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a g rao

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I am a designer, trained at NID after my engineering, taught design for 50years at IDC School of Design, IITBombay! Studied creativity for 9months at MIT (USA) and other places in USA on a UNESCO fellowship in 1980. Worked extensively in Bamboo craft and initiated Bambu Studio at IDC ! Subjects of interest: Design Pedagogy, Design Philosophy, language, education of children, creativity and spirituality.Designed many products for Industries including Electronic Voting Machine currently used in India. website: www.agrao.in

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Papers by a g rao

Arupa Foundation 4 -Metaphor based Perfume bottles a g rao

www.agrao.in, 2024

This document highlights a project at the IDC focused on the design of metaphor-based perfume bot... more This document highlights a project at the IDC focused on the design of metaphor-based perfume bottles by the 1986-1988 batch of students, illustrating the use of 'Arupa' or the Implicate Order in design education. The project explored metaphoric space to identify a theme for design objects, such as perfume bottles, through intentional and creative thinking. Students employed various materials like acrylic, wood, and plaster of Paris to bring their abstract ideas into tangible forms. The enduring impact of this project is evident from the rich reflections and detailed feedback provided by the students decades later. This endeavour not only bridged the gap between theoretical concepts and practical application but also showcased the profound impact of embedding personal and culturally significant metaphors into design tasks. The initiative demonstrated that the right metaphors, when aligned with the designer's intent, could lead to innovative creations that resonate at deeper level, leaving a lasting impression on both the creator and the observer. The document concludes with a poetic reflection, suggesting that the creative spirits unleashed here continue to inspire and shape the future of design education.

Arupa in Foundation 3 -Metamorphosis A for Apple

The article introduces the "Metamorphosis" exercise, a creative task for design students aimed at... more The article introduces the "Metamorphosis" exercise, a creative task for design students aimed at fostering 3D form imagination by transforming 2D alphabetic forms into metaphorically connected 3D objects (e.g., "A for Apple"). Inspired by natural transformations, the exercise integrates conceptual and hands-on learning, emphasizing body awareness, multi-sensory engagement, and active silence. Reflections on its outcomes, including insights from a 38-year-old cohort, highlight its profound impact on visual and tacit imagination, material handling, and the development of aesthetic sensitivity.

Arupa for Foundation 1: Clay Task -Akshara Devata a g rao

www.agrao.in, 2024

The article, "Arupa for Foundation1: Clay Task-Akshara Devata," introduces a framework for design... more The article, "Arupa for Foundation1: Clay Task-Akshara Devata," introduces a framework for design education focused on holistic, culturally informed learning, beginning with foundational tasks in clay. This framework, comprising elements such as aesthetic order, body learning, active silence, and multisensory engagement, is designed to foster creativity, spatial awareness, and self-reflection in students from both technical and other backgrounds. An introductory task-transforming 2D letterforms into 3D worship objects-encourages students to deeply engage with material properties, metaphoric thinking, and cultural symbolism. While the framework envisions AI and VR as complementary tools to enhance visualization, feedback, and immersive cultural experiences, it remains grounded in sensory-based, hands-on learning. By promoting cross-disciplinary connections and reflective practice, this comprehensive approach to design pedagogy prepares students for complex, culturally sensitive design challenges. The author plans to further develop this framework in future articles, examining additional tasks introduced to students.

