ignites ImagINatIoN - Insiteinsiteindia.in/2016/mar/NATCON Report.pdf · arrived at the cultural capital of Madhya Pradesh to ... ignites ImagINatIoN Text: Deepa Shailendra, ... synthesizing

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Between the 18th and 20th of February 2016, Indore was swept up in a whirl of activity, as over 2000 delegates arrived at the cultural capital of Madhya Pradesh to engage in a lively discussion on the future of Indian design. Investing in a new paradigm by taking ‘Design To The Masses’ was the theme of the 11th National Convention of the Institute of Indian Interior Designers. Hosted by the dynamic young Indore Chapter, the convention was held at the sprawling grounds of the Brilliant Convention Centre. With its rich architectural heritage, combined with its newly acquired status as a developing Smart City, the venue served as the perfect prototype for an emerging India.

It was a three day marathon with an impressive range of 21 presentations, 3 panel discussions and several break-out sessions. The speakers’ sessions were divided into three segments that addressed Design that Matters, Design that Caters and Design that Celebrates the masses; and was skillfully navigated by Emcees Shamini Shanker and Azmi Wadia, who maintained the momentum and pace of the event.


IIID NatConignites

ImagINatIoN

Text: Deepa Shailendra, Ujwala MenonPhotos: Chandrashekhar Mandge

1 8 InsIte stORY IIID NaTcON 2016

Shashi Tharoor is a politician, writer, public intellectual and former diplomat, who is serving as Member of Parliament from Thiruvanan-thapuram, since 2009. He is a member of the Indian National Congress and has served various posts. Tharoor, has served at the UN for 29 years, announcing his departure after finishing second in the 2006 elections for Secretary-General to Ban Ki-moon. He is also a writer, having authored fifteen fiction and non-fiction bestsellers.

James Balmond is an integral part of Balmond Studio, Sri Lanka. He strongly believes that creativity should be spread across the design spectrum, delivering full architectural and consulting services, and must include project management, interior design, as well as public and fine art pieces. Balmond Studio has a worldwide presence particularly in UK, Singapore and USA, besides their well established practice in Colombo.

Born Michael White in Sydney, he arrived in Bali, on what was meant to be a short trip to escape his studies in architecture. His fascination with Bali’s culture and tradition led him to stay on with a Brahmin family there, eventually designing the gardens of the legendary Bali Oberoi. A world renowned tropical garden designer, he travels around the world, weaving his magic with his 500-strong team of artisans and “garden commandos”, as he calls them.

Dr. Shailendra Raj Mehta is currently the Provost/Vice Chancellor of Ahmedabad University, and has also held the post of Assistant Professor of Economics at the Krannert School of Management, Purdue University. He has taught a wide range of subjects ranging from Economics of Uncertainty to Macroeconomic Theory. He is also the recipient of the ‘Class of 1922 Prize for Teaching Innovation and Helping Students Learn’, one of the highest awards of its kind at Purdue.

Matteo Fantoni opened his studio in Milan in 2007, and specialises in Master Planning, Landscape Design and Architectural Design, with a commitment to Integrated, Flexible and Ecologically Sustainable planning and design. He, with his team, has undertaken several projects around the world. He came 3rd in an International Design Competition for the Padiglione Italia at the 2015 Universal Exposition. He is also a visiting professor at the Brera Academy, Milan, teaching a course on Virtual Architecture.

shashitharoor

JaMEsBaLMoND

MaDEWiJaYa

shaiLENDra MEhta

MattEoFaNtoNi

THE EMINENT SPEAKERS @ NATCON


Kees Spanjers heads Zannen Spanjers Architects in Amsterdam, which he took responsibility for after the death of his mentor Pieter Zannen in 1994. He is known for his interior architecture, which has won him several accolades and awards. His mentors have been Jan Rietveld, Dirk van Sliedrecht and Pieter Zannen. He is well-learned and continues his learning with many additional trainings and courses.

Iñaqui Carnicero has been active in both the academic field and the professional field, and is Associate Professor of Design at the School of Architecture, Polytechnic University of Madrid. He has won several competitions and completed many projects, his first commission being a competition project for the construction of a university building in Madrid. His PhD dissertation focuses on Louis Kahn and Robert Venturi’s discoveries in Rome regarding the perception of size in architecture.

Habeeb Khan completed his Masters from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and has worked with Charles E. Broudy on major design projects for retail giants. He returned to India to establish his practice, Smita and Habeeb Khan Associates. His commitment to design education is evident in his role as Director of Priyadarshini Institute, Nagpur and Lokmanya Tilak Institute, Mumbai.

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haBEEB KhaN

iNaQUiCarNiCEro


Pradeep Sachdeva, Principal Architect of Pradeep Sachdeva Design Associates, brings together a rich and unique legacy of public work ranging from hospitality, havelis and lodges, public spaces and streetscapes. Dilli Haat, Garden of Five Senses, Pilot Streetscaping Project for the Delhi Development Authority, are just some of his notable projects.

Aparna Piramal Raje draws from her Harvard and Oxford education, and hands-on experience heading one of India’s largest furniture manufacturers, to write on urban planning, affordable housing, rehabilitation and mass transportation for international and Indian journals, besides anchoring prime time shows on business and design.

praDEEp saChDEva

aparNapiraMaL raJE


Prof. Krishna Shastri, Dean of School of Interior Design and Co-ordinator of the Design Innovation and Craft Resource Centre, CEPT, holds a Master’s from the School of Architecture, Washington and has been instrumental in the establishment of the School of Interior Design at CEPT. Visiting professor at various schools and institutes of interior design, she also practices interior design, architecture and urban design.

