice as we move forward.
I’m extremely glad that I pursued a creative path. 20 years into Art and a few years of design, this journey has become invaluable and priceless and surely, a part of my identity.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I would like to describe myself as a Systems Thinker. My main focus is on design research, critical thinking, and strategic planning. I use Systems Thinking to situate Mobility at the intersection of larger Socio-cultural, and political urban systems. Currently, I’m looking forward to my thesis completion and graduation at the end of April. I’ve been working in the Resilience field for over a year for research purposes and am also an acting community partner for the Resilience Hub at Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory (BHAC). I’m also pursuing my internship at the Office of Strategic Innovation at LA Metro. I’m supporting the team in the Mobility Wallet Project, which is a pilot project under the larger Universal Basic Mobility Program. The program focuses on increasing transportation equity and increasing access to opportunities for predominantly low-income populations in Los Angeles. I’m also assisting the team regarding Open Street’s sponsorship work related to the LA Olympics 2028. It’s a very creative team at Metro, and I hope to continue my work there.
Two cents about my thesis: The thesis revolves around creating new language surrounding “Mobility Resilience” in the transportation Resilience literature. The project aims to explore local and inherent narratives of Resiliency that people identify in contrast to the dominant and institutionally defined definitions of Resiliency which are globally accepted. The current methodology in Transportation Resiliency prioritizes an efficiency-based and globalized framework for measuring and assessing resiliency in communities in contrast to its deeply contextual nature. There is also less emphasis on the intersectional nature of Mobility challenges that people face which are far more nuanced than typical disaster framing. But when thinking about larger implications, this thesis implies looking beyond resilience – to contest traditional design methodologies/interventions and planning strategies. One other project outcome of this design thesis is to establish co-design as a design methodology and encourage the idea of “Participatory Resilience” in development studies which further leads to rethinking the changing landscape of design as a practice.
I have discovered a vast network of Industry professionals and experts who are in this dialogue of transforming transportation from different parts of the world. There is so much to learn here! I would love to explore more on the intersection of sociology, policy, and Mobility studies and collaborate with organizations to continue my design research. Looking forward to creating meaningful dialogues in and around Mobility!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m quoting one of my cohort mates, “Los Angeles is a mosaic of cultures”. I have found LA to be incredibly diverse and expansive, offering a variety of activities to engage in. There are must-visits and iconic entertainment hotspots but also tiny attractions that you can enjoy. Recently, I had my best friend over for a few days and I can take you through the itinerary of our little trip. Los Angeles downtown is famous for its museums and galleries. We walked around, and had lunch at Grand Central Market. We waked through the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame By evening, we went up to Griffith Observatory and had a great time watching the show (Signs of Life). The day ended with some hot tacos from a local taco stand nearby. I live in Pasadena and it’s a pretty laid-back place, but it’s extremely beautiful to walk around, particularly near Caltech and Huntington Neighborhoods. The next day was much quieter, with long walks and a hearty meal from Tibet Nepal House, Pasadena.
The weather the following day was cloudy with intermittent rain showers, nevertheless, we drove up to ArtCenter College of Design’s Hillside campus, which in itself is a sight to behold. The campus is a cantilever structure on top of a hill that overlooks the valley and Rose bowl stadium. Chasing sunsets is my favorite activity! We had a chance to explore Santa Monica Pier and Long Beach, and also drive through PCH to catch mesmerizing sunsets by Malibu. We also walked around Highland Park and Little Tokyo, while we checked out thrift stores. What we missed was the drive to Mount Wilson and a chance to visit Catalina Island which I think is a must-see too!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Joining the Graduate Transportation Systems Design (GTSD) community at ArtCenter College of Design has been a pivot in my journey. This program strongly sheds light on rethinking traditional narratives surrounding transportation and the need to encompass an intersectional lens as we talk about Mobilities as a space for the creation and movement of larger social relationships, interactions, and power structures. One of the core values that I have picked up from this program is Systems Thinking and the capacity to analyze things critically. Systems thinking helps in sort of amalgamating the micro, meso, and macro level interdependencies of the numerous urban systems we are actively involved in. This is particularly of high significance today as we’re constantly challenged with wicked problems that have cascading implications in our daily lives.

My faculty and mentors from GTSD have been a big part of my journey and helped me carve my position as a Designer and Researcher in the industry. People from various design and non-design backgrounds (Engineering, MBA, Architecture, Humanities), collectively work together on projects producing a wide variety of perspectives. I’ve learned as much from my peers as I did from my professors. The extended GTSD family of Alumni is also a great source of inspiration and encouragement for me.

Unquestionably, my family has been my biggest strength from helping me organize my Art exhibitions to supporting me secure my Master’s in the US. My friends have also been my biggest supporters and cheerleaders on this journey.

Website: issuu.com/lakshmynarayanan/docs/portfolio_lakshmynarayanan_

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/revv__art/?hl=en

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/iamlakshmynarayanan

Image Credits
Images from left (clockwise) 1.Workshop discussion at Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory(BHAC) 2.GTSD Studio 3.Co-design workshop session at BHAC 4.WTS Award Gala with Access Group 5.Narrative Mapping Excercise 6.Personal Sketches 7.Layering Resilience activity 8.Facilitating Workshop session at BHAC