Doha, April 24 (QNA) – Organized for the first time in the region, ‘Innovation by Design Summit’ was launched on Wednesday, with the participation of about 400 participants and expert speakers in the creative field.
The summit, which is being held within the corridors of the Doha Design District, is organized by Msheireb Properties in cooperation with Fast Company Middle East.
The summit activities witnessed the launch of the first edition of the Msheireb Award for Innovation in Design, which represents a platform to support creative design thinking, by honoring winners in four different categories, while dedicating Msheireb Properties to its role as one of the leading entities contributing to shaping the future of innovation through design in the Middle East region.
In his opening speech, CEO of Msheireb Properties Eng. Ali Al Kuwari expressed his delight in organizing this prominent event, pointing out that the summit, with all its activities and the issues it raises, proves the State of Qatar’s leadership in various fields of design as well as its leadership’s position in promoting innovation and creativity.
It also reflects the importance of smart and sustainable design in the future, which the organization always strives to enable, he added.
For his part, publisher at Fast Company Middle East Ravi Raman underscored the importance of this summit as an international platform for innovation in the region.
He explained that today’s world is witnessing growing development, as institutions and governments have come to realize the importance of design and its ability to develop and achieve positive change, pointing out that Fast Company Middle East aims to enhance this trend by spreading inspiring stories and experiences and holding influential events at various levels.
For her part, as the head of the Jewel Changi Airport project and its innovative designs that transformed travel experiences, and the managing partner from Safdie Architects, Charu Kokate provided examples of designs inspired by nature that were implemented for major international facilities in a number of countries.
In a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA) regarding the museum’s experience in using technology, Director of Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) Shaika Al Nassr said that MIA is considered one of the institutions that support creativity and design, explaining that, through the technology it uses, it provides a meaningful and enriching experience for visitors to learn about Islamic art in depth.
MIA was also keen to use interactive stations targeting families and the younger generation to learn various topics related to Islamic art, such as Islamic gardens, carpets, the natural colors used in them, jewelry, and coin minting, Al Nassr added.
For his part, in a similar statement to QNA, Director of Marketing and Communications at Msheireb Properties Dr. Hafiz Ali said that the Innovation Summit is a comprehensive event that brings together arts, architecture, design and sustainability, and provides a space to highlight designers, entities and artists working to provide solutions to the pressing present and future difficulties and issues.
He explained that organizing the summit in a city that embraces design and heritage is a significant choice, and puts regional capabilities in design and