Interiors & Designs

Creativity centre for architecture, design opens up in Pune

Leading the trend for innovative and sustainable workplace design solutions in India, three entities have come together to open up creativity centre for architecture and design in India. Haworth, manufacturer of office furniture and adaptable workplace solutions, IIID (Institute of Indian Interior Designers), and Ishanya international design centre and specialty mall, have inaugurated India's first creativity centre for the architecture and design community in Pune.

The Haworth Pune Creativity Centre (HPCC), housed at Ishanya, was inaugurated by IS Narula, president and CEO of Value Added Retail Estate (VARE) & Retail Business, Deepak Fertilisers & Petrochemicals, Richard Haworth, global chairman of Haworth, and Nitin Killawala, president of IIID, in the presence of SC Mehta, vice chairman and MD of Deepak Fertilisers & Petrochemicals, Frank Rexach, VP and GM of Haworth (Asia Pacific, Middle East & Latin America), Vyanna D Reddiar, MD of Haworth India and Shrikant Nivasarkar, president, International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers.

The Haworth Pune Creativity Centre will provide a collaborative, creative and knowledge-based environment for the architect and design community. It will act as an interactive laboratory that will study and recommend solutions and develop tools to showcase how workspace, coupled with organizational culture and sustainability plays a role in facilitating creativity and productivity for local and global companies in India.

According to Narula, "The creativity centre is a natural extension of all that Ishanya stands for. We bring together ideas, expertise and solutions in a cogent and friendly manner offering everything under one roof to the discerning - from architects, interior designers and the entire interiors and exteriors trade to walk-in customers combining design inspiration with specialty retail. Plus the opportunity to keep in touch and indeed ahead, through inspired creativity, of the latest developments in the world of design! We are emerging, as we always said we would be, as a global centre for interiors and exteriors. We have opened nearly 2,50,000 square feet of retail space already with over 2500 brands and products and our inspiration related offerings like the simulation centre, knowledge centre, amphitheatre, art galleries and seminar centre are poised to open very soon."

Haworth said, "At Haworth, we understand that a workspace has to perform. We believe that a space doesn't exist for itself. It should be designed to support the larger business goals and meet sustainability requirements. That's why Haworth has developed a strong knowledge base in the areas of human, organisational and facility performance. We provide ideas and solutions to our clients to meet their evolving needs. The objective of our creativity centres is to apply our knowledge and cultivate local learning in workspace solutions. The HPCC is the second centre of its kind in Asia Pacific - and will work closely with the Shanghai Creativity Centre. We are delighted to partner with Ishanya and IIID in this venture and believe that HPCC will truly become a centre for development of design in India."

Killawala said, "Such a move makes available information about design activities happening across the world and also creates a data centre giving information about indian designs and designers which can be beneficial for designers and the community at large. An annual event can be planned to promote the exhibitions of newly developed designs by indian designers."

Commenting on Haworth plans for India, Rexach said, "Besides being an important business location for us, India plays a critical role in our Asia Pacific and Middle East game plan. Our manufacturing facility in Pune will become a sourcing hub for our business in Middle East and Africa. We have ramped up our business in India in the last year - introducing new products, opening seven new offices across India and launching our creativity centre in India which is the eighth facility. We will soon be adding additional seating lines in our Pune plant. We also saw a great need and demand for our intellectual property and knowledge like Ideation and have built that capability in India and are offering this to customers."

The HPCC, a 5500 sq feet facility, is being designed and developed by Haworth and will be divided into the following areas:

• The creativity centre will serve as a focal point for Haworth's India Ideation team. Ideation is Haworth's global workspace research consulting group and think tank that works closely with clients to develop a work environment for companies that optimise overall performance at individual, group, and organisational levels. The creativity centre will focus on knowledge sharing and providing research tools coupled with Haworth's global expertise that will help Indian architects and designers come together to share ideas and concepts. The creativity centre consists of a collaborative area for seminars, special events and training sessions, and can accommodate 50 people.
• HPCC will also house the IIID Pune Chapter office. IIID will also develop a knowledge centre. A library developed by Ishanya will also be managed by IIID and will act as a hub of information for IIID members and the public.
• Ishanya Business Centre, developed and managed by Ishanya, is a public space where HPCC will welcome the business community, and offer visitors an ambience and facility to work away from their traditional office space. This will consist of Haworth workstations and a casual seating area furnished with Haworth products.
• The HPCC will also have meeting areas and a brainstorming room to stimulate creativity.