Nearly 10,000 members of the Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID) ideated to come up with design interventions that can help the nation in its fight against COVID-19. The initiative, labeled ‘Karona Kuch’ received over 130 design submissions within a span of less than two weeks; all submissions have been compiled into a document that shall be released across India on 17th April 2020; copies shall be sent to Chief Ministers, Chief Secretaries, the Heads of Disaster Management teams and NGOs. ‘Karona Kuch’ is a call to action to the design community to ideate and propose solutions, sketches, specifications, techniques, designs or any other interventions that have the potential to help protect and save lives. These ideas shall help all constituents of the economy to undertake Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity in the short term; and to work on building a humane and sustainable world in the long run. These ideas from the design community are for the benefit of all who can benefit from them.
IIID launched the initiative on 27 March 2020; Gayathri Shetty of Bangalore, Rahul Dalvi of Baroda, Paresh Kapade of Indore – all reputed architects, led the initiative. The responses that IIID received are so telling of the success of the initiative. Ideas from ‘Hope on Wheels’, to 15 minute makeshift beds, to plastic file masks are telling of the spirit of Indian innovation.
‘Design is about augmenting an existing situation and if so, today with an unprecedented situation that challenges the very existence of the human race, design is more needed than any other day’ explained Jabeen L Zacharias, President, Institute of Indian Interior Designers. ‘Needless to say, the 32 chapters of IIID along with the National Council did a commendable job’, said Jignesh Modi, the Hon. Secretary of IIID.
About IIID
Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID) is the apex professional body of designers, architects and related trade in the country with a pan India presence of around 10,000 members.Founded in 1972, IIID has 32 chapters and centres across the country and 1 international center in Dubai. IIID has 18 objectives towards the betterment of the profession, promoting quality and excellence in design and be of service to people and societies at large. IIID plays a very crucial role in inspiring and shaping opinions amongst the design fraternity, facilitating interactions amongst key stakeholders and decision-makers of the country; and is thus instrumental in streamlining the nation’s design policies and trends.