Kerning is a design handiwork that helps to adjust spaces between letters. Graphic designers use it often. Going beyond, kerning is also a metaphor for making creative spaces in one’s life, according to American design strategist and author Justin Ahren.
Some tweaks here and some twists there could lift an odd design to a beautiful one. The same applies to careers, life, money and almost everything in the world. Designers’ Community, a collective based in Thiruvananthapuram, calls this ‘design literacy’.
Now celebrating its seventh year, the community has been bringing together learners, thinkers, creators and investors who are looking for a platform that fosters meaningful collaborations.
“Our mandate is to be a community that aids other such groups to take shape. There are people amongst us who walked in alone but are now thriving as part of groups,” says Abrar Ali, founder-member of the Designers’ Community.
“Collectives that found a home here are ‘Mattam’, a sustainability group; ‘Beyond 7’, a community related to music; ‘Neythu’, which focuses on fashion; ‘Dying Art’, a movie and media group; ‘Olam’, a space for entrepreneurs; and then there are finance-related communities… Thus, in a way, we are a community of communities.”
It all started as a co-working space put together by five people in a 102-year-old building at Vazhuthacaud, but soon expanded to become a hub of about 250 members — all creative people who understood the philosophy of design was quite natural and evolutionary. And, when we talk about design, it’s not just about aesthetics.
“We have architects, designers, and even psychologists amongst us. We call this a ‘third place’ — the one after home and workspaces,” says Abrar.
The multidisciplinary aspect in design is about breaching the borders of traditional design fields, such as interior, architecture and graphics, and moving towards imbibing the philosophy of design in policy, strategy, finance and more.
“With better design literacy, policy makers can appreciate the role of a proper ‘design’ in decisions they make,” he says.
“A well-implemented financial design, for instance, can bring greater fortunes. We are harping on the value that being design-literate brings. World over, this has yielded fruit. We aim at cultivating that design culture in our city. We go by the motto: everything is a design.”
The space provided by the community is a sanctuary for design lovers. They appreciate free spaces where people can converse without borders or judgments. They are prompted by activities that challenge their thoughts.
“We have activities like the Sketch Walk, where twice a month the members go to places and interpret it in their own way. They write, draw, create or even mentally picture the place from their own design perspectives. They then discuss it and share their observations. These sessions are greatly insightful and aid learning,” says Abrar.
“We also have events such as ‘Charcha’ where topics that need to be addressed are discussed and debated. Some we dealt with that way included the need for financial design. We also discussed seemingly lighter topics, such as pockets in women’s attire. Modern problems need modern solutions, and different kinds of design thinking.”
The collective’s next aim is to organise a design festival, bringing together experts, enthusiasts and learners from across the region to present and brainstorm ideas, including policy-changing design aspects that could aid in city planning. “After all, everything in this world is by design, right?” smiles Abrar.