Kochi Can Emerge as India’s Design Hub: Dr. Thomas Garvey

KOCHI:
Kochi has “great potential” to become India’s design hub and its talent in the sector needs to be harnessed wisely, World Design Organization (WDO) President Dr. Thomas Garvey, who is on his debut visit to Kerala, said here today.

During his visit to the Insight Centre for Design Technology and Creative Arts, Dr Garvey exchanged ideas with students and professionals in Kerala’s design sector.

“It was very exciting. The design sector here has great ideas and informative systems,” he noted, promising “all the support” of the Montreal-based WDO to students, professionals nd the design community through institutions such as the Insight Centre.

Pointing out that Kochi has “a lot of design talent” compared to big cities, Dr Garvey said their wise utilization can make Kochi become the design hub of the country. “There is every opportunity for global creative companies to invest and expand their operations in this state,” he added. Calling upon the city administrations in the country to take a more serious approach to urban design, the WDO chief said all cities needed chief design officers. “Even the smallest construction work should be done according to design standards. You must present heritage properties in a better way to the international community,” he exhorted.

To Dr Garvey, Indian cities like Kochi must try to compete for such as the World Design Capital. “Like the Olympics, cities should compete to win such venues. Some cities in this country should take the initiative and make efforts for its realisation,” he added.

Terming cities such as Kochi as “hidden gems” in the design world, Dr Garvey said the 1957-founded WDO as a UN-affiliate apex organization for design has been trying to tap the potential of such cities. “We will provide all kinds of support to the initiatives to anyone coming forward with clear preparations,” he said. Those who interacted with Dr Garvey included students, teachers from various design schools in the state, start-up founders in the design sector, professional designers and startups in Maker Village.

Also, present were Insight Centre for Design, Technology and Creative Arts Chairman Rahul R IRS (ex) and Kerala State Institute of Design, Principal Manoj Kini.