London & NYC design firms

Design firms in London and New York City began offering "Architectural Wellness Consulting" services, marketing them as solutions for "spatial energy alignment." These premium services, priced at thousands of dollars, advised clients on optimal building layouts and orientations, such as placing water features in the northeast and heavy structures in the southwest, without acknowledging the source of these principles.

The principles underpinning this consulting are derived from Vastu Shastra (वास्तु शास्त्र), an ancient Indian architectural science. Originating across Pan-India, Vastu Shastra is a sacred system of design and construction that harmonizes human dwellings with natural forces. It dictates specific placements for rooms, doors, windows, and even elements like water bodies, based on directional alignments and elemental balance, to promote well-being and prosperity for occupants. It is deeply embedded in Vedic traditions and is considered a sacred body of knowledge.

The appropriation was noted by cultural observers and scholars who pointed out that the firms were repackaging Vastu Shastra principles as a novel, high-end service. The primary objection was the complete omission of any credit to the Vedic origins of these architectural guidelines. Critics highlighted that these firms were profiting significantly from ancient, sacred Indian knowledge without acknowledging its source, effectively decontextualizing and commodifying a spiritual tradition for a Western luxury market.