Design Education Council News Today | Stay Informed with Edinbox

American Donald Norman has lived multiple lives as an educator, industry strategist, consultant, and speaker – all converging towards one thread: design. One who opines that "good design is harder to notice because it fits our needs and is invisible", Norman, 88, can be referred to as the conscience keeper of designers everywhere as they use his benchmark of functionality and common sense to compare their products. So much so, in design jargon, a "Norman door" is any door which is a puzzle to use – do you push, pull, slide, or just wait and open?

Numerous times on advisory boards, such as schools in India, such as the BITS Design School, Mumbai, Norman has traveled to the country and carefully studied people and society. Though his most-well-received book The Design of Everyday Things (DOET, 1988) is on good products, usable products, his new Designed for a Better World (2023) speaks on humanity-focused design. Don Norman Design Award organisation is an opportunity to invite early practitioners and institutions of learning to present socially-significant projects. In this conversation, he discusses the requirement of integrated learning in schools, how to measure the quality of life, and the issue with electric vehicles.

While I was recently in Bangalore, I ran into Sanjay Purohit, whose Centre for Exponential Change is doing small things, but in a manner that affects millions of people. I am going to collaborate with him on scaling the work because education really is the best way. India is dominating in education, not government schools as much, but private schools, which are providing their students liberal education. Students very often don't even know why they are learning, but you set them in a team and get them to do an exciting project. They need to understand finance, technology, art, and history, and interact with various people with various skills, and that, in my opinion, is the correct manner for education

With the constantly changing world of design, three prominent architects and designers have created a name for themselves as pioneers who are pushing the limits and designing spaces that reflect individuality and meaning. Say hello to Vikrant Sharma, Neha Garg, and Kuntal Vyas Aggarwal—leaders who have revolutionized how we see and engage with spaces.

Vikrant Sharma, 40, Co-Founder and Lead Architect, Hivemind Design

The Genesis of Hivemind Design

In October 2012, Vikrant Sharma was setting up his independent architecture practice when he met Gaurav, an experienced design entrepreneur. Their first assignment, redesigning Gaurav's house in Gurgaon, was a resounding success that formed the bedrock of their firm, Hivemind Design. Mandeep came on board a few years later, reinforcing the firm's creative endeavors further.

Design with a Purpose

While working primarily with custom homes, Vikrant and his crew at Hivemind Design believe in crafting the kind of places that build connections. From architecture to interior design and commercial enterprise, they help each project turn into an uncomplicated harmony of form and functionality.

Signature Projects

Two projects remain close to Vikrant's heart after having executed nearly 150: Residence VSD—his first-ever project—and RMD House in New Delhi, the quintessence of bespoke home design.

Today, Hivemind Design is involved in multiple projects such as luxury apartments, farmhouses, and architecture, all undertaken with a contemporary yet natural design style.

Neha Garg, 42, Principal Designer, Studio Jane Designswww.studiojane.in

A Leap of Faith

Neha Garg's transition to design was not conventional. Having studied finance, she took a bold leap 15 years ago and formally began Studio Jane Designs in June 2018. Her company is now synonymous with luxury and bespoke storytelling in residential and hospitality design.

Where Art Meets Design

Neha's strength is in designing upscale spaces that integrate imagination and personal stories. Having worked on over 70 projects herself and having completed over 50 with her team, she continues to redefine luxury interiors.

A Masterwork Inspired by Silk

Her showstopping project, The Silk Route Home in Raipur, reveals her talent in combining materials and textures effortlessly. Employing silk wallpapers in bamboo silk, silk upholstery, and bespoke silk art pieces, she turned a tight space into a sanctuary of subtlety-tinged opulence.

With more than 16 projects under way, ranging from boutique resorts and luxury villas to hybrid building typologies, Neha's current passion is a boutique resort in Karjat—a reflection of her dream of marrying tradition with contemporary sensibilities.

