IIAD Students Create Sustainable Installation for Aatmanirbhar Bharat Centre for Design (IGNCA)

This forum aims to create awareness of the Centre's achievements and expand its reach to a diverse audience. A primary focus is on sensitising young people to the importance of indigenous crafts. The Centre encourages the future generation of designers to incorporate these crafts into their design language, recognizing their potential for success in the marketplace. Students from reputed institutions like IIAD have already participated in creating craft-inspired installations through collaborative dialogues and teamwork.

A Gathering of Experts at the Forum

Prof. Usha Patel (Director-Academics, IIAD) joined a panel discussion on the role of academia in craft revival. Other panellists included experts from IIT Hyderabad, Pearl Academy, and NID Assam to name a few. Mr. Rajeev Sethi (Founder-Chairman, Asian Heritage Foundation) served as the chief guest. Guests of Honor included Ms. Kiran Nadar (Founder, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art), Ms. Ranjana Chopra (IAS, Additional Secretary & Financial Advisor, Ministry of Culture), and Mr. Praveen Nahar (Director, National Institute of Design). Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi (Member Secretary, IGNCA) chaired the forum's inaugural session.

IIAD Reimagines Tradition through Shamiana Installation

Inspired by the iconic Indian traditional retractable canopy or roof structure erected as an extension to any building or facade Shamiana, the installation is built to reflect ABCD’s mission to bridge traditional practices with contemporary design. While the primary function of this architectural device with a primary function to give protection from harsh sunshine and rain, Shamiana here has been reimagined by IIAD students as an auspicious symbolic welcome canopy and transformed it through a parametric design process to be installed at the central entry into the exhibition.

Developed through a collaborative effort between faculty and students from the Interior Architecture & Design (IAD) department of IIAD along with artisans, the installation becomes an inviting entryway for visitors to the exhibition housed within the Red Fort.

IIAD students have taken the traditional form of a shamiana as a symbol and transformed it through a parametric design process. The symbolic shamiana is proposed to be suspended within the high corridors of the Red Fort Barracks.

Concept Design and Fabrication of the Sustainable "Shamiana" Installation

This sustainable installation features a collection of interlinked tetrahedrons of varying sizes arranged using parametric design principles—resembling the catenary curves of a traditional "Shamiana" canopy. Using bamboo framework, each tetrahedron with specific planes is designed to hold handcrafted elements as infill.

IIAD chose to highlight the traditional Bengal-based art form Shola Pith. Shola is a plant bark using Sholapith or Sholakaj—a craft popular in West Bengal and parts of Odisha. These traditional elements were created by master craftsperson Gourav Malakar and his team to celebrate the traditional artistry of Indian craftspeople.

The infill within these planes incorporates a combination of coloured acrylic sheets and paper. Mounted on these surfaces are Chand discs, traditionally used during Bengali pujas. These discs are typically found in Chand-malas and garlands, aligning with the traditional use of Shola Pith. Kadamb garlands hung in vertical clusters over the entrance doors, signifying an auspicious welcome for visitors.

Installation Process of Shamiana

- Stage 1: Building the "Shamiana"

To achieve the iconic "Shamiana" shape and ensure a smooth installation process, the first challenge was figuring out how to build the supporting frames. A group of final-year students tackled this by creating a prototype tetrahedron (a four-sided pyramid) using hollow bamboo pieces. They devised a clever construction technique: passing a cord through the bamboo sections, which when tightened, secured them into a tetrahedral framework. This simple yet effective solution became the foundation for the entire installation process.

- Stage 2: Stringing the Tetrahedra

The next challenge was connecting the individual tetrahedra to create the "Shamiana" shape. To minimise on-site construction time, students and faculty devised a method to assemble and string the tetrahedra on the IIAD campus. Several prototypes and scale models were built during this meticulous planning stage. The chosen material for the tetrahedra was dry, lightweight, hollow bamboo. To prevent splitting at the ends, the sections were tied with string. These functional end ties became an aesthetic feature, as various coloured strings were used.

Assembling the tetrahedra in various sizes was a meticulous task undertaken by dedicated third-year students. Through careful scheduling, a volunteer group received dedicated afternoon time off from classes for two and a half weeks to complete the construction of all the tetrahedra.

- Stage 3: Testing and Refinement

Before a full-scale prototype was built, scale models helped determine the number of tetrahedra needed for the final canopy. Hanging the assembled structure required two supporting bamboo members on either side of the tetrahedra strings. Cords attached to the tetrahedra were tied to these side members, which were then secured with thicker ropes to hooks pre-installed on the corridor walls. This became the final hanging arrangement.

- Stage 4: Learning from the Prototype

To test stability, a full-scale prototype was constructed and hung in the college workshop. It was determined that the entire installation couldn't be hung all at once. Therefore, it was divided into separate, modular sections that could be individually hoisted through hooks at the installation site.

- Stage 5: Final Touches

Lessons learned from the first prototype led to a revised method of stringing the tetrahedra. This ensured the sides intended for hand-made paper application would be clearly visible from below, creating a composition of colorful triangles. These triangles not only provided "body and form" to the installation but also served as surfaces to display specific crafts. The bamboo side members were then fastened with thicker ropes to pre-installed hooks on the corridor walls. This modular approach allowed for efficient installation, where each section of the "Shamiana" could be hoisted individually.

- Final Stage: Installation of Shamiana

The final design ensured specific sides of the tetrahedrons were visible from below, creating a striking composition of colourful triangles. Giving “body and form” to the installation, these multicoloured triangles became surfaces to display specific crafts.

Celebrating Heritage, Innovation and Collaboration Through Shamiana

The success of the "Shamiana" installation symbolises the collaborative and innovative approach fostered at IIAD. Final-year students spearheaded the design and development, while third-year students crafted the numerous tetrahedron components. Faculty advisors provided vital guidance throughout, ensuring the project met both aesthetic and structural demands.

Under the guidance of faculty advisors Professor Snehanshu Mukherjee, Ankit Bharadwaj, Rashim Mahajan, Dinesh Chandra, Shreemun Singh and Pankaj Narain final-year students Mohak Goel, Prisha Goel, Sanya Jain, Shea Singal, Siddhant Garg and Yashik Jain led the design and development. Third-year students Adrika Sood, Ananya Bhambhri, Devyani Rathore, Gauri Mehra, Manasis Singh Chhabra, Mihika Gupta, Palak Gupta, Prapti Goel, Reetika Singh, Ridhika Kumari Kandoi, Jahnavi Tripathi, Neelanjana Oberoi, Preeti Chanchalani, Sanskar Bind, Shreeya Syal, Ashna Dutta, Samra Ahsan and Sonakshi Gandhi also played a crucial role in the development process.

IIAD's "Shamiana" serves as a commentary on how contemporary design can embrace and celebrate traditional Indian crafts. This sustainable and innovative artwork functioned not only as a welcoming entrance for visitors to the ABCD forum but also underscored the importance of preserving and promoting India's rich heritage of craftsmanship. The project represents a successful collaboration between academia, master artisans and the government, paving the way for a future where traditional crafts can be integrated into the contemporary design landscape.

To have a look at the videos of making of the Shamiana installation, please visit this link.