Indu Varanasi: Design must be ‘sensitive’ but respond to the attack on cultural identity
Design director at IRD Design writes a long-form opinion piece for Commercial Interior Design
Over a weekend, I happened to see a photography exhibition at a museum. The period was from the early 1800s to early 1900s. Besides the technological advancement and photographs being a prerogative of the rich, something struck me profoundly about the different attire, culture, architecture, and landscape of the people and places.
Somewhere along the next 100 years of colonisation and globalisation, this variety of life seems to have been lost, ignored or decimated.
Throughout history, people, cultures and architecture has advanced, inhabitants adapted aspects and towards a common future, a common goal.
In the past, countries were defined by the extent of geographical mass under one ruler or natural barriers which created the distinction. The definition of countries or kingdoms, sultanates and empires has continuously changed.