An array of design-led events, dialogues and discourses, all along igniting perspectives on a sustainable future, are set to storm the Indian city of Hyderabad. The 31st edition of the World Design Assembly - a two-day event held biennially by World Design Organisation (WDO) - will run in tandem with the inaugural Hyderabad Design Week (HDW), making for a five-day city-wide event from October 09 – 13, 2019, which is being organised by the Government of Telangana, in partnership with India Design Forum (IDF).

WDO is an international organisation advocating industrial design driven innovation. Being hosted for the first time in India in Hyderabad, previous editions of the assembly include events across Torino, Italy (2017); Gwangju, South Korea (2015); Montreal, Canada (2013) and Taipei, China (2011). The coveted programme bring members from across the world to address key issues affecting the design industry, and set operational direction for the organisation.

The key events this year include Autodesk Design Night (October 9), WDA Education Forum and IDF Awards (October 10), the HDW Design Conference (October 11-12), curated design expo and workshops by leading professionals from across the globe as well as city tours (October 13) highlighting the best of the region’s heritage and craft.

HDW Design Conference promises to be a tremendous source of inspiration, and will take place at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre. The theme for the conference is centered around Humanising Design where the platform will consider how design innovation can be used to address pressing humanitarian issues such as poverty, pollution, and the surging depletion of natural resources.

More than 150 participants from design and allied fields would come together to engage in thought-provoking discussions and dialogues. These include architect Cristiano Ceccato (Zaha Hadid Architects) and Emma Greer (Carlo Ratti Associati); design mavericks Jane Withers (Jane Withers Studio), Tim Kobe (Eight Inc.), Marcus Fairs (Dezeen); fashion designer Ruchika Sachdeva (Bodice) and product designer Sandeep Sangaru (Sandeep Sangaru Design) and many others.

The programme will put forward interactive awareness raising initiatives and projects to impart a lasting impression. A series of installations around contemporary design innovation will dot various locations around the city as part of the event.

The highlights include a Wonderwater Café by London-based Jane Withers Studio, depicting the water footprint of food; an interactive audio-visual installation that responds to human presence by French-Belgian artist Béatrice de Fays; a large scale upcycled installation by St+art India addressing environmental impact of consumerism; and Design Swarms workshop to solve social challenges in co-working by Seattle-based designer Surya Vanka. A series of urban interventions by studio DesignAware (India) will interestingly demonstrate vernacular construction methods to create sustainable architecture.

In a conscious effort to reduce the event’s carbon footprint, the HDW merchandise has been made from low water consumption textiles such as bamboo; collaterals by local women’s cooperatives; transportation via electric vehicles; refillable metal bottles for all delegates, and a mobile event app for referring to schedule of programmes.

With a potential line-up of striking narratives and curious minds, the Hyderabad Design Week is calling to think, explore, learn and ultimately create a better human experience through design.