Kuntal Vyas Aggarwal, 41, Founder and Head of Design, Resaiki Interiors and Architecture Design Studio

www.resaiki.com

A Vision Beyond AestheticsResaiki Interiors and Architecture Design Studio was created in 2011 out of Kuntal Vyas Aggarwal's vision that design could be more than just visual. Born out of her first year in design school, Resaiki stands for the philosophy that spaces should have the power to heal the soul, create positive energy, and uplift lives.

The Philosophy of Holistic Design

Kuntal's area of expertise is designing spaces combining Vaastu, color psychology, and holistic healing so that design is not merely about beauty but also about wellness. Resaiki has undertaken over 100 projects in seven cities in India and Nepal across residential, commercial, and institutional designs.

A Space That Flows

Her most beloved project, the AK72 house in Noida, is unique in its open, welcoming design. With smooth entrances and an uninterrupted floor plan, the space exudes fluidity and warmth.

Kuntal is presently designing her own house, Yutori, where she is practicing her philosophy without any boundaries. She is also working on County 107, a luxury residential complex, and a hospital in Pune meant to include spiritual healing.

Her design aesthetic? An effortless blend of luxury, functionality, and spirituality, always revolving around human experience.

Conclusion

These three pioneering designers—Vikrant Sharma, Neha Garg, and Kuntal Vyas Aggarwal—are transforming contemporary design by infusing personal stories, intuitive designs, and holistic philosophies into their work. From minimalist modernism to luxury storytelling to spiritually nourishing spaces, their contributions to the world of design continue to inspire and innovate.

Wearing an AR headset, Associate Professor Alejandro M. Aragón shows how easy and intuitive it is to use the app. With some simple hand movements, the bridge design materializes in augmented reality, and he is able to walk around it and explore it from all sides. The concept of the app struck him when he went to an optimisation conference in 2023, where he heard about the new AR glasses.

Aragón's research is aimed at discovering optimized designs for a broad variety of (meta)materials and structures. One of the main tools in his research is topology optimisation, an iterative algorithm employed to optimise the shape or geometry of an object given a target functionality and certain constraints. This might involve, for example, reducing material consumption or reducing the risk of fracture, depending on the design requirements.

Although it holds promise, topology optimisation remains far from universal. Other complications, such as manufacturability or the inclusion of subjective factors like aesthetics, further complicate the process. New technologies such as AR and VR, Aragón believes, hold the key. 

Together with his previous MSc student Hendrik Jaap Algra, they created ARCADE: Augmented Reality Computational Analysis and Design Environment. ARCADE is an Apple Vision Pro app tailored specifically for "immersed topology optimisation." The design parameters, including the size of the computational domain and boundary conditions (supports and loads), can be controlled by hand gestures. While capable of implementing any kind of boundary conditions, the app includes ones for optimizing a cantilever beam and a bridge – both standard test cases in mechanical engineering. The app then works out an optimized design in real time, instantly visualized within the AR world.The ultimate goal is not merely to present a real design (based on physics), but also to improve the integration of human creativity into the design process.

As per Aragón, the integration of AR and topology optimisation can revolutionise design processes in the future. He will introduce ARCADE at the forthcoming World Congress of Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimisation later this year. The app will also be launched in the Apple Store for visonOS

With the increasing acceptance of the "Design Your Degree" model—a new concept under which students are able to customize their academic career according to their passions and professional ambitions—Indian higher education is in a state of transition. Omar Abdullah, ex-chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, recently expressed lots of enthusiasm regarding the method, which has garnered more national interest.

Compared to inflexible, conventional degree paths, the "Design Your Degree" model permits students to create their own courses of study across a range of disciplines. This enables them to build a customized academic record that aligns with industry demands, so they can graduate prepared with skills for evolving job markets.

Under this system, students can take courses from multiple disciplines, forming an interdisciplinary educational environment.It is especially useful in today's rapidly evolving workplace, where there is an increasing demand for hybrid skill sets, like the combination of business and technology or the humanities and data analysis.

Long-time promoter of progressive policies in education, Omar Abdullah, praised the "Design Your Degree" idea as skill- and student-centered. He highlighted the fact that such an approach favors innovation, versatility, and learning through experience while the conventional method of education attempts to confine students to predefined study programs.

