Kerala is working towards developing a design policy for promoting sustainable infrastructure that employs innovative designs for habitats and smart cities, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said here on Saturday.
Design festival
Speaking at the concluding session of the Kochi Design Week, he said the government intends to launch a ‘Kerala Design Festival’ by scaling up the design week format through integration of multiple events.
“Kerala Tourism can market it globally so that it will be one more reason for the creative community to travel to Kerala,” he said.
Govt. plan
Mr. Vijayan said the government would work with the Kerala Startup Mission and similar agencies to assess the areas that required stronger focus amid an ongoing mission to rebuild the State’s infrastructure.
“We will come up with necessary interventions to boost entrepreneurship, skilling and other related areas,” he said.
The design week that concluded saw experts and enthusiasts exchange ideas that are possible inputs to a long-term development plan for Kerala through futuristic technology and architecture. Over 100 speakers from within India and 12 other countries addressed sessions and workshops as well as masterclasses before 3,000-plus design professionals, architects, interior designers, thought leaders, policymakers and government officials.
The event was organised by the Kerala Government’s IT and Electronics Department.
Mr. Vijayan cited creativity as a domain where Kerala can play a lead role. Several MNCs across the country and abroad have Malayalis as decision-makers in the creative or design domain, he noted.
Talent grooming
To make Kerala the world’s creative hub, he said, the government would build a design-centric ‘Centre of Excellence’ in Kochi, with hardware and software facilities, fablabs and prototyping facilities besides talent-grooming and community development initiatives.