Aman Nath is an Indian writer, hotelier, and architectural restorer. He is the co-founder and co-chairman of Neemrana Hotels. He started the chain, along with Francis Wacziarg, and both are today credited for pioneering the heritage hotels movement in India. Aman is involved in the restoration of India’s unlisted architectural ruins, now run as the Neemrana ‘non-hotel’ Hotels, which have won awards from UNESCO and the Indian travel trade industry.

Sanjib Chatterjee, who studied from the School of Planning & Architecture, New Delhi, has been working on several architectural, interior and product design projects for the last 26 years. He has also exhibited his work as a painter at galleries both Indian and international. Co founding KAARU along with Anjalee Wakankar has given structure and direction to his search for the common thread that connects art, architecture, craft and design.

KrishNa sasthri

Akshat Bhatt, a graduate of the TVB School of Habitat Studies and winner of a string of awards, has worked with Penoyre & Prasad, London and Verendra Wakhloo before establishing Architecture Discipline. His achievements in photography and music complement his architectural practice, where he believes that true regional expression can only be achieved through critical intimacy with the subject. His most recent accomplishment has been the design of the Make in India pavilion at the Hannover Messe 2015.

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saNJiB ChattErJEE

aKshat Bhatt



Rajesh Patel, Past President – IIID, has an established multidisciplinary practice that includes architecture, interior design, industrial and graphic design. His precise methodology for maintaining and controlling documentation and progress on a project, right from conception to completion and covering aspects of design and design management, has been formulated into a well received software – DESIGNAUDIT.

Manish Banker’s two year association with the Osho Commune International during his early years as apprentice on the global design team consisting of artists, designers and engineers, inspired him to establish ‘Tao Architecture’, his Pune based practice. His practice has won several laurels on numerous platforms, supported by his strong belief in sharing and growing together.

Conrad Gonsalves, Past President and Fellow Member IIID, combines his initial exposure to studies in science, humanities and architecture with his formal education in Interior Design to design projects for the multinational, corporate and banking sectors. Today, he largely focuses on educational and medical institutional projects, particularly geriatric care, and the new emerging area of small living spaces.

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MaNish BaNKEr

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With an experience of 43 years in the academic and professional field, N. Mahesh is an eminent architect who has contributed immensely to the field of sustainable architecture. He is credited with reviving timber construction in a modern concept, and is known for designing some of the best resorts and hotels in India. He is the recipient of more than two dozen awards and honours.

Ravindra Kumar, often referred to as “Ravee” by his peers, is Principal at Pragrup and Design Director VA group. His urban design solutions for academia and technology campuses, have a special understanding of their complex needs, well integrated with the building and the landscape. He is visiting faculty at universities in the USA and Canada. He is also one of the Principals at T.B.S. Foundation, a school for 400 rural children.

raviNDraKUMar



IIID RED CARPET DElEgATESDAy - 1

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IIID, has set rich tradition of recognising the contribution of stalwarts. IIID had invited ten distinguished design professionals to bestow upon them the IIID Hall of Fame honour at Indore. As a part of this, they were invited for a red carpet walk at the event. In fact, this grand red carpet walk kicked-off the 11th Biennial National Convention. This star-studded ceremony was held at the forecourt of the Convention Centre. Here are the recepients and their brief profile.

Parul ZaveriParul Zaveri & Nimish Patel established Abhikram, a Planning, Architecture, Conservation and Interiors consultancy firm in 1979, to explore design directions and processes which make built environment, functionally, psychologically, environmentally and spiritually, more balanced, contextual and comfortable for the end-user. She is committed to the conservation of cultural heritage, revival and continuation of the use of the traditional materials, technologies and craft skills and reducing energy consumption for human comforts, through passive means.

1. Audience witnessing the red carpet walk

2. Parul Zaveri and Pragati Jain

3. Sanjay Patil

4. Yashwanth Mistry

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Sanjay PatilSanjay Patil established Environ Planners in 1981, an architectural firm committed to environment conscious architecture, seeking inspiration from nature and tradition. The firm’s efforts are consciously directed towards sustainable development and the adoption of energy efficient principles in their building design. Winner of several awards, their approach towards synthesizing the vernacular with modern technology, integrated with landscape, has resulted in a built environment which amalgamates interior and exterior to create a series of interactive spaces.

Yashwant MistryYashwant Mistry belongs to a generation of architects, who have sought to give modern architecture in India a footing at the international level. Hailing from a family of architects, his dedication and zeal to architecture comes from his strong belief in the timelessness of architectural work. An avid designer, he believes and dreams of a world, where all objects of daily use would be designed vigorously. His utopian and idealist notions are often expressed in his designs.

George JoelGeorge Joel has a background in engineering, eventually starting his own design practice, progressing to product design, signage systems and street furniture. ‘Greenearth Culture’ was founded and developed from working on a rural home stay project and other bamboo projects with a local NGO, and was launched to provide world class pre-engineered bamboo structures of tropical styling to resorts, boutique hotels, restaurants and private connoisseurs. Highly skilled artisans work closely with a technical team to produces exquisite bamboo products.

Kayur PatelA pioneer of unique architectural glass art, glass fusion, a trusted name in the field of luxury design, was founded in 1986 by Mr. Kayur Patel. Working in

tandem with interior design specialists and individual creative geniuses alike, has resulted in bespoke works of luxury, handcrafted at the factory in Mumbai by trained Indian artisans, keeping in mind the aesthetics of the design, backed by a combination of value engineering, creativity and keen attention to detail.

Anand NamjoshiAnand Namjoshi, a civil engineer by profession, heads AVN Associates, a leading firm with years of design experience, since its establishment in 1973, by the Late Shri V. M. Namjoshi. Specialising in a wide range of projects across the country, he owes his success to his ability to visualizing the end product and having the conviction to see a project to its completion. Transparency and commitment are just some of the reasons for his continued clientele.

