The first edition of Bengaluru By Design kicks off this November

This November, Bengaluru will be literally painted red, green, pink and blue. Venues like UB City, WeWork Galaxy, VR Bengaluru, Srishti Institute of Art and NGMA will transform into colourful spots that showcase design through different installations and pop-ups.



Excite and engage
From the Pajaki (pronunced pahyon-kee) — traditional Polish chandeliers crafted with rye straw and paper, lush green twisting ribbon installations by Total Environment, and an Indigo stories video installation by Asian paints, to Stop & Stair-Unchained Symphony Birds, a recycled paper installation, artworks set up across the city will not only be visually appealing but will also be interactive. It is the first edition of Bengaluru By Design (BBD) – Design Takes Over, and founder, Suprita Moorthy, and cofounder, Priyanka Shah-Bhandary, are attempting to get the best of design and artwork from across the globe in addition to hosting speakers who will take citizens behind the scenes to understand what goes into design and execution.

“The conversation started last year. It has taken a year to put this together,” says Suprita, adding, “We have a three-fold agenda — to impact the public, impact design in education and impact business. So we have curated and chosen designs and participants who touch at least one of these aspects. For example, installations impact citizens. So, one of the things we made sure was that the designs in the featured installations are accessible to all while building curiosity.”



Through the lens
Design enthusiasts and partners of BBD will be showcasing various angles and elements of design and creation. The 10-day event will also host pop-ups, exhibitions, workshops and the India Design Forum (IDF) — a conference on the theme ‘disruptive design.’ Among the suburbs, Whitfield will be the spot for The Think Design Fest that takes visitors through different processes of how a sustainable home is sensitively designed. In addition, the event also showcases how craft beer is made, and there will be a music performance by the AfroFunk Band Supergombo. From the design exhibitions, the Contemporary Japanese Poster Exhibition is something that cannot be missed. It features 12 Japanese graphic designers’ works that were done during the Bubble Economy — a period when Japan saw an increase in awareness about environmental problems.

John Gollings: The History of The Built World is another exhibition that showcases the noted Australian photographer’s works that explore the cultural construction of social spaces. “The festival is not just for designers but for the citizens to engage with what’s on offer and think out of the box,” offers Priyanka.

Entry free. November 23 - December 2. At various venues.

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@aishatax