Nurturing Interdisciplinary Designers of Tomorrow
AOD hosts futuristic design forum at Sri Lanka Design Festival 2023 with Role Models and Self-Exploratory Journeys for Tomorrow’s Creative Leaders.
Design, the exercise of systematic creativity with critical thinking, extends beyond traditional boundaries. It offers a versatile qualification that empowers young professionals to carve unique interdisciplinary roles, opening up a larger pool of work opportunities and new possibilities. Embracing this dynamic nature of design is a cornerstone of the teaching philosophy at AOD. Instead of funnelling its graduates into limited traditional learning streams, AOD believes in an approach that builds upon the universality of creativity and the practical application of design methodologies as a problem-solving technique crossing disciplines. This cultivates professionals who can apply their design thinking to many businesses, and combinations of sectors and act as the catalytic force between completely different industries; it creates collaborators capable of creating new
products and services or radically reinventing existing offers. In the current economic landscape where businesses are looking to broaden their operations in meaningful and efficient ways, interdisciplinary professionals become highly valued resources.
The recent Interdisciplinary Design Forum, hosted by CIT and
organised by AOD, spotlighted these exciting new roles. AOD alumni Sahil Gunasekara, Poornima Meegammana, Nazka Nazar, and Nawoda Bandara shared insights, highlighting how their education has led them to new pathways and successful careers that benchmark this fluidity and dynamic nature of design thinking.
Amreen Ashraf, the keynote speaker and the Chair, brings over a decade of experience in design research, innovation, and strategy. Her journey, rooted in AOD, a Master’s in Design in Digital Futures from OCAD University, and her current role as a UX/CX researcher and designer reflects a personal commitment to social impact through design. Beyond professional pursuits, Amreen cofounded CAM collective, exploring the potential of extended reality technologies for a more inclusive
world. Speaking at the forum, Amreen talked about how many work paths unfolded after her education at AOD, helping her delve into AI in digital health and wearables, and using her ideas to shape a more interconnected and inclusive future. In Amreen’s words, “Designer is a researcher, and design is a methodology, art, and practice in solving complex problems.” She emphasised every designer’s need for the right home echoing the importance of finding the right environment to flourish as a creative, which she found at AOD.
Nawoda Bandara, who also spoke at the forum, is a first-class AOD graduate with a BA (Hons) in Fashion and Textile Design. Her sustainable, genderless design work goes beyond aesthetics, telling stories of mental health battles and advocating for positive change; it earned her accolades at the Graduate Fashion Week and
Redress Awards. At the forum, Nawoda discussed how her design education allowed her to approach fashion through Sri Lanka’s heritage weaving techniques, and ideas like compassion, sustainability, and inclusivity that appeal to her belief systems; “collaboration is my secret sauce,” she said, underlining the power of working with different ideas and the process of reconciling diverse viewpoints.
Nazka Nazar, an interior designer who graduated from AOD, has a career that transcends traditional roles. With examples like the Weligama Bay apartment complex project and working with MEP, MVAC, Facade Consultant, and Furniture manufacturers, Nazka spoke about the interdisciplinary nature of her work, which involves understanding each field’s nuances.
Insights from Poornima Meegammana—an animator, educator, and social entrepreneur— were particularly inspiring. She shared how her work intertwines education development, creativity, and technology, while also allowing her to remain connected to her passion in driving social change. Poornima founded the award-winning Nextgen Girls in Technology initiative. Poornima’s initiatives have garnered prestigious awards, including Forbes 30 under 30 and the UNESCO Prize for Girls and Women’s Education.
Demonstrating how design thinking bears relevance to a multitude of sectors and industries, Sahil Gunasekara talked about how he was able to transition from advertising to hospitality with ease. An award-winning design professional currently serving as the Head of Design at Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts, Sahil discovered his foundation in design principles from AOD.
The Interdisciplinary Design Forum created a fascinating conversation around design and its versatility as a professional qualification. Design education proves to be an ideal option for creative young people to thrive in challenging and fluctuating markets with unusual career paths that are as interesting as they are financially rewarding.
Enrollments for 2024 design programs at AOD are now open, inviting aspiring designers to shape unique interdisciplinary viewpoints, skills, and work opportunities for their future.
“Sometimes the designer needs to find the right home to actually call themselves a designer” - Amreen Ashraf
Design education proves to be an ideal option for creative young people to thrive in challenging and fluctuating markets with unusual career paths that are as interesting as they are financially rewarding.