On the occasion of Children’s Day, Gurgaon’s leading fashion institute, Institute of Apparel Management (IAM), organised ‘Design Fest 2014’ for schoolchildren. Over a hundred students from reputed schools of Gurgaon and Delhi (such as DPS Vasant Kunj, DPS Sushant Lok, GD Goenka, The Banyan Tree, Siksha Bharti School, The Indian Heights School, Lions Public School, DPS Maruti Kunj, DPS Sector 45, Sh. S.N. Sidheshwar Sr. Sec. Public School, DAV Sector 14) participated in the Fest. The Design Fest envisaged a vital role for young minds in the development of a vision for the Millennium City. It provided them a canvas for capturing their imagination, to help create ‘Gurgaonnext’. The students were exhorted to depict in what manner they would like to see Gurgaon as a world-class city or a ‘smart city’. Through this ‘playfield’ structure, these young creators were eased into the complex world of town planning – featuring Transportation & Automobiles, Roads & Pathways, Waste Disposal & Management System, Public Installations, Signage & Digital Interfaces, Bus/Metro/Auto Stations, Parks & Common areas, Green & Clean Energy, Police, Civic bodies, Firefighters, space for the physically challenged etc. The students were asked to develop refreshing individualistic designs for each, including futuristic uniforms.. The work of the students on various design areas, including elements, products, textiles, apparel, graphics and communications, would then be integrated with the City’s life and style, to propose a better way forward for the citizens of the City. Students were asked to choose any one of the topics and to depict their thoughts on the same on canvas. They were also told that the design work needed to have a ‘sustainable’ dimension (meaning that their ideas should not be detrimental to the ecology and the environment, or to animals) and should preferably also enhance Indian culture. Speaking on the occasion, Somesh Singh, Director IAM, said, ”Students are the future professionals and they will and should shape the future of this City and the country. We wanted to capture their imagination and vision.”
The competition lasted for 2 hours and was judged by the faculty of IAM. The girls came out with flying colours. The top honours went to Sneha Nayak of DAV Public School Sector 14, for her portrayal of the Transportation and Automobiles system of Gurgaon. An excited Sneha gushed, “It is my dream to see a Gurgaon where pedestrians can walk freely, without any fear of being hit by a speeding vehicle; I would like to see roads that have special lanes for cycles and scooters.” Aparajita, also from the same school, came Second, and Pooja Bhati of Siksha Bharti School took the Third position. Puja Bhatti, a student of Class 12, Siksha Bharti, wants her city to be green and expressed her views through her craft. “We need to plant lots of trees in a very structured manner. Roads should be kept clean. People should be sensitised on the need to dispose their garbage regularly and properly. Pollution should be controlled,” she said. Sneha Nayak added, “The transportation in Gurgaon needs to get better. The traffic situation is quite pathetic. Traffic lights should be better managed, so that they help in the better movement of cars and people on the streets.” Kanshika, another enthusiastic girl from DAV, believed that malls have become just a place to ‘hang out’ - to be seen in. They have become a source of entertainment. Instead of setting up more malls, she feels that the city planners should give more care to the development of parks, which offer genuine breathing space (a real bonus in this fast-polluting environment). The students were also vocal about the need for ‘new’ uniforms for various officials, such as the police. “A city of smartly-dressed people, especially those on the streets, always leaves a better impression,” said Kushal Raheja. Addressing the participants Dr. Darlie O. Koshy, DG & CEO, IAM, said “I believe that the youth should always be innovative and creative. There are many areas in a city that are crying out for imaginative solutions.”
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