5. George Joel

6. Kayur Patel

7. Anand Namjoshi

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Chandra Mohan PawarCM Pawar is a renowned architect with 45 years of experience in architecture and interior design. With numerous successful projects under his belt, he

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8. C M Pawar with Vikas Thakkar

9. Lalichan Zacharias

10. Gloria Benny

11. Audience witnessing the red carpet walk

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is celebrated for his use of natural elements, inspired by our cultural heritage. Winner of several awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award, he is best known for his innovations in interior design.

Lalichan ZachariasAr. Lalichan Zacharias, is a Partner of the firm Sony Mathai Lalichan, Cochin, established in the year 1984. The firm is engaged in design of various buildings like Residential Apartments, Schools, Museums, Hospitals, Hotels, Resorts, Religious/Institutional Buildings etc. He has won some of prestigious awards like IIA Award for Excellence in Architecture during the year 2007 and Inside Outside Award for Excellence in Architecture during the year 2011. He has also won the Indian Institute of Architects Outstanding Member Award in the year 2012. Having served IIA as Chairman of Kerala Chapter during 2009 - 2010 and as Council Member during 2011 – 2012, he is currently Jt. Hon. Secretary of the Indian Institute of Architects for the term 2015-2017.

Ms. Gloria BennyGloria Benny is a social entrepreneur who has co-founded two non-profits. She set up Guardians of Dreams in 2015 to work towards enabling better life outcomes for children living in orphanages and street shelters. She believes that the country is at the threshold of a socio-economic revolution; and the youth of this nation is at the helm of it.


FElICITATION OF IIID PAST PRESIDENTS

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The Felicitation of the Past Presidents of IIID was the next event, where IIID recognised the presence of seven IIID Past Presidents who came all the way to Indore for their participation at Natcon. While addressing the gathering, Mr. Pratap Jadhav categorically mentioned that it was the passion, direction and mentorship of these visionaries, that had steered the organisation over the decades and put IIID firmly on the national arena as the Thought Leader for the design industry. Those who were present were invited for the red carpet walk and were honoured.

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1. Raksha Sethi felicitating Bakir Baldiwala

2. Bhavna Chainani with Rajesh Patel

3. Jabeen Zacharias with Conrad Gonsalves

4. Mandeep Chhabra & Deepak Sharma with Vishwas Lele

5. Shital Kapade felicitating Rohit Ganatra

6. Pratap Jadhav and Manish Kumat greeting Nitin Killawala

7. Pragati Jain felicitating Bankim Dave

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lIgHTINg OF THE NATCON TORCHWith this Natcon, IIID initiated a new ritual of lighting the Natcon Torch. While addressing the gathering,

Jabeen Zacharias said that this being a new tradition, the host chapter representatives of the past ten Natcons should light the torch and finally pass it on to the current hosts of the 11th Natcon.

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1. Representatives of host chapters of previous ten NatCons (from L to R), Bakir Baldiwala from Mumbai; Ar. Hari Agashe from Pune; Shantanu Chaudhary from Hyderabad; Anirudh Dehade from Baroda; Gayathri Shetty from Bangalore; Rita Modi Joshi from Goa; Subodh Sapatnekar from Pune; Jabeen Zacharias & S Gopakumar from Kochi; Vivek Sawant from Kolhapur and Anshuman Sharma from Jaipur (not seen in the picture)

2. Pragati Jain, Jabeen Zacharias and Pratap Jadhav

3. Manish Kumat, Shital Kapade, Jabeen Zacharias, S Gopakumar, Pratap Jadhav and Pragati Jain

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INAuguRAl CEREMONy

They came and they conquered – Emcees Azmi Wadia and Shamini Shanker came on the dias and set the tone of the evening by giving a brief about the three action-packed days at Natcon.

This was followed by the traditional Lighting of the Lamp by IIID President - Pratap Jadhav, Hon. Secy. - Jabeen L. Zacharias, Indore Centre Chair - Pragati Jain, Co-convener - Manish Kumat, Guest of Honour - Dr. Shailendra Mehta, Inaqui Carnicero, Mukund Patel of Vitra, Narendra Patel from Torfenster, Kapil Bhatia of Daikin, Sandeep Sharma of Johnson and the lucky draw winner Aparna Raj Vaidya.

After that came a scintillating interpretative dance performance by Kathak danseuse Ragini Makkar which set the mood for the convention.

Welcome Address by Pragati JainWelcoming delegates to the ‘City known for its hospitality and gastronomic delights’, the elegant host and Indore Centre Chairperson Pragati Jain observed that “everything is created twice, once in the mind and then in reality. NatCon 2016 was a dream, with Imagine as its theme and the endeavor of taking design to the masses.”

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I strongly feel that unless we think of our masses

and design a lifestyle for

each and every individual who is born in this country, we

may not be able to do justice to

our practice- Pratap Jadhav

1. Pragati Jain

2. The Emcees - Azmi Wadia and Shamini Shankar

3. Performance by Ragini Makkar and her troop

4. Lighting of lamp by Shailendra Mehta and Pratap Jadhav in presence of Kapil Bhatia, Jabeen Zacharias and Mukund Patel1

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5. Manish Kumat, Pragati Jain and Jabeen Zacharias

6. Pratap Jadhav

7. Shailendra Mehta

Presidential Address by Pratap Jadhav In his passionate address, Pratap Jadhav observed, “I strongly feel that unless we think of our masses and design a lifestyle for each and every individual who is born in this country, we may not be able to do justice to our practice.” He thanked his three ‘genies’, Convention Chairman Ar. Jabeen Zacharias, Ar. Manish Kumat and Indore Center Chairperson Pragati Jain for taking the convention to a different level. He sketched out the organisation’s objective of bringing a change in interior design education, through the upcoming interior design seminar as well as his vision for the Design Yatra.

