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From Industry Visionaries to Classroom Innovation: A Revolution in Design Education
- Design Mavens: Crafting the New Norm
- Joining the Dots: Industry-Academia Synergy
- Real-World Battlegrounds: The Balancing Act of Practical Learning
- Designing the Ecosystem: A Seamless Blend of Learning and Industry
A Decade-Long Journey of Industry Partnership
When a handful of brilliant design professionals united in 2015 to establish our institute, they recognized the need for a fundamental shift in the design education landscape. Conventional methods were failing to prepare students for the intricacies of contemporary professional life. Their mission wasn't to build a typical design school, but rather, to rethink the very foundation of skills cultivation and pedagogy - a daring reinvention.
Born out of industry practitioners, our institute was designed to bridge the chasm between classroom learning and real-world demands. This daring transformation of design education's traditional setup was crucial for the future of the design world, which required an immersive, comprehensive approach that moved beyond the strictly theoretical.
Design Mavens: Crafting the New Norm
Our institute's governing body is a strategic coalition of design industry titans. Industry legends like Nikhil Arora (Vice President and Managing Director, Intuit India), Leena Singh (Founder, Ashima-Leena), Shiva Viswanathan (Founder, CMO & Design Head, Catenate and Apparatus Media Lab), Annie Napolean (Creative Director, McGann Digital), Rachna Agarwal (Founder & Design Ideator, Studio IAAD), Asha Sairam (Principal, Studio Lotus), Prof. Ashok B Lall (Founder, Ashok B Lall Architects) aren't simply figures of authority. They are active players who continually shape and mould the curriculum with their expertise, ensuring each discipline is in line with current market dynamics.
These insights resonate with practitioners who have witnessed our innovative approach firsthand. Abhishek Bij, Partner and Lead Designer at Design Plus Architects talks about graduates from our institute, "Pre-2022, architectural firms rarely welcomed interior design graduates; we primarily worked with architects. our institution has shifted the mindset that architects excel at interior design but not the other way around. Clearly, something is working in our institution's education. These graduates, armed with the necessary skillset, are indistinguishable from seasoned professionals after four years, which is astonishing."
Real-World Battlegrounds: The Balancing Act of Practical Learning
The crux of our institute's curriculum lies in its commitment to solving genuine challenges with real-world projects at the forefront of its pedagogical strategy. Students don't just learn principles; they create client presentations, manage budgets, and translate creative concepts into tangible designs.
Projects like the Kheta Project, which explored reversible embroidery techniques with the Shershabadi women, demonstrate our dedication to meaningful learning experiences deeply rooted in their cultural context. The institute collaborated with Locavore, Goa Livelihoods Forum (GLF), and Serendipity Arts Festival (December 2023) to orchestrate a transformative design experience at 'The Village' in Art Park. In collaboration with Tricolour India Schauspiel Pvt. Ltd, our students also digitalized the museum experience at the National Museum, and worked on installations at Select Citywalk.
Nikhil Joshi, Partner at Digital Jalebi, praised our institute's bureau for fostering industry registration during our 2023 Annual Grad Show, UNFOLD. "Your resources are spectacular. I, as a design student myself, find them impressive-ready exhibition spaces for quick displays and feedback are critical. They invite input beyond professors and peers, which is indispensable."
An alum of our institute, Aakriti Jain (2016-2020), soared to the position of Design Director at Grid Design Studio, further validating our unique approach to design education.
Designing the Ecosystem: A Seamless Blend of Learning and Industry
In many institutes, industry engagement tends to be limited to placements. But at our institute, connections go far beyond traditional placement models, forming a valuable network of collaboration and professional development. Our students have left significant impacts, with notable collaborations spanning House of Masaba, H&M, Uniqlo, Reliance Brands Limited, Lamborghini, Publicis Canada, and Cognizant, among others.
Our industry connections aren't just about acquisitions. They create a dynamic ecosystem that connects students with influential professionals like Suket Dhir, Tarun Tahiliani, Caroline Alexander, M.K. Raina, Dadi Pudamjee, Laila Tyabji, and Dr. Sunil Vashisth. These guests contribute to a rich, multifaceted learning environment that transcends conventional academic boundaries.
Masterclasses at our institute serve as a vital component of our industry engagement strategy. The fashion design program, for instance, features industry luminaries providing unfiltered mentorship to our students, transcending the boundaries of traditional classroom learning.
Revolutionizing the Future of Design Education
Over the last decade, our institute has shown that transformative design education is achievable. By viewing students as creators-in-the-making rather than passive students, we're not only teaching design – we're reshaping its practice and learning. A decade ago, this approach was bold. Today, it may be the blueprint for the future of design education.
- The design professionals who founded our institute in 2015 understood the need for a change in design education, realizing that traditional methods were inadequate for preparing students for the complexities of the professional world.
- Our institute, born from industry practitioners, was designed to bridge the divide between academic learning and real-world demands, fostering an immersive, comprehensive learning experience that transcends theoretical knowledge.
- Our institute's governing body is a coalition of design industry titans, including Nikhil Arora, Leena Singh, Shiva Viswanathan, Annie Napolean, Rachna Agarwal, Asha Sairam, and Prof. Ashok B Lall, who continuously update the curriculum with their industry insights.
- Abhishek Bij, a partner at Design Plus Architects, praised the institute's graduates, stating that the mindset once held by architectural firms that interior design was not within an architect's realm has been shifted, and graduates from our institution are indistinguishable from seasoned professionals.
- At our institute, practical learning takes center stage, with students solving real-world challenges, creating client presentations, managing budgets, and translating creative concepts into tangible designs.
- Our students have made significant impacts, collaborating with renowned brands like House of Masaba, H&M, Uniqlo, Reliance Brands Limited, Lamborghini, Publicis Canada, and Cognizant, demonstrating the institute's commitment to creating a dynamic ecosystem that fosters collaboration and professional growth.
- The fashion design program at our institute features masterclasses with industry leaders, providing students with unfiltered mentorship and transcending the boundaries of traditional classroom learning.
