Experts focus on impact of design in all walks of life

The discussions are part of the knowledge-focused and outcome-oriented platform of the IDF, currently underway at the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai until 29 May.

Organized by Moutamarat, a joint venture of Tatweer and the Saudi Research and Publishing Company, the three-day IDF is being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai. The event signifies Moutamarat's commitment to the development of a knowledge-based economy in the Arab world.

The morning session was moderated by Raghida Dergham, Senior Diplomatic Correspondent and Columnist, Al Hayat, USA. Panelists included members of the Moutamarat Design Advisory Board: Rasem J. Badran, Architect and Founding Partner, Dar Al Omran, Jordan; Nadim Karam, Architect, Artist, Principal, Atelier Hapsitus, Lebanon; Bernard Khoury, Architect, DW5, Lebanon; Khalid Al Malik, CEO, Tatweer, UAE; Karim Rashid, Designer, Karim Rashid Inc., USA; Sheikh Majed Al Sabah, Founder and CEO, Villa Moda, Kuwait; and Mehdi Amjad, President and Chief Executive Officer, Omniyat Properties, UAE.

Al Malik officially opened the session stating the IDF's belief in the power of design to improve life as well as outlining its role as a platform for the exchange of expertise and knowledge. He also highlighted three major challenges the IDF will seek to provide solutions for over the next three days. They are the establishment of a college of design and innovation, an Arab Association of Design and positioning Dubai as the region's design capital.

In setting the stage for the session, Mehdi Amjad, President and Chief Executive Officer, Omniyat Properties, UAE, spoke of the direct impact of design on an individual. He said: "What differentiates good from weak design is its impact on people's self esteem which, in turn, impacts their capacity for creativity.

"Designers shape buildings and when we inhabit them, they shape us. Poorly designed buildings can cause depression and ruin people's lives. Therefore, the challenge for designers is to create communities, buildings and spaces that have a 'soul' and radiate a positive impact on life."

The state of design in the Arab world figured prominently during the discussion, with a number of panellists addressing the socio-political and cultural realities acting as impediments to the profession's growth. Developing institutions which nurture creativity and innovation was recommended as one way to generate interest and motivate young Arab talent for entering the profession.

Sheikh Majed Al Sabah, Founder and CEO, Villa Moda, Kuwait, said: "What we are facing today is the challenge of repetition and uniformity. There is a collective fear in the Arab world to push the limits. We must nurture talent which still remains reluctant to be outspoken. Cultural and family pressures prevent individuals from entering design since it is not seen as an established profession."

He also said that the lack of a relevant education system to support the design sector is part of the problem.

Karim Rashid, Designer, Karim Rashid Inc., USA, concurred with Sabah. He said: "There is an inevitable need for a rigorous design school in the Arab world. This has to be a theory-based program which provides students the tools and understanding to appreciate design and its complexities. Design is very rigorous, intellectual and steeped in important issues and a global understanding of this is imperative. Creativity alone is not enough to shape design and, in turn, the world."

The relativity of design also featured during the discussion with Nadim Karam, Architect, Artist, Principal, Atelier Hapsitus, Lebanon, who earlier defined design as "an intellectual weapon" stressing the importance of the "specificity of a place".

Al Malik spoke of the responsibility of designers to understand the environment. "Before perceiving, we need to understand the environment and should not impose design, which may fail otherwise. While considering the Arab world, we need to remember the elements which contribute to the perception of design - the culture, religion, maturity, knowledge."

Disagreeing, Rashid said: "One cannot think locally anymore - we can still perceive locally but need to think globally, bringing in different perspectives which need to be accounted for."

The discussion took a turn with Rashid venturing a definition of design: "When we design, we design the present, which shapes the future. It is about shaping a contemporary world. Style is about revisiting history, both are disparate. When we design, we are creating a contemporary world because we are dealing with contemporary social, political and economic issues."

The session saw a lively exchange of views including contradictory opinions on the role of the designer and his or her impact on society and on reality. Despite the differences, there was agreement on one thing - if you change the environment, you change the behaviour of people.