Keynote Address by Dr. Shailendra MehtaDr. Shailendra Mehta, the Guest of Honor at the 11th National Convention and alumni of Oxford, Harvard and an award winning management professor from Purdue University brought his management perspective to the theory of design, with a stunning and insightful keynote address that marked an auspicious beginning to the 3 day of deliberations.

Contextually, the Indian theory of

design is important because we are at an interesting cusp of the 5th and 6th revolution after the philosophical, social, political and literary revolutions. The economic renaissance is underway and hence what is required to find our place in the comity of nations is to complete an aesthetic and transcendental revolution and essentially to link back to our aesthetic and spiritual traditions.

Design is the combination of technological feasibility, economic viability and aesthetic desirability. The challenge in India is that we are basically weak in the feasibility part, in the sense that the knowledge that needs to be catalyzed to advance is essentially weak. The person who understood most about desirability was perhaps Steve Jobs who created things of transcendental beauty. Steve Jobs stressed that the reason that Apple was able to create wonderful products was because they just didn’t have the great technologists but they also had the greatest poets, historians, artists, zoologists who were exposed to the best things that humans have done.

Zen and the art of Kalaripayattu went from the spiritual temples of Kerala to China and then on to Japan in the 12th century. The Zen in Japan was seeing one’s true nature and expression of this insight in daily life. Japan has taken the notion of Shunyata (or emptiness) from India and then rippled it in every aspect

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We need to develop a multi-

disciplinary university in

India. Art and design should

be a part of our curriculum that is based on inner sciences, aesthetics and

technology- Dr. Shailendra Mehta

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8. Jabeen Zacharias

9. Pratap Jadhav giving Citation to Gloria Benny in presence of Subhashchandra Arole

10. Bankim Dave

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of daily life. From the tea ceremony, to ikebana, origami, bonsai to sword making, all parts of Japanese life is suffused with beauty and it is the core expression of Zen, which went from India.

How do we take all our history and make something worthwhile for today’s design practitioners? Using the Zen parable of the Ox or Bull, which was also the Rig Vedic symbol for man, Dr. Shailendra Mehta depicted the stages of design. Seeking the Ox is the stage in which is the designer’s flight of fantasy sees a possibility. Finding the tracks is when one gets the clues. Catching the first glimpse of the ox is when it reaches a transcendent moment. Catching the ox, Taming the ox and Riding the ox home are the sustainability and production phases. Sitting still and doing nothing and Ox and Self are forgotten happens when true transcendence is reached. Then you Return to the Source and go back to the Market place with helping hands. In Zen philosophy, it is not sufficient to find enlightenment for yourself. Unless you bring it into the world around you and into Life, your job is not fully done. Perfection is finally attained not when there is no longer anything to add, but when there is nothing more to take away.

No tradition in the world is as developed or as distinct as the aesthetics in India. He stressed the need to develop a multi-disciplinary university in India. Art and design should be a part of our curriculum that is based on inner sciences, aesthetics and technology. We need to develop our own Indian vocabulary. Why can’t we call it Paribhushan? Bhushan means to adore. Paribhushan means to adore with all our senses, with all our technical economic and art aesthetics.

Address by Conference Chair, Jabeen Zacharias“We shape our buildings and they shape our people.” observed the dynamic Convention Chairperson Ar. Jabeen Zacharias as she walked her 2000 strong

audience through the making of the convention with its 23 committees, 4 partners and 29 chapter team-mates. She complimented the 7 year old Indore Chapter for putting together the biggest ever convention in the history of IIID.

IIID Associates with GOD!After the Inaugural Address by Dr. Shashi Tharoor, IIID announced their partnership with GOD (Guardians of Dreams) Foundation for bringing better living conditions in shelter homes and IIID President Pratap Jadhav felicitated social entrepreneur Ms. Gloria Benny, who heads the Foundation.

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Introduction of Chief Guest by Bankim DaveIntroducing Chief Guest Dr. Shashi Tharoor, the live-wire IIID Past President Bankim Dave referred to him as a towering personality who is widely acclaimed as a thought-leader and a role model for the younger generation. Success for him has been a journey, not a destination, he observed, while introducing this dynamic Member of Parliament from Kerala.

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Brand India to succeed must reflect reality that embraces all Indians.

When it does, it will be not just the ‘Incredible

India’, so beloved of the tourism

wallahs, but a ‘credible India’, that the world

can admire and respect.

- Dr. Shashi Tharoor

11. Shashi Tharoor

12. Audience

13. Manish Kumat

14. Audience

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Inaugural Address by Dr. Shashi TharoorThe Chief Guest Dr. Shashi Tharoor began his address by thanking Past President Ar. Bankim Dave for his “extraordinarily generous introduction” that his late father would be proud of but only his mother would have believed! He thanked the trailblazers of the architectural and design industry of India for embarking on a noble mission of taking design to the masses and for strengthening the design industry and improving the quality of living for all.

While delivering his Inaugural Address, he said that “Indian designers are reimagining today’s products by evoking in many ways the spirit of India’s age old traditions, representing India’s unusual ability to take art, philosophies, and traditions from the past and harmonising them with the practices of the present and the innovations of the future. This quality is essentially Indian. In all of this the conceptualization of the essence of our nation, in an increasingly globalised world, a new buzz word has recently come into vogue – Brand India.

