Meet Our AIumni – Design and Cultural Landscape

Different cultures are made up of stories. Stories are so powerful that they have the potential to change the way we see, hear or touch anything in this world. IIAD is focused on contributing to nurturing industry-ready design professionals into the creative workforce of tomorrow. Alumni are the young design professionals working in the industry with new innovative ideas rooted deep in human connections and the voice of the Millenials. They have given fresh ideas on “Design and Cultural Landscape.”

Jessica Toppo

Production & Design Executive

Udayan Care

As a travel-addict and a culture appreciator, I believe that it's becoming difficult to find the customs and crafts that are specific to a region anymore. At the peak of globalisation, villages seem the most vulnerable to losing the core of their culture, which would result in no steady jobs for local people. This can be said about Pauri village - situated in Garhwal - Uttarakhand. The only not-so-known fact is that it has unmatched beauty and peace. But because of fewer tourists coming by, many locals have left the village for better opportunities in bigger cities like Haridwar, Rishikesh or Dehradun. As a result, many craftsmen were almost forgotten with the craft they had mastered - crafts like Fabrics woven out of Natural Fibres, Animal Wool, Basket Crafts or more. Sadly, these already fading craft memories are washed away by western soft power influence through international demand and ideology. Ironically, when I was discussing Kandali fabric weaving with someone who once ran its business, he stated that foreign businessmen from Australia and even Japan were more interested in ferments than Indians!

Design and Culture are interdependent on each other. However, the balance and harmony between the two needs to be supervised by the people themselves in order to preserve the value of each.

Janvi Khera

User Experience Designer

Yatra Online Ltd.

Culture includes ideas, beliefs, customs and ways of living in particular society whereas design implies planning to develop experiences or products according to the culture. While designing a product, service campaign or even a leaflet to different countries or regions we have to take into consideration local culture and how the user will react. Local culture includes language, social conditions, cultural sensitivity and other products and customs.

Good design must consider the culture to touch the level of human behaviour and thus the purpose of design is solved. For example - In India, the use of multiple languages by various apps such as Google, Facebook etc. has enabled them to reach masses. Culture and design always go hand in hand and can never be seen in isolation.

Parishi Jain

Social Media and Website Manager

Eka Design Studio

"Culture and Design have a very symbiotic relationship; where historically culture has formed the foundation of design but also design has helped evolve cultures/civilisations.

As designers, working in a time where everything has been said and done already; looking to one's cultural context can provide for the most profound and impactful design insights; furthering the goal of unique and innovative design."

Anjali Joshy

UX Designer

Legato Health Technologies

It is so true that culture & design can never be seen separately. Different cultures are made up of stories. Stories are so powerful that they have the potential to change the way we see, hear or touch anything in this world.

If the 'cultures' do not exist eventually there will be no purpose for creating designs. Sometimes as designers we forget that we are surrounded by stories and experiences that have built & moulded us in the way we think and visualize , which is very different from somebody, say in Africa or China.

Our perspective as Indian designers not only could help communities that have become invincible in India become visible , but could also help designers from around the world create designs that are accessible and universal for everyone.

Priyanka Rao

Creative Editor

BOLD Magazine

"Often we forget to embrace the beauty of our own culture where every colour has a meaning and the captivating part is that they are not hidden but out there in the open. I feel blessed to witness such promising culture with my eyes yet there is so much to unfold! Designing gives a great perspective on culture. Our inspiration, techniques and tremendous mentorship come through a mix of culture and design which is very much visible through upcoming brands focusing on art & culture."

Kartik Dutta

Film Maker

Userfacet

"Cultures are formed over a long period. Therefore, naturally, the customs and daily practices within cultures evolve according to the geographical and economical needs of the place they are native to and are also suitable for the people of the culture.

While taking inspiration from such customs and daily practices, designers must find out why a specific practice exists in a given culture and then incorporate the feature to their design."