The increasing popularity of this model indicates how educational systems are transforming to be more student-centered and dynamic. Many institutions across India are also exploring the possibility of applying similar models in order to grant students greater autonomy over learning streams.

Through Abdullah's support, the campaign will be able to gain more traction, enabling policymakers and schools to implement flexible curriculum options into mainstream tertiary education.

Despite the potential of the model, challenges of faculty development, curriculum re-design, and accreditation need to be resolved to ensure that its large-scale implementation becomes a reality. But with right strategies in hand, the "Design Your Degree" model can revolutionize higher education by linking academic education to industry requirements.

With more and more debates surrounding education reforms, everyone is observing how policymakers and universities will embrace this model to reshape the future of Indian higher education.

According to the India Design ID 2025 report, luxury living is characterized by a revolutionary shift, with sustainability, customization, and practical design as the main trends. Luxury homeowners are changing the definition of high-end living by focusing on eco-friendly materials, custom furnishings, and smart technology rather than just luxury.

Sustainability is at the forefront of the green movement that has reached the luxury real estate industry. Beyond aesthetics, homeowners now want energy-efficient design, clever water management systems, and ecological materials. The focus is on reducing environmental impact without compromising style, from solar villas to furniture made from salvaged wood.

Customized environments are replacing the one-size-fits-all luxury of the past. Homeowners today want interiors that showcase their individual preferences and way of life, which includes custom lighting, handcrafted furniture, and artwork. This change stems from the belief that luxury should not just be a show of riches but also an expression of one's individuality.

Luxury homes are increasingly including multipurpose spaces, flexible furniture, and dedicated offices as remote work and hybrid lifestyles become more common. Designers are focusing on layouts that are roomy but functional, allowing for the seamless integration of work and leisure.

One of the standout trends of 2025 is the revival of balconies. As homeowners crave a seamless indoor-outdoor experience, balconies and terraces are being designed as tranquil retreats, complete with green walls, mood lighting, and weather-resistant furniture.

With amenities like yoga studios, meditation rooms, home spas, and cutting-edge air filtration systems, luxury residences are becoming wellness havens. The focus is on holistic well-being, making sure that luxury living improves both physical and emotional health in addition to comfort.

The India Design ID 2025 research highlights the dynamic progression of luxury living, where utility, customisation, and sustainability are the new standards of opulence rather than just passing fads. Luxury is evolving from extravagance to meaningful, conscious living as homeowners look for a closer bond with their living areas

As part of a dramatic shift in educational policy, schools throughout the country are incorporating design thinking for social impact into their curricula. According to a study published in The Hindu, the goal of this new approach is to provide students with the creative, empathetic, and problem-solving abilities necessary to address important social and environmental concerns. Design for Social Impact: An Educationally Transformative Strategy

In a sharp policy change in the education sector, educational institutions across the nation are integrating design thinking for social impact in their curriculum. As a report featured in The Hindu indicates, this new strategy has the objective of putting students in a position to tackle consequential social and environmental issues through innovative creativity, empathy, and problem-solving skills.

Experts think design is more than looks—it's a powerful mechanism for creating social change. Integrating design learning with practical concerns, teachers are equipping students to be community change-makers.

As opposed to the conventional ways of teaching, this model is stakeholder-focused and community-centric. Students are led to confront social issues in a hands-on manner, partnering with policymakers, non-profits, and communities to create sustainable solutions.

This transition is set to transform education into making learning more impactful and goal-directed. Organizations that are implementing this framework are noting that students are getting a better appreciation of actual issues and complexity while acquiring problem-solving experience at the practical level.

This method not only gives students academic advantages but also prepares them for employment in social impact design. Professionals with the ability to combine creativity and social consciousness are in greater demand in fields including human-centered design, sustainability, public health, and urban planning.

As the need for socially conscious design solutions grows, educators are stressing how crucial it is that colleges and institutions prioritize impact-led learning. Incorporating design for social good may be the new education standard that not only determines future professions but also creates a more aware and active generation.

As more education institutions come to appreciate the importance of this process, the trend towards educating people in design for social impact will be a crucial factor in driving a more accountable and creative society.