The inaugural Design Summit, a pioneering event in Pakistan, which concluded recently at BNU Tarogil Campus, Lahore, was spearheaded by Prof Rashid Rana, dean of the BNU-MDSVAD, in collaboration with the Rhode Island School of Design and the Punjab Walled Cities Authority.

Earlier, the summit opened at the Walled City of Lahore. It was marked by a series of conversations, projects, exhibitions and pavilions that highlighted the intricacies of design discourse in Pakistan and the Global South.

The Conversations segment was headed by Ijlal Muzaffar, assistant professor at RISD. Panel talks had invited professionals, international speakers and creative practitioners to hold discussions on contemporary design topics, while hackathons, research presentations and workshops were held to engage the audience with expert and meaningful exchanges around the latest trends in the design field.

The keynote address at the opening ceremony was given by Eyal Weizman a professor of architecture at Goldsmith University, London. In his presentation, the professor showcased his research regarding forensic architecture which deploys artificial intelligence and technology in design methodologies to interrogate the gravest human rights violations and genocide.

The panel discussions opened with an argument on the future of AI, often regarded as a threat to divide the humans and technology. The panelists exchanged views on the possibilities of other forms and histories of intelligence that could never be seen as fully human or fully artificial, ranging from shamanistic to technological practices.

The later talk, titled Planetary Geographies, debated the role of design at the intersection of global and nation-state boundaries, both before and after histories of power and resistance.

The Design as Translation panel highlighted the ideas and objects that are perpetually lost in translation, hence blurring the lines of users, labourers and designers.

The Conversations segment concluded with a discussion on Pakistan’s current dismal state. It also looked at the fallacies of the past and presented an analysis to design a futuristic Pakistan where an ordinary civilian’s welfare and honour can be preserved.

The Design Summit was conceived under the notion of synchronicity in the design process. The creative team behind the event had posited that the world we inhabit may be beyond our full comprehension due to its infinite nature. Our attempts to understand it may fall short, leaving us unable to explore it entirely. It is conceivable that we could be both shaping the world and be shaped by it at the same time. The concepts of destiny, luck and fortune imply that every plan and action has limitations and coincides. The objective of the design approach is not to dominate the world but to coexist with it by neither indulging in the past nor following in the footsteps of the developed countries. Prof Rana insisted that we must create new trajectories with the past, the present and the future at our disposal.

The Design Summit featured pavilions, projects and displays that embodied non-linearity in design, integrated materiality, spontaneity and simultaneity. An interplay of these elements clearly lies at the heart of the fabrication process within the historical Walled City.

The exhibition, Simultaneity as Design, showcased a well-curated display at the Royal Kitchen and was designed to provide the visitors with a glimpse into the world of design and its impact on Pakistan and beyond. The exhibition was co-curated by Aarish Sardar and presented the work of both local and international creatives including the likes of Affan Baghpati, Zain Naqvi, Deepak Perwani and Jamil Baloch, who has been recently awarded the Presidential Pride of Performance.

The Materiality as Design pavilions featured large-scale installations situated in the Diwan-i-Aam that celebrated the beauty and potential of various materials and their ability to construct and create unique and immersive spaces. The impressive lineup of participating artists consisted of Adeela Suleman, Ali Xeeshan, Hamza Tarar and Omer Hasan, to name only a few.

Spontaneity as Design presented a critical re-examination of the notion of jugaar through real-life interventions in the form of projects. Focusing on this concept, the exhibition delved into jugaar through the lens of the Walled City of Lahore.

Creative practitioners, designers and artists from across the country had been invited to observe, learn and create from the cultural ingenuity inherent in the historic Walled City. Site-specific projects at the Delhi Gate reflected the resilience of designers and highlighted the inherent need to innovate.

On the final day, the audience was treated to a provocative performance by American artist Gillian Rhodes and a captivating music concert.

The three-day summit hit a significant milestone for design in Pakistan, setting the stage for future discourse and exploration. It recognised the diverse facets and industries that inspire creativity and design processes, celebrating the unique perspectives of everyday Pakistan concerning global design trends.

The writer is an interdisciplinary artist and educator based in Lahore