What underlies the idea of our nation, the idea that we project onto the other countries of the world, as well

as within our borders? Our first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, insisted on retaining the name India for the newly independent country, as India had a number of associations with the eyes of the world. Nehru wanted people to understand the India he was leading was an heir to a precious heritage. India retained its exoticism, bejeweled Maharajahs on caparisoned elephants, against the backdrop of the fabled Taj Mahal, of course, while simultaneously striding the world stage as a moral force for peace and justice in the vein of Mahatma Gandhi. As poverty and famine stalked the land, and the exotic images became replaced in the global media with pictures of suffering and despair; the brand became soiled. It was no longer a brand that could attract the world.

Today, the brand has changed again. As India has transformed itself economically from the lumbering elephant of cliché to the bounding tiger, it needs a fresh brand image to keep up with the times. Today, we have Make in India. The campaign envisions India using the logo of a lion made up of many mechanical parts. But, before you can Make in India, you must Design in India!

Looking back at the celebrated career of the immortal painter Raja Ravi Varma, who was one of the first artists to employ lithography, mass producing art for nationwide consumption, one wonders what would be the equivalent of that today. What ensures that the benefits of Indian design can be enjoyed by the masses?

Designers play the role of India’s ambassadors on a global stage. As is now widely accepted in today’s world, soft power and cultural diplomacy are the crucial instruments that allow India to shape contemporary global affairs. The second is the development of India’s public spaces. A public space is an exercise in inclusivity and democracy. We must do all that we can to preserve and improve these spaces, and design would be a means of pursuing this


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mission. Beyond being a space for us to come together in our growing and crowded cities, they’re also a projection of the image of our iconic cities onto the global consciousness, playing a role in our soft power capabilities. Third, we must continue India’s practice of frugal innovation. What frugal innovation does is it takes up market products and strip them to their essential components, redesigning them in other ways making it possible to sell the product to a larger number of low income consumers at a reasonable price.

I hope that along with building India all of you present here therefore will recognise your own contributions to building Brand India that will include both Make in India, and Design in India.”

Vote of Thanks by Co-Convener, Manish Kumat

In his Vote of Thanks, the dashing Co-Convenor of Imagine, Manish Kumat expressed his gratitude to the recipients of Hall of Fame, past presidents of IIID, speakers, the Imagine teams, 4 partners, sub-committees, Chapter Chairs and 700 students. He observed that “It was like trying to run a marathon that had not been run before”.


FElICITATION OF SPEAKERS

15. Pratap Jadhav being felicitated by Rohit Ganatra

16. Jabeen Zacharias being felicitated by Tanuja B K

17. Shailendra Mehta being felicitated by Sameer Joshi

18. Dr. Shashi Tharoor being felicitated by Pratap Jadhav and Jabeen Zacharias

19. Audience15

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The solution to design that matters has to be to empower the underprivileged and revive the construction techniques and skills that were used traditionally. Had we been in our roots, we would understand that design is intrinsic to our soul because Nature is all Art.

- Habeeb Khan

Khan. The increasing influence of Bollywood, TV and the internet has given opportunities to dream. What can we as designers do to rise up and contribute to this strata of society?” He urged our 5 lakh plus design community to take up one project each and implement it to its completion.

James BalmondA firm believer in karma, Balmond presented a philosophical outlook to the forum that emphasized a connection with the consciousness. Using nature as a precept, there are systems of organisation around us in snowflakes, in petal formations and DNA helixes. Each thread of the system be it numerical, algorithmic, geometric, periodic, fractal, ratio-based, biological or proportional, is coded with construction, that is self organising with a structure that is a flow of information.”

Sanjeev VidyarthiMeaningful ideas and professional practices were two keys words to Sanjeev Vidyarthi’s Talk that he presented with back stories and arguments to understand how and why designers work the way, they do. Two pressing issues for design practitioners today is their own professional identity and the identity of their creations. He believes that small design firms are embracing a new design identity.

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A refreshing early morning yoga session with Bela Mody and Ar. Amita Raj and a spiritually recharging session on Training our Minds with the Sisters of Brahmakumaris set the stage for the second day of the convention.

Iñaqui CarniceroIn his address, Inaqui Carnicero spoke about re-calibrating his design philosophy during the economic crisis of Spain and adjusting to the craziness of Spain after the Boom. He explained about austerity in design with projects from his own portfolio that included The Pitch House, the Contemporary Art Centre and a lower income housing project in Madrid and the restoration of an Arab Tower in Guadalupe.

Habeeb Khan “Start up India and Make in India are new agents of influence, who have added new vigor and vitality to the economic climate,” said Ar. Habeeb

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1. Meditation session cunducted by the sisters of Brahmakumaris

2. Iñaqui Carnicero

3. Habeeb Khan

4. James Balmond

5. sanjeev Vidyarthi

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6. Panel Discussion - 1 (from L to R) Iñaqui Carnicero , James Belmond; Krishna shastri; sanjib Chatterjee; sanjeev Vidyarthi and Habeeb Khan

7. Made Wijaya

8. Pradeep sachdeva

9. Aparna Piramal Raje

10. Aman nath

A panel discussion on Design that matters to the masses was coordinated by Sanjib Chatterjee. The panellists included Prof. Krishna Shastri of CEPT, School of Interior Design, James Balmond, Inaqui Carnicero, Habeeb Khan and Sanjeev Vidyarthi. Habeeb Khan spoke about the need for de-growth. Krishna Shastri suggested Indians must digest new technology based on our traditional cultural systems of understanding.

Made WijayaMade Wijaya commented that except for the last 50 years, India has had the richest architectural tradition in the world for the last 500 years. Culture neutrality is affecting the Indian design scenario in a big way and we are seeing formula architecture. The colonial architecture style of India was perfectly attuned to the climate and was replicated over the entire Far East.

Pradeep SachdevaContextually defined and designed public spaces are Ar. Pradeep Sachdeva’s forte. The public realm that has no boundaries, is his line of expertise. The Dilli Haat that he designed was built atop a nala with a central plaza and no buildings, with craft shops lining the front and food stalls making up the back. For a street scaping project, the street logic defined the design.