Arupa for Foundation 2: Masks in clay a g rao

www.agrao.in, 2024

Arupa for Foundation 2: Masks in Clay" presents a foundational design exercise introduced to Mast... more Arupa for Foundation 2: Masks in Clay" presents a foundational design exercise introduced to Master of Design (MDes) students in 1985, focusing on creating masks in clay. Designed as a hands-on task, it challenges students-many of whom lack prior tactile and artistic exposure-to engage deeply with kinesthetic learning, cultural introspection, and imagination. The exercise demonstrates how physical manipulation of materials can stimulate creativity, cultural sensitivity, and reflective thinking, essential skills for future educators. By integrating cultural narratives, multisensory perception, and intellectual dialogue, the task not only teaches design principles but also acts as a transformative tool for educators to explore innovative teaching methods. It underscores the pedagogical significance of fostering experiential learning environments and social interaction to build a foundation for collaborative and inclusive education. The author's reflections, coupled with longitudinal student feedback, reveal the exercise's enduring impact on both learners and educators. Furthermore, the proposed integration of emerging technologies like AI and VR opens new avenues for reimagining this exercise, making it a strategic model for teaching in interdisciplinary and evolving contexts. This framework positions the "Masks in Clay" exercise as a blueprint for educators seeking to balance tradition, creativity, and modern pedagogy.

Form of Smell: Arupa in Pedagogy of Design-2 Sense of Smell for Foundation Programme

www.agrao.in, 2024

Sense of smell has so far, got little attention in design pedagogy, especially in Foundation prog... more Sense of smell has so far, got little attention in design pedagogy, especially in Foundation programmes. The paper looks at the unique dimension of 'Smell' to reveal its 'Form' or Arupa in the domain of design. Manifestations of smell in traditional and Industrials modes are briefly discussed. Studies being carried out on 'Smell classification and categorisation in physical and psychological modes' are reviewed in short. Nature of 'smell memory' is looked at in the context of communication as well as its significance for individual Creativity and Inner Order. A possible framework for designers to study 'sense of smell' is examined, taking clues from recent work on smell scape, smell walks, studies on its links with emotions as well as its role in triggering Creativity and shaping Inner Order. A case for introduction of 'Sense of Smell' in Foundation programmes of design is made, with hints of possible futures.

Tactile and Kinesthetic Sense-Perception in Practice and Pedagogy of design

www.agrao.in, 2024

The document explores the unmanifested forms of tactile and kinesthetic senses in design pedagogy... more The document explores the unmanifested forms of tactile and kinesthetic senses in design pedagogy, specifically addressing their integration into educational models. Highlighted contributions from key thinkers like Donald Schön, Juhani Pallasmaa, and Nigel Cross emphasize the importance of incorporating these senses into design thinking and pedagogy. The paper argues for a more holistic approach to design education, one that transcends traditional emphasis on visual aspects and includes other sensory experiences to cultivate a comprehensive understanding of design as an interdisciplinary link across various fields. Evolving foundation programs in design by including these sensory perceptions, will enhance the cognitive and imaginative capabilities of designers, to deal with new situations. The new 'Frame work', 'Arupa the Implicate Order' also points out to the need for a fundamental change in the 'Inner Order' of the learner as well as the teacher (or coach) for effective transformation of the external World.

Taste Perception for Practice and Pedagogy of design a g rao

The paper "Taste Perception for Practice and Pedagogy of Design" introduces an innovative framewo... more The paper "Taste Perception for Practice and Pedagogy of Design" introduces an innovative framework, termed 'Arupa the Implicate Order,' for understanding taste perception in the context of design education and practice. Multifaceted nature of taste, not only as a biological and neurological phenomenon but also as an element deeply intertwined with culture, art, and aesthetics are explored. The research traverses various domains from the scientific bases of taste, including the discovery of taste components and their multi-sensory integration, to the cultural and artistic expressions of taste in cooking and culinary arts. The discussion extends into the impact of modern technology, particularly AI, on creativity in taste perception and its implications for design pedagogy. By unfolding the complex layers of taste perception, the paper aims to enrich design thinking and practice with deeper insights into sensory experiences, advocating for a holistic approach in design education that integrates taste as a critical element of creativity and innovation. 'Arupa is a new frame work to unfold with new chosen intention or meaning. 'Practice and Pedagogy of Design' with new capabilities like AI, homing on Foundation programme' is the present chosen intent to explore, 'Taste Perception'. Form of 'Taste perception' is enfolded in following topics which have evolved in their own contextual orders. We may see the connections across the 'folds' as we unfold each of them to reach a conclusion  Academic and Scientific frame: study and research, biological and neurological processes of Taste Perception: 2 and 3  Cooking and Culture: Art, Aesthetics and Design: 4  Food Consumption and distribution in Industrial mode (With measures, technology and language used): 5  AI based Creativity , Silence (Inner Order and Individual and collective Creativity), Generative metaphors: 6  Conclusion: A cohesive narrative bridging disparate domains-biology, neuroscience, culinary arts, aesthetics, and artificial intelligence is presented by unfolding areas mentioned above to enable conclusions for the objective of the paper. 7 5.3.1 Various names of taste expressions Sweet,

