From Pritzker Prize winners to the hottest prospects of the next generation of architecture and design, ID Symposium at India Design ID 2019 was an exhilarating three days of dialogue. Covering an extensive range of topics, bringing together diverse design sensibilities, and finding unique solutions to the current challenges the industry is faced with, the speakers that graced our podium this year truly made it an indelible experience for everyone present. ID Symposium once again lived up to its reputation of being a one-of-a-kind platform that enables you to interact with design legends and creative influencers.

Here are the highlights of each session –

DAY 1: 

Brinda Somaya
Threads and Continuities
In her enthralling talk, Brinda illustrated (with examples from her own enviable body of work) how the industry has changed over the years. The lines have now blurred; design and architecture transcend all boundaries and seamlessly flow between various mediums.

 Chris Precht
The next one tenth of  a second
Chris’ talk detailed, with examples from his own body of work, how to plan a sustainable built environment for the   future. According to him, humanity is at a threshold, and must be equipped to deal with a number of crises that the near future holds. He believes that owing their unique skill set, architects and designers will play a pivotal role in this restructuring.

Gauri Khan & Regis Mathieu, moderated by Kamna Malik
Design as Art
This panel explored the boundaries between design and art in a global age. One of the several intriguing aspects explored was – how art  infuses spaces and industries far beyond  museums and galleries.

Maximiliano Modesti, Pavitra Rajaram, Pooja Dhingra & Yoko Shizimu, moderated by Amit Syngle
An assortment of topics
This intriguing line-up featured individual dialogues on subjects that they are proficient in; Maximiliano Modesti on the strategy of new luxury brands that celebrates the process and creator, Pavitra Rajaram on a new expression of the wild in Maximilism, Pooja Dhingra on taking the non-conformist route, and Yoko Shimizu on bio-design.

DAY 2:

James Law
Cybertecture
James’ talk focused on his firm’s philosophy of intelligently integrating technology in their buildings. From the iPod building to Opod Tube social housing and working on the Hyperloop, he detailed a range of projects.

Morag Myerscough
Embrace the Unknown
The self-titled modern polymath spoke about her strong visual approach, distinct colour palette and how her designs blur the lines, transcend boundaries  and have a global appeal. Her work often fits within the context of the concept of ‘belonging.’

Ayaz Basrai & Kapil Gupta
Technology and its Future in Design & Architecture
The duo showed their work in context of their studio and made a comparative analysis of their practices from a technology perspective.

Bose Krishnamachari, Iram Sultan, Raghavendra Rathore & Sandeep Khosla, moderated by  Shalini Passi
Anatomy of Emotions
The individual presentations focused on the importance of emotions in good design, both in terms of evoking them and channeling them into the pieces themselves.

Amit Khanna, Don Gurney & Theresa Millard, moderated by Theron Carmine De Sousa
Sustainable Planning & Design
The panel discussion focused on sustainable architecture and design methods, highlighting  the importance and tracing its evolution.

DAY 3: 

Martin Waller
Great Designers of our Time
The ‘Indiana Jones of Design’ illustrated how his creative sensibilities have developed and evolved over time. Citing examples from his tenure of over forty years in the industry, other exceptional designers, and even from his brand, Andrew Martin,  he provided a unique perspective on the differentiating factors between ordinary and extraordinary design.

Bikram Mittra, Saket Sethi & Seetu Kholi, moderated by Theron Carmine De Sousa
Design: The Journey not the Destination
The discussion explored the evolution of each speaker’s personal design sensibilities and its impact on their work.

Francois Gramoli, Saurabh Gupta & Sonali Rastogi, moderated by Ambrish Arora
Adaptive Reuse
The dialogue focused on adaptive reuse as a concept and how it should be encouraged. It also highlighted how architects and designers can implement the concept of reimagined potential to thoughtfully preserve spaces.

V Sunil
Timeless Designs
Drawing from his Indigo Airlines campaign, or even the recent ‘Make in India,’ the doyen spoke about major landmarks and milestones that have played a crucial role in shaping his creative language for India.

Rupangi Khosla, Tarun Thakral & Vojta Malina, moderated by Rue Kothari
Business Of Design
The panel explored the design thought process versus what is technically feasible and viable as a business strategy, to understand how retail brands strike a balance.

Alejandro Aravena
From a Chair(less) to the (Built) World
In a typically ingenious move, the maverick thoroughly addressed questions from the audience, using his Pritzker Prize-winning project and more to explain his inimitable design philosophy and resolve the queries posed to him. One anecdote is that of his social housing project, where he gave families in Chile ‘half a good house,’ instead of a finished small house. This way, they could build the other half themselves, giving the family a goal to work towards, and as one father said,  the ability to provide something of meaning to his children.