Aparna Piramal Raje Investigating the connections between the CEO’s leadership styles and their

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Craftsmanship is in the usage of space to build organizational capital and a way to leverage the narrative of the space.

- Aparna Piramal Raje

work environments, Aparna Piramal Raje believes that the asset that you should invest in is personal energy. Build offices, she said,”that nourish and personal spaces that sustain the environment.” Spirituality is a big part of nourishing personal energy.

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When we have such an inspiring legacy of architecture, why are we finding that a small dot of a nation like Singapore is defining how we build our structures?

- Aman Nath

Aman NathAman Nath spoke as a hotelier and designer showcasing his breathtaking Neemrana projects and the popular Tijara Fort Palace, a 19th century ruin which he transformed into a jewel on the rugged landscape. Aman Nath postulates that his work is not to increase the divide between Bharat and India. “Since we are in India, we have the means and the materials for creating great beauty out of our resources. India is the only continuously living civilization in the known world. We are proud as inventors and brilliant at Jugaad.”

Panel DisussionA panel discussion on Design that Matters to the Masses, featured Aman Nath, Rajesh Patel, Made Wijaya and N. Mahesh was moderated by Ar.

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11. Panel Discussion 2 (from L to R) Rajesh Patel, Aman nath, Made Wijaya, tanuja B K, Pradeep sachdeva, and n Mahesh

12. Painting with blind-fold by artist Ketan Jawdekar

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B.K.Tanuja. The discussion attempted to evolve a perspective on sustainable design, ethical practices and an objective process to evaluate design success.

With this panel discussion, the business part of day-2 of NatCon got concluded and what began thenafter was spirit of celebration, pleasure and enjoyment...

Blindfolded Art by Ketan JawdekarKetan Jawdekar’s blind-folded feat of creating a water colour painting caught the attention of the designers; who stopped in wonder to watch Ketan transform a blank canvas into a magnificent water color of Charlie Chaplin, with his eyes blind-folded! The artwork was auctioned and purchased by Somany Ceramics Ltd. for a whopping sum of ` 2 lakhs by the end of the day.


FElICITATION OF SPEAKERS(DAy - 2)

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13. Iñaqui Carnicero being felicitated by Sanjay Kothari

14. Habeeb Khan being felicitated by Hitesh Modi

15. James Balmond being felicitated by Jignesh Modi

16. Sanjeev Vidyarthi being felicitated by Dr. Pooja Pathak

17. Made Wijaya being felicitated by Manish Banker

18. Pradeep Sachdeva being felicitated by Pragati Jain

19. Aparna Piramal Raje being felicitated by Gayathri Shetty

20. Aman Nath being felicitated by Radhika Vishwanathan

21. Krishna Shashtri being felicitated by Bhavna Chainani

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FElICITATION OF SPEAKERS(DAy - 2)

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22. Sanjib Chaterjee being felicitated by Sanjay Charate

23. Rajesh Patel being felicitated by Kirit Dodia

24. N. Mahesh being felicitated by Kirit Dodia

25. Tanuja B. K. being felicitated by Kirit Dodia

26. Audience

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gAlA NITE

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27. Ras performance by saurashtra Chapter team

28. Ramp Walk by Iñaqui Carnicero and Jabeen Zacharias

29. Hyderabad Chapter team

30. Ramp Walk by Kolhapur Chapter team

31. Cowboys from Baroda Chapter with horse on the ramp

32. Fashion show by Bangalore Chapter team

33. Dhamal by nashik Chapter team led by Hemant Duggad, sanjay Patil and Pratap Jadhav

34. Vishnu Bheda in his own masti

35. Indore Chapter team waiting for their turn

36. Mumbai Chapter team rocking

37. Jaipur Chapter team

38. surat Chapter team

39. naeem Qureshi from Indore on his Harley Davidson on the ramp alongwith Pratap Jadhav

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Gala Nite and Sundowners at IndoreAs night fell over Indore, delegates shrugged off the weariness of the erudite sessions and put on their party shoes for an evening of rousting and revelry. The lawns of the convention centre came alive as it transformed into the epicenter of the glitzy Gala Dinner, an evening of gastronomical delights and whimsical surprises! Chapters vied with each other and IIIDians were seen in their element; boogeying on the dance floor, showing off their multifarious talents, from singing, dancing and mimicry to sashaying on the ramp. At one point, there was even a horse on stage! There was horse-power on Ground Zero, when Naeemuddin Qureshi’s Harley Davidson bike became the cynosure of all eyes on the ramp! It was delightful to see the Dream Team letting their hair down and soaking in all the festivity around them.


and flexible and contribute to the social climate of the city.

Manish BankerManish Banker noted that our Indian festivals relate to the five elements and thus do we find ways to connect and celebrate with nature. Yoga, meditation and our religious places of worship are our link with the universe. With the onset of the industrial era, we drifted away from our connection with nature. From a participant, Man has become a spectator and today, technology has taken away our connection with ourselves! Make in India is a promise to people for a better India and the IIID is a great platform for doing so, he added.

Akshat BhattAkshat Bhatt said that technology plays a large part in the progress of the built environment. Technology and knowledge bases are universal but resource bases are regional and technique is deeply personal. Akshat Bhatt narrated the back story and process, that went into the making of the famous Make in India pavilion at the Hanover Messe.

A panel discussion on Design that Celebrates the Masses was moderated by Ar. Conrad Gonsalvez. Panelists included Matteo Fantoni, Kees Spanjers, Akshat Bhatt, Manish Banker and Nitin Killawala.

