DATE TIME: Feb 01 2016 at 10:15 AM
VENUE : Plot No. 15, 24, 25 & 26, Survey No. 64, Sector 1 HUDA Techno Enclave, Madhapur Hyderabad, Telangana, India
As the last wave of winter swept across the Deccan Plateau, the Design Capital of Hyderabad came alive to a virtual blitzkrieg of design events, the likes of which had never been witnessed before. Between the 1st and 7th of February, Hyderabadis were engaged in a visual treat of the finest Interior design ideas!
The IIID Hyderabad Chapter turns twenty this year. As part of its 20th anniversary celebrations, the IIID Hyderabad Regional Chapter hosted the ‘Jashn-e-Design’, a weeklong jamboree of Interior design related events which focused on the past, present and future of Design along with exciting events for specific interest groups like traders, architects and interior designers, academicians and students. The kaleidoscope of events were structured to take design to the masses, pique their curiosity and to draw them into active introspection and dialogue.
The Design week began on the 1st of February with an interesting Heritage walk around the historically rich Old City; winding through the busy bye-lanes from the Charminar to the beautiful palace complex of the Chowmallah Palace. Coordinated by Past Chairman Ar. Yeshwant Ramamurthy, the Heritage Walk connected the Journey of Design to our past. This was followed by the intercollegiate student competition, ‘Kabil-e-design’, hosted by Ar. Gita Balakrishnan and her Ethos team, where the objective was to engage our future designer. As the evening set in, the amphitheatre at Saptaparani became the venue for an unusual forum called the I-5 Series One, where five Hyderabad Chapter members showcased their most creative work.
On day two, Ar. Manoj Wahi conducted a gripping bus tour of the concepts and creators behind the modern architectural monuments of industry and commerce around Cyberabad’s Hitec city and Gachibowli. Two documentary features on the creative genius of Ar. Zaha Hadid and Ar. Maya Lin were screened at the Prasads preview theatre which ran to packed houses, with the public, lining up the aisles of the theatre.
On February 3rd, IIID-HRC brought leading thinkers in the field of Interior Design to the public with “Design. Deliver”, a Speakers’ Forum that was held at Hotel Avasa. The list of luminaries featured eminent national and international speakers including internationally acclaimed architects, Ar. Stephen Guthrie and Ar. Lindy Atkin of Bark Design - Australia, Ar. Shimul Jhaveri Kadri, IIID-HRC past chairman Ar. Kasim Ali Khan, Ar. Abin Chaudhari and Ar.N. Mahesh of Iyer & Mahesh.
On the 4th day of the celebration, the Hyderabad Chapter literally took design to the masses, by creating a unique design experience inspired by the Milan Style Street on Road no. 12 Banjara hills. Called the ‘Design Wrap street ’ the event featured 8 flagship stores and art galleries that hosted interesting modules like a live collage workshop, gourmet cooking by celebrity chefs and an unusual module on ergonomics of seating hosted by an orthopaedic doctor.
IIID Design Showcase InsiderX 2016 adds a new dimension to design
From the 5th to 7th of February, Hyderabadis were treated to a unique Design Expo, the ‘IIID Showcase InsiderX 2016’; an exclusive B 2 B event that was specially curated by Interior designers, architects and academicians of the IIID Hyderabad Chapter. The first InsiderX Expo 2015 was inaugurated by Ar. Hafeez Contractor and was a runaway hit, setting the benchmark for the industry. Riding on the name and the experience derived from this, the Hyderabad Chapter came up with a grander format for its sequel.
The inauguration of the InsiderX 2016 by Smt. K. Kavitha, TRS MP along with Guests of Honour IIID Pres. Shri. Pratap Jadhav and Ar. Sanjay Puri was the culmination of the weeklong celebration. Commenting on the vibe of the design expo, Sanjay Puri stated that he was amazed to see interior design professionals, sparing so much time out of their busy schedules to work towards a common goal.
Two halls of the Hitex convention centre featured the latest gadgetry in the world of design. Home automation and smart spaces were the new mantra for the expo. Affiliated organizations like the IIA, FSAI, ISHRAE and CCAPT lent outside support to the Expo. Two special Design spaces were dedicated to a Designers Gallery that displayed the work of eminent and upcoming talent and the Anchor Award gallery that featured the award winning entries of the national level competition.
Visitors to the expo were taken aback by the high quality of the exhibition stalls that were definitely uber-chic. Designers from across the nation had been flown down to design the stalls that vied with each other for prominence in a venue of sophistication. Says one exhibitor, “The exhibition is on part with the best industrial exhibitions in India and I am surprised that an organization of professionals have managed to deliver such high quality at a time when some major players could not find a viable market in Hyderabad.
Speaking about the entire experience, Chairperson Sona Chatwani remarked, “We have attempted to demystify our industry and create a platform for the general public to have access to great and inspired design. I hope we have achieved that.”
By Deepa Shailendra