Arupa in Pedagogy of Design: Form of Silence -1

www.agrao.in, 2024

Examination of 'Silence' in the frame work of 'Arupa the Implicate Order' in Design opens new doo... more Examination of 'Silence' in the frame work of 'Arupa the Implicate Order' in Design opens new doors in understanding creativity in 'learning and practice of Design. Nature of Silence with and without Intension is clarified. Parameters in 'Somatic and Collective' tacit knowledge specific to Pedagogy of design are dealt with. 'Silence in sense perception' and its role in learning '2D visual language of Design' are elaborated with two 'student tasks' experimented in M Des programme by the author in the early years(eighties) of IDC. as part-1 in the series: Arupa in Pedagogy of Design: 'Form of Silence'!

Arupa' the 'Implicate Order' as a New frame-work for 'Form and Design'-2 Inner Order and Working Order

www.agrao.in, 2023

The article elaborates the notions of Inner Order(IO) and Working Order(WO) taking design as con... more The article elaborates the notions of Inner Order(IO) and Working Order(WO) taking design as context. These are introduced with a brief note on Cosmic order, Biological Life Order(BLO) and Human Thought Order(HTO) as manifestations of Arupa the Implicate Order. Notion of 'I' as a fragment is discussed based on David Bohm's dialogues with J.Krishnamurti(JK). Manifestation of Inner Order in I-psychological(I-psyc) and I-factual(I-fac) zone is elaborated based on fundamental questions: 'Who am I?' and 'What am I?'. I-fac is unfolded in the frame work of 'Dharma'. Notion of 'Working Order' as a pragmatic manifestation is introduced. Transformation of WO for a creative performance, with insights in I-psyc as an ongoing spiritual process, is suggested, in the overall context of Arupa-the Implicate Order and 'Soma-significance' coined by Dr. David Bohm. Concepts of WO1,WO2 and WO3 as functional ' Working Orders' are discussed. Evolution of working Order to higher zones in the frame work of 'Arupa the Implicate order' is suggested.

Languageas Atoolto Articulate Arupa

'Arupa' the 'Implicate Order' as a New frame-work for 'Form and Design'-1 Enfolding, Unfolding process of Language, Perceiving 'practice of design' as an Order a g rao

www.agrao.in, 2023

the article proposes 'Arupa' the 'Implicate Order' as a New framework for 'Form and Design'. Look... more the article proposes 'Arupa' the 'Implicate Order' as a New framework for 'Form and Design'. Looking at fundamental orders, it adopts 'Implicate Order'-proposed by Dr. David Bohm, a physicist, who had several dialogues on the topic with J Krishnamurti, a spiritual leader and philosopher, as 'Arupa'. Use of Language in its 'Enfolding, unfolding' process and its implication, in the context of a concrete product, 'chair' are examined. Notion of 'Meaning as Intention' for profession of Design and for an Individual designer are discussed in detail. Role of 'Inner Order' which manifests as I-factual and I-psychological are brought out. It ends with urging for 'Actions' based on I-factual (I-fac) to unfold into a 'Generative Design Vision', beneficial to Humanity as a whole by networking with other disciplines. The word 'Arupa' comes from Sanskrit. It means un-manifested Form. Arupa has been referred to a state of 'God', Paramathma' in Hindu religion. Similar references to the 'ultimate' are also made in other religions and by Greek philosophers as well. The word 'Rupa', in Sanskrit and many Indian languages, is referred to 'manifested form' or 'shape'. Design also can be seen as manifestation of 'Arupa', the deep order of form. Arupa the un-manifested, with its 'implicate order' can be a new frame work to unfold 'Form and Design' at multiple levels, in various contexts, including adjacent fields, 'I' at Factual level (I-fac) To comprehend wholeness (CO, BLO) as knowledge in HTO, division into parts or slicing into segments becomes an essential strategy. Formation of I-fac, a manifestation based on factual knowledge as a 'centre', facilitates such knowledge building in all areas like Science, Art,