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Matteo FantoniIn his address, Fantoni spoke about the restructuring of strategic European cities like Paris and Milan. Buildings are one of the key factors that create lifestyles and congested urban conditions have led to quality of life falling. Why don’t we create ecological spaces that bind technology

with Nature? he asks. At the Chesa Futura project in St. Moritz, a building resembling a wood nut lifts off the ground and the landscape flows through the structure.

Kees SpanjersAr. Kees Spanjers observed that people spend a lot of time in public spaces that they do not own and yet, it defines their work ethic and their wellbeing and with that it influences the wellbeing of the organizations that they are a part of. Open office plans require different approaches to comfort, to routing, to lighting, acoustics, climate control and to integrate functions to human needs. We need to create offices that are durable

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The role of education, research and development is that it should be an integral part of the process that enhance and enable people.

- Kees Spanjers

1. Matteo Fantoni

2. Kees spanjers

3. Manish Banker

4. Akshat Bhatt

5. Panel Discussion 3 (from L to R) Ravindra Kumar, Manish Banker, Kees spanjers, Akshat Bhatt and Matteo Fantoni

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FElICITATION OF SPEAKERS

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6.Matteo Fantoni being felicitated by N Rajeev

7. Kees Spanjers being felicitated by Veena Arunkumar

8. Manish Banker being felicitated by Trilok Thakre

9. Akshat Bhatt being felicitated by Pratap Naik

10. Ravindra Kumar being felicitated by Manmohan Khanna

11. Conrad Gonsalves being felicitated by Sarosh Wadia

12. Audience

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THE DESIgN yATRA bEgINS...

After three days of design deliberations, Natcon entered the grand finale by flagging off the IIID Design Yatra, from the fore court of the Convention Centre. It started with an energetic Zumba Dance, which got the audience on their feet! Pratap Jadhav and Jabeen Zacharias outlined the concept of Design Yatra

1. Ferah Alici and Pratap Jadhav flagging-off the Vitra car

2. narendra Patel and Jabeen Zacharias flagging-off the torfenster car

3. Manish Kumat flagging-off the Johnson car

4. Pragati Jain flagging-off the Daikin car

5. the energetic Zumba Dance before the flagging-off of Design Yatra

for meeting the theme of the national convention – Taking Design to Masses. They added that the branded convoy of 4 Nano cars will travel over 12,000 kms to 29 Chapters and organise about 150 high-visibility programs in next ten months to bring home the point of spreading awareness about the theme.

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vAlEDICTORy SESSION

1. Pratap Jadhav, Manish Kumat, Jabeen Zacharias and Pragati Jain

2. Large contingent from saurashtra chapter consisting of Kirit Dodiya, Viral silhar, Mauktik trivedi and Bharat Hapani with Jabeen Zacharias, Pragati Jain and Manish Kumat

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Thanksgiving

The final round of thanksgiving by the Convention conveners was filled with emotion, celebration and recognitions! The Core team of the NatCon – Pres. Pratap Jadhav, Jabeen Zacharias, Pragati Jain and Manish Kumat spoke stirringly from the bottom of the heart when they said that it was the team that had created such a successful event, and they were fortunate to have been instrumental in channelizing the ideas and converting them into action! Pres. Pratap Jadhav observed that the bouquets for whatever good has happened should go to the team and the brickbats must come to him as the president of IIID! After the Core

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The Witty Moderation

Conrad Gonsalves was involved, right from selection of the speakers to co-ordination with them and to ensure hassle-free presentation, through-out all the sessions of NatCon. While summing up he began with a witty note. His valedictory address was in the spirit and style of ‘walk the talk’. He baffled the audience by asking them what ‘TDTM’ stood for. When none could conjure up the right answer for the acronym, the technical committee head stated that “this is the crux of the three-day convention that we should not forget for a minute that our vision and mission is to ‘take design to masses’ even if it is confused with TDTM.”


On a question by Pune Chapter Chairman Vishnu Bheda, Pres. Pratap Jadhav observed that he would not rank the chapters to avoid internal competition amongst them. He however recognized and commended the outstanding contribution of some chapters like Arjun Hablani and the Bhopal Chapter, the aggressive efforts of Rahul Dalvi, Hitesh Modi and the energetic team of Baroda, the spirit and efforts of Viral Silhar, Mauktik Trivedi, Bharat Hapani and Kirit Dodiya of the Saurashtra Chapter, his own home-turf, the Pune Chapter that had always stood first for sending the maximum number of delegates to all the past conventions and finally the outstanding contribution of Manish Kumat and Pragati Jain for bringing in registrations that were three times the membership strength of the chapter! He thanked one and all for helping him create history in the IIID and in the fraternity of designers for hosting a convention with 2,052 delegates that sailed smoothly with no flaws or hiccups. •

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3. Rajeev sathe and Pragati Jain handing over the first set of curricula for Design Course, brought out by sID to the Principal of L.A.D and smt. R.P. College for Women, nagpur in the presence of trilok thakre, Chapter Chairman of nagpur

4. Pragati Jain, Manish Kumat and Jabeen Zacharias with Anirudh Dehade, Hitesh Modi, Rahul Dalvi and team Baroda

5. Large contingent from Pune chapter led by Vishnu Bheda, Vishwas Lele, Yogesh Chavan and Hemant Mahajan with Jabeen Zacharias, Pragati Jain and Manish Kumat

committee had thanked each of the IIID teams, speakers, partners, delegates, students and vendors who had worked tirelessly with a spirit beyond ‘imagination’ for making Imagine a grand success, they stood as One on the dias and took a ceremonial bow of gratitude, that got a rousing cheer from all present.

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SuCCESSFul PARTNERSHIP

The 11th National Convention was supported by 4 partners, and not sponsors! The four companies who partnered with IIID for organising NatCon are – Vitra, Torfenster, Daikin and Johnson, who lent the

strength of their organizations to IIID and sponsored the entire 3 day marathon, including the ambitious Design Yatra.

