THE SHIFTING DESIGN TRENDS OF 2023

Jimmy Mistry, Chairman & Managing Director, Della Group expressed that the new generation of designers are tech savvy and are in fact bringing in new ways of designin practices in the organizations.

Aahana Miller, Principal Architect, ABM sharing her own experience stated, ”Our design firm has a huge disparity in terms of age and in terms of technology adoption the learning curve varies. While, we have completely transformed the studio with design software being used but, we don’t forget how to use our hands no matter how much technology we are exposed to.”

Supriya Thyagarajan, Managing Principal, Executive Director, Perkins Eastman added, “There has been a big shift towards technology in design. As architects were in a position to bring to life what the client’s are going to see 5-10 years from now so that they fully understand the design. In addition, drawings can be done faster, multiple consultants can co-ordinate work on Revit and BIM, even on construction we are seeing technology being used. But there is merit to slow thinking and slow designing and that’s where we are facing the challenge.”

Khozema Chitalwala, Principal Architect and Designer, Designers Group stated, “Embracing technology is a must. Our design firm is paperless now, we are embracing green and trying to use technology in order to make the process smoother, faster. Having said that, design cannot be automated. It’s a human process unless artificial intelligence comes in and starts think on your behalf. Design has to be done manually. Today what I love about my paperless working is designing on iPad which is in a way traditional but yet using a technology.”

Nilabh Nagar, Senior Associate Architect, AHC - Architect Hafeez Contractor shared, “Our firm is still traditional. We love our drawing board and paper. It was in 1996 that we started computerising the whole office. Architect Hafeez Contractor is traditional when it comes to designing, but Covid made him too, switch to the i-Pad.”

Gaurav Sanghavi - Co-Founder - Pentaspace Design Studio was of the view that as a a very young practise, they are predominantly tech savvy. “But I still feel the touch of the pencil on the paper and the smell of the charcoal gives a feel of design that cannot be replicated on i-pad. It’s more of a osmosis between tradition and technology and not saying this is good or bad.”

SCENARIO OF TECH ADOPTION IN DESIGN

Supriya Thyagarajan - Every other industry has been able to use technology to the automated processes and construction is still done by hand and we are so far behind when it comes to on-site construction.

Khozema Chitalwala- With great difficulty we have reached pre-engineered building stage. The availability of the suppliers and the vendors and right craftsmanship is not yet there in India.

Jimmy Mistry- India has a tendency of leap frogging as we have seen in telecommunication. Wherever left very far behind, India has leap frogged and come to a point where it is more futuristic and cutting-edge than the rest of the world. It is to be seen how India leapfrogs in construction technologies.

Aahana Miller- We are talking of robots in construction but India is far behind. Infact getting people on board for advanced design software is like taking baby steps. We are very behind in construction.

Gaurav Sanghavi- On site we are still getting towards using Mivan technology, while glass line shuttering, the next step forward has come now. So, we still have a long way to go.

Nilabh Nagar- Using precast technology we have built 14 storey building in just 26 days. The entire project was done in BIM. The real-time monitoring of procurement, advanced systems of joinery and use of modern construction equipment helped to scale up. We will soon be using 3D printing for a Guard House.

IN INDIA IT’S NOT ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY BUT MORE ABOUT SENSIBLE DESIGN. THE FOCUS SHOULD BE TO BUILD LESS, REPURPOSE BUILDINGS AND MAKE INTERIOR SPACES THAT ARE FLEXIBLE FOR MULTI-USE.

MOST OF THE DESIGN PRACTISES ARE REALLY INSENSITIVE TOWARDS THE ENVIRONMENT AND DESIGN. IF DESIGNERS DO NOT ARM THEMSELVES WITH TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL SET, THEY WOULD SOON STAGNATE TECHNOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE BUT MIND-SET SHIFT HAS TO HAPPEN BOTH AMONG THE DESIGNERS AND THE CONSUMERS.