Book Reviews by a g rao

Book review DOD Bonsiepe revised

www.agrao.in, 2022

The very title is provocative. What is the ‘disobedience’ about? It is about the legitimate posit... more The very title is provocative. What is the ‘disobedience’ about? It is about the legitimate position for ‘design’ and the responsibility of the profession to play its role as an agent of ‘Social change’ for a better Society! Gui Bonsiepe argues for ‘design autonomy’ in its specific domain and immanent intellectual space in other disciplines. Even as he declares himself as a ‘skeptical Optimist’ in an interview, he talks of a utopian ‘continent of design’ to be explored in its intellectual dimension.
The book, Disobedience of Design-Bonsiepe, edited by Lara Penin with essays from others, is brought out in the series, ‘Radical Thinkers in Design’. We must congratulate Lara Penin and her colleagues for bringing out this volume which presents the lifetime work of a ‘living legend’ of Ulm philosophy, ‘Gui Bonsiepe’, through a selection of forty of his essays, interviews, and projects written between 1965 and 2018. No doubt it is a landmark in the History of Industrial Design! The book needs to be present in every library in the institutes of higher learning as well as on the tables of design intellectuals!
Ulm School and Prof.Bonsiepe have a special significance for India.
Bonsiepe visited India couple of times, as a mentor and friend. I was fortunate to be closely associated with prof.Bonsiepe, during his engagement as UNDP consultant in India for 6 weeks in1982. The present article includes his contributions to design education in India which are not specifically covered in the book, ‘Disobedience of Design: Bonsiepe’, but have historical significance as two pioneering design Institutes NID, Ahmadabad and IDC-School of Design adopted Ulm philosophy in essence.

Arupa Foundation 4 -Metaphor based Perfume bottles a g rao

www.agrao.in, 2024

This document highlights a project at the IDC focused on the design of metaphor-based perfume bot... more This document highlights a project at the IDC focused on the design of metaphor-based perfume bottles by the 1986-1988 batch of students, illustrating the use of 'Arupa' or the Implicate Order in design education. The project explored metaphoric space to identify a theme for design objects, such as perfume bottles, through intentional and creative thinking. Students employed various materials like acrylic, wood, and plaster of Paris to bring their abstract ideas into tangible forms. The enduring impact of this project is evident from the rich reflections and detailed feedback provided by the students decades later. This endeavour not only bridged the gap between theoretical concepts and practical application but also showcased the profound impact of embedding personal and culturally significant metaphors into design tasks. The initiative demonstrated that the right metaphors, when aligned with the designer's intent, could lead to innovative creations that resonate at deeper level, leaving a lasting impression on both the creator and the observer. The document concludes with a poetic reflection, suggesting that the creative spirits unleashed here continue to inspire and shape the future of design education.

Arupa in Foundation 3 -Metamorphosis A for Apple

The article introduces the "Metamorphosis" exercise, a creative task for design students aimed at... more The article introduces the "Metamorphosis" exercise, a creative task for design students aimed at fostering 3D form imagination by transforming 2D alphabetic forms into metaphorically connected 3D objects (e.g., "A for Apple"). Inspired by natural transformations, the exercise integrates conceptual and hands-on learning, emphasizing body awareness, multi-sensory engagement, and active silence. Reflections on its outcomes, including insights from a 38-year-old cohort, highlight its profound impact on visual and tacit imagination, material handling, and the development of aesthetic sensitivity.