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2. Mr. Kapil Bhatia from Daikin and glimpse of Daikin stall

1. Ms. Ferah Alici from Vitra and glimpse of Vitra stall

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3. Mr. sunder, Vice President - torfenster and glimpse of their stall

4. Mr. shaji thomas - Vice President (sales & Marketing), H & R Johnson and glimpse of their stall


quOTESHow we reinvent design depends on how we see the world. When we design, we engage with the universe. Then design is about the inner forces shaping an organization.

- James BalmondColombo

We are good at modulating in India. Can we invent in India?

- Sanjib ChatterjeeIndia

Public projects need to be self-sustaining. Treat a street as a high quality public space.

- Pradeep SachdevaIndia

We needto developour ownIndiandesign vocabulary.

- Dr. Shailendra MehtaIndia

The success of IIID NATCON 2016 speaks volumes of the teamwork, dedication and integrity with which IIID Indore chapter played host. Determination always leads to success. Kudos to the entire NATCON 2016 team.

- Ar. Bankim Dave India

To be honoured on the Red Carpet along with veterans from the industry was truly unexpected and overwhelming; I think I was at a loss for words. In this quest for Taking Design to the Masses, we should choose our materials carefully, for we all have a greater responsibility towards Mother Earth & its future occupants. I do wish great success for the noble cause that you all have embarked on!

- George Joel India

Unprecedented success with many first accomplished - evidence of the well knit bond of attitudes and action, collective wisdom in sync with the theme. One could never have imagined such a phenomenal event, a clear indication of the sincerity and confidence of IIID’s unanimously chosen leader. A convention that wasn’t concluded but initiated a continued process of taking Design to Masses, confirming the ‘coming of age’ of IIID.

- Vishwas LeleIndia

Some ruins that we see were once temples. Once the economic fortunes of the city changed, the temples deteriorated and became a house for humble people.

- Iñaqui CarniceroNew York

Public spaces and parks should be created for environment benefits, cultural exchange and accessibility. It is the society’s urban responsibility to create a network of green spaces.

- Matteo FantoniItaly

We need to pause and figure out connection with Nature, introspect, go back to the roots of our foundation and from that perspective, examine what exists in the world and what constitutes good and bad models.

- Manish BankerIndia

The larger question that remains unresolved is how to maintain one’s identity in the “cut, copy, paste” mode from other parts of the world, that seems to be becoming the norm today.

- Sanjeev VidyarthiIndia

I don’t understand why it took a 35 year old from Delhi to do this in 2015 when it could have been done way back. Visitors to the forum would come up to me and hug me. With tears in their eyes, some told me “You made me proud to be an Indian.

- Akshat BhattIndia


Going into my first NATCON, not knowing what to expect, the theme definitely seemed very pertinent and timely to me, since today’s growing India is in need of designers, not just for the elite, but for the masses; where design must be sensitive and innovative at the same time, to tackle the many paradoxes that we inhabit. The opening address by Dr. Shailendra Mehta really set the mood for the Convention, and Shashi Tharoor also had some interesting observations to make.

If I had to narrow down my two favourite speakers, they would be InaquiCarnicero and James Balmond. The first thing that struck me about Inaqui was his philosophy: “small action, big change”, which he then went on to enumerate through striking visuals. I particularly liked the billboard of the bull, that some enterprising artists had reduced in terms of mass, in order to represent the economic crisis in Spain. What I thought was interesting about James Balmond, was that, though not an architect by training, he still finds a niche for himself in Balmond Studio. His presentation really gave me hope, as to the architectural profession and myself both: branching out from architecture for a more multi-disciplinary approach.

The Panel Discussions could have been more of a back and forth exchange, rather than the linear format that it was, i.e. if all the panellists were to put forth their opinions on the same question, one could have at least begun a dialogue, if not come to some conclusions about the topic of each day, namely, Design that Matters to, Caters to and Celebrates Masses. For instance during the last panel discussion, where the issue of “iconic” architecture came up, and Matteo Fantoni concluded, “People make something iconic, not the creator of the work”. What Conrad Gonsavles aptly summed up through the use of his clever acronym,

bringing together “matters”, “caters” and “celebrates”, as design that “cares”, I wish had been a conclusion reached through deliberation.

I thought the Hall of Fame was a really lovely way of making the students interact with master architects of India, in order to cover specific questions that might not have come in the purview of the discussions in the main hall, or even just to listen to these master architects was a huge privilege.

All in all, however, it was an enriching experience. I was quite awed by the scale of it all. By all accounts, a gathering of 2,500 architects and students of architecture has been unprecedented. I think, especially in a course like architecture, this kind of exposure is very important, so that you can find your “heroes” and follow their example to make a better tomorrow. Fittingly, the lyrics to the NATCON theme song, by Habeeb Khan, were “Bharat nayarachenge”, which really is the need of the hour.

A STuDENT REPORT ON THE NATCON

- Vrinda Kanvinde3rd year, Architecture University,School of Architecture and Planning, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University,Delhi.


STuDENTS AND THE MENTORSIIID Hall of Fame was also an interactive platform for the students to learn from their mentors on various aspects of design practice, philosophy, ethics and so on. Ar. Vishnu Bheda, Chairman of IIID Pune Chapter put in personal efforts to ensure that this forum has meaningful dialogue between the GenNext and leading designers, who have created their own benchmark.


CANDID MOMENTS



Documents

ignites ImagINatIoN - Insiteinsiteindia.in/2016/mar/NATCON Report.pdf · arrived at the cultural capital of Madhya Pradesh to ... ignites ImagINatIoN Text: Deepa Shailendra, ... synthesizing