5 Things We Learnt From Design Day Panels At House Of Bazaar
Are technology and tradition arch-rivals? Read on to find out the future of design as told by leading names in the regional design industry
Amidst art and design gems at the grand finale of House of Bazaar 2018 presented by Mall of the Emirates for World of Fashion, we hosted interactive panel talks with regional creative giants who have carved out a name for themselves in the world marketplace with their futuristic designs and eye for creativity. Here are five lessons we learnt from these industry movers and shakers about where design is headed.
Harper’s Bazaar Art and Harper’s Bazaar Interiors Editor-in-Chief Rebecca Anne Proctor with Anna Szonyi and Riyad Joucka
Technology is just a means to an end
“Technology is a tool at the end of the day. It’s a way for us to do something new but most importantly, it’s about the sketch, context, materials, and how we use the tool to come up with something new.” – Riyad Joucka, Founder of MEAN design and member of Dubai Future Foundation
“Whatever is done with technology, it’ll always be marked by craftsmanship as it’s people who have to manufacture it, unless it’s a 3-D printed object. This is controlled by a human being, it’s just a tool at the end of the day.” – Anna Szonyi, Director and partner at AR Gallery
Architects Viktor Udzenija and Cecilia Morosi
Technology and tradition can coexist
“We’re using technology in the right way to merge the know-how of centuries and natural materials and transferring them into shapes that are only possible now.” – Viktor Udzenija, Founder and principal architect at Viktor Udzenija Architecture + Design
“I use a lot of computation design in my work. We now have the manufacturing ability to fabricate those forms. Also, the traditional fabricators are more willing to experiment.” – Agata Kurzela, Design Director at Roar
“Tradition and technology can exist together and develop a synergy with each other instead of technology taking over.” – Anna Szonyi
“There are a lot of inspiring things happening such as weaving, basket-making and light fixtures. They’re very literal inspirations and it’s becoming more contemporary but the traditional context is very much there.” – Agata Kurzela
Anna Szonyi
Handcrafting is timeless but technology is timely
“In terms of development, we frequently use computer softwares that immediately give you feedback on whether you like the design or if the shape works. We use a lot of 3-D printing but at the end of the day, we go back to traditional handcraft to manufacture these pieces.” – Viktor Udzenija
“Craftsmanship is a niche platform and it’s never going to go out of fashion. There will always be people who work on traditional objects and there are a lot of areas to explore.” – Anna Szonyi
“Technology is exponential. There’s a famous quote by William Gibson, ‘The future is already here but it’s not evenly distributed’. It’s an important thing to reflect upon, as in cities like New York and Dubai, you see how technology has been integrated into our lives. It’s becoming commonplace. – Riyad Joucka
Riyad Joucka
Technology needs to catch up with culture
“When we came here 10 years ago, felt we have more to give than to take. After 10 years, I have to say Arabic culture has greatly influenced our lives and design. We have the possibility here to live with 200 different cultures and it’s very interesting to be a part of this energy.” – Cecilia Morosi, Architect and head of design at SUPERFUTUREDESIGN*
“Technology has to catch up with tradition. A few months ago I was in Berlin to brainstorm ideas with the Dubai Future Foundation team for the Museum of the Future and one of the ideas that came up was using virtual reality. That raised the question that if you come to Dubai, many people here wear the traditional dress and sometimes they can’t put a headset on due to it. That’s an interesting limitation of technology. I think technology has to catch up with culture. It needs to evolve based on how you live.” – Riyad Joucka
Rebecca Anne Proctor with Riyad Joucka and Anna Szonyi
Tech collaborations are all the rage
“Most of our work is based on technology. We translate sound and earth formations to softwares. We use a lot of metal for precision and wood, and soon we’re going to start experimenting with glass. We also work with a company from Spain that does 3D-printed furniture. Our inspiration is always from nature but we use technology to translate our ideas into actual objects.” – Anna Szonyi
“We’ve had a collaboration with Apple in Dubai and we played around with how we could use them. Developing our own iPhone apps to showcase objects in augmented reality. That’s an example of how you can collaborate with a brand and innovate within your brand of work.” – Riyad Joucka
“Many brands are already implementing artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) technology. We recently had a pop-up exhibition by TechnoGen at AR Gallery. They brought VR equipment with a big screen to the gallery, which visitors could use to model their homes. This was the first time we had VR in the gallery and a lot of clients loved it. It’s now getting more common to use technology for commercial purposes.” – Anna Szonyi
Photography by ITP Media Group. Download the Mall of the Emirates App to have all things World of Fashion at your fingertips.