Arupa for Foundation 1: Clay Task -Akshara Devata a g rao

www.agrao.in, 2024

The article, "Arupa for Foundation1: Clay Task-Akshara Devata," introduces a framework for design... more The article, "Arupa for Foundation1: Clay Task-Akshara Devata," introduces a framework for design education focused on holistic, culturally informed learning, beginning with foundational tasks in clay. This framework, comprising elements such as aesthetic order, body learning, active silence, and multisensory engagement, is designed to foster creativity, spatial awareness, and self-reflection in students from both technical and other backgrounds. An introductory task-transforming 2D letterforms into 3D worship objects-encourages students to deeply engage with material properties, metaphoric thinking, and cultural symbolism. While the framework envisions AI and VR as complementary tools to enhance visualization, feedback, and immersive cultural experiences, it remains grounded in sensory-based, hands-on learning. By promoting cross-disciplinary connections and reflective practice, this comprehensive approach to design pedagogy prepares students for complex, culturally sensitive design challenges. The author plans to further develop this framework in future articles, examining additional tasks introduced to students.

Arupa for Foundation 2: Masks in clay a g rao

www.agrao.in, 2024

Arupa for Foundation 2: Masks in Clay" presents a foundational design exercise introduced to Mast... more Arupa for Foundation 2: Masks in Clay" presents a foundational design exercise introduced to Master of Design (MDes) students in 1985, focusing on creating masks in clay. Designed as a hands-on task, it challenges students-many of whom lack prior tactile and artistic exposure-to engage deeply with kinesthetic learning, cultural introspection, and imagination. The exercise demonstrates how physical manipulation of materials can stimulate creativity, cultural sensitivity, and reflective thinking, essential skills for future educators. By integrating cultural narratives, multisensory perception, and intellectual dialogue, the task not only teaches design principles but also acts as a transformative tool for educators to explore innovative teaching methods. It underscores the pedagogical significance of fostering experiential learning environments and social interaction to build a foundation for collaborative and inclusive education. The author's reflections, coupled with longitudinal student feedback, reveal the exercise's enduring impact on both learners and educators. Furthermore, the proposed integration of emerging technologies like AI and VR opens new avenues for reimagining this exercise, making it a strategic model for teaching in interdisciplinary and evolving contexts. This framework positions the "Masks in Clay" exercise as a blueprint for educators seeking to balance tradition, creativity, and modern pedagogy.

Form of Smell: Arupa in Pedagogy of Design-2 Sense of Smell for Foundation Programme

www.agrao.in, 2024

Sense of smell has so far, got little attention in design pedagogy, especially in Foundation prog... more Sense of smell has so far, got little attention in design pedagogy, especially in Foundation programmes. The paper looks at the unique dimension of 'Smell' to reveal its 'Form' or Arupa in the domain of design. Manifestations of smell in traditional and Industrials modes are briefly discussed. Studies being carried out on 'Smell classification and categorisation in physical and psychological modes' are reviewed in short. Nature of 'smell memory' is looked at in the context of communication as well as its significance for individual Creativity and Inner Order. A possible framework for designers to study 'sense of smell' is examined, taking clues from recent work on smell scape, smell walks, studies on its links with emotions as well as its role in triggering Creativity and shaping Inner Order. A case for introduction of 'Sense of Smell' in Foundation programmes of design is made, with hints of possible futures.

Tactile and Kinesthetic Sense-Perception in Practice and Pedagogy of design

www.agrao.in, 2024

The document explores the unmanifested forms of tactile and kinesthetic senses in design pedagogy... more The document explores the unmanifested forms of tactile and kinesthetic senses in design pedagogy, specifically addressing their integration into educational models. Highlighted contributions from key thinkers like Donald Schön, Juhani Pallasmaa, and Nigel Cross emphasize the importance of incorporating these senses into design thinking and pedagogy. The paper argues for a more holistic approach to design education, one that transcends traditional emphasis on visual aspects and includes other sensory experiences to cultivate a comprehensive understanding of design as an interdisciplinary link across various fields. Evolving foundation programs in design by including these sensory perceptions, will enhance the cognitive and imaginative capabilities of designers, to deal with new situations. The new 'Frame work', 'Arupa the Implicate Order' also points out to the need for a fundamental change in the 'Inner Order' of the learner as well as the teacher (or coach) for effective transformation of the external World.

Taste Perception for Practice and Pedagogy of design a g rao

The paper "Taste Perception for Practice and Pedagogy of Design" introduces an innovative framewo... more The paper "Taste Perception for Practice and Pedagogy of Design" introduces an innovative framework, termed 'Arupa the Implicate Order,' for understanding taste perception in the context of design education and practice. Multifaceted nature of taste, not only as a biological and neurological phenomenon but also as an element deeply intertwined with culture, art, and aesthetics are explored. The research traverses various domains from the scientific bases of taste, including the discovery of taste components and their multi-sensory integration, to the cultural and artistic expressions of taste in cooking and culinary arts. The discussion extends into the impact of modern technology, particularly AI, on creativity in taste perception and its implications for design pedagogy. By unfolding the complex layers of taste perception, the paper aims to enrich design thinking and practice with deeper insights into sensory experiences, advocating for a holistic approach in design education that integrates taste as a critical element of creativity and innovation. 'Arupa is a new frame work to unfold with new chosen intention or meaning. 'Practice and Pedagogy of Design' with new capabilities like AI, homing on Foundation programme' is the present chosen intent to explore, 'Taste Perception'. Form of 'Taste perception' is enfolded in following topics which have evolved in their own contextual orders. We may see the connections across the 'folds' as we unfold each of them to reach a conclusion  Academic and Scientific frame: study and research, biological and neurological processes of Taste Perception: 2 and 3  Cooking and Culture: Art, Aesthetics and Design: 4  Food Consumption and distribution in Industrial mode (With measures, technology and language used): 5  AI based Creativity , Silence (Inner Order and Individual and collective Creativity), Generative metaphors: 6  Conclusion: A cohesive narrative bridging disparate domains-biology, neuroscience, culinary arts, aesthetics, and artificial intelligence is presented by unfolding areas mentioned above to enable conclusions for the objective of the paper. 7 5.3.1 Various names of taste expressions Sweet,

Arupa in Pedagogy of Design: Form of Silence -1

www.agrao.in, 2024

Examination of 'Silence' in the frame work of 'Arupa the Implicate Order' in Design opens new doo... more Examination of 'Silence' in the frame work of 'Arupa the Implicate Order' in Design opens new doors in understanding creativity in 'learning and practice of Design. Nature of Silence with and without Intension is clarified. Parameters in 'Somatic and Collective' tacit knowledge specific to Pedagogy of design are dealt with. 'Silence in sense perception' and its role in learning '2D visual language of Design' are elaborated with two 'student tasks' experimented in M Des programme by the author in the early years(eighties) of IDC. as part-1 in the series: Arupa in Pedagogy of Design: 'Form of Silence'!

Arupa' the 'Implicate Order' as a New frame-work for 'Form and Design'-2 Inner Order and Working Order

www.agrao.in, 2023

The article elaborates the notions of Inner Order(IO) and Working Order(WO) taking design as con... more The article elaborates the notions of Inner Order(IO) and Working Order(WO) taking design as context. These are introduced with a brief note on Cosmic order, Biological Life Order(BLO) and Human Thought Order(HTO) as manifestations of Arupa the Implicate Order. Notion of 'I' as a fragment is discussed based on David Bohm's dialogues with J.Krishnamurti(JK). Manifestation of Inner Order in I-psychological(I-psyc) and I-factual(I-fac) zone is elaborated based on fundamental questions: 'Who am I?' and 'What am I?'. I-fac is unfolded in the frame work of 'Dharma'. Notion of 'Working Order' as a pragmatic manifestation is introduced. Transformation of WO for a creative performance, with insights in I-psyc as an ongoing spiritual process, is suggested, in the overall context of Arupa-the Implicate Order and 'Soma-significance' coined by Dr. David Bohm. Concepts of WO1,WO2 and WO3 as functional ' Working Orders' are discussed. Evolution of working Order to higher zones in the frame work of 'Arupa the Implicate order' is suggested.

Languageas Atoolto Articulate Arupa

'Arupa' the 'Implicate Order' as a New frame-work for 'Form and Design'-1 Enfolding, Unfolding process of Language, Perceiving 'practice of design' as an Order a g rao

www.agrao.in, 2023

the article proposes 'Arupa' the 'Implicate Order' as a New framework for 'Form and Design'. Look... more the article proposes 'Arupa' the 'Implicate Order' as a New framework for 'Form and Design'. Looking at fundamental orders, it adopts 'Implicate Order'-proposed by Dr. David Bohm, a physicist, who had several dialogues on the topic with J Krishnamurti, a spiritual leader and philosopher, as 'Arupa'. Use of Language in its 'Enfolding, unfolding' process and its implication, in the context of a concrete product, 'chair' are examined. Notion of 'Meaning as Intention' for profession of Design and for an Individual designer are discussed in detail. Role of 'Inner Order' which manifests as I-factual and I-psychological are brought out. It ends with urging for 'Actions' based on I-factual (I-fac) to unfold into a 'Generative Design Vision', beneficial to Humanity as a whole by networking with other disciplines. The word 'Arupa' comes from Sanskrit. It means un-manifested Form. Arupa has been referred to a state of 'God', Paramathma' in Hindu religion. Similar references to the 'ultimate' are also made in other religions and by Greek philosophers as well. The word 'Rupa', in Sanskrit and many Indian languages, is referred to 'manifested form' or 'shape'. Design also can be seen as manifestation of 'Arupa', the deep order of form. Arupa the un-manifested, with its 'implicate order' can be a new frame work to unfold 'Form and Design' at multiple levels, in various contexts, including adjacent fields, 'I' at Factual level (I-fac) To comprehend wholeness (CO, BLO) as knowledge in HTO, division into parts or slicing into segments becomes an essential strategy. Formation of I-fac, a manifestation based on factual knowledge as a 'centre', facilitates such knowledge building in all areas like Science, Art,

Book review DOD Bonsiepe revised

www.agrao.in, 2022

The very title is provocative. What is the ‘disobedience’ about? It is about the legitimate posit... more The very title is provocative. What is the ‘disobedience’ about? It is about the legitimate position for ‘design’ and the responsibility of the profession to play its role as an agent of ‘Social change’ for a better Society! Gui Bonsiepe argues for ‘design autonomy’ in its specific domain and immanent intellectual space in other disciplines. Even as he declares himself as a ‘skeptical Optimist’ in an interview, he talks of a utopian ‘continent of design’ to be explored in its intellectual dimension.
The book, Disobedience of Design-Bonsiepe, edited by Lara Penin with essays from others, is brought out in the series, ‘Radical Thinkers in Design’. We must congratulate Lara Penin and her colleagues for bringing out this volume which presents the lifetime work of a ‘living legend’ of Ulm philosophy, ‘Gui Bonsiepe’, through a selection of forty of his essays, interviews, and projects written between 1965 and 2018. No doubt it is a landmark in the History of Industrial Design! The book needs to be present in every library in the institutes of higher learning as well as on the tables of design intellectuals!
Ulm School and Prof.Bonsiepe have a special significance for India.
Bonsiepe visited India couple of times, as a mentor and friend. I was fortunate to be closely associated with prof.Bonsiepe, during his engagement as UNDP consultant in India for 6 weeks in1982. The present article includes his contributions to design education in India which are not specifically covered in the book, ‘Disobedience of Design: Bonsiepe’, but have historical significance as two pioneering design Institutes NID, Ahmadabad and IDC-School of Design adopted Ulm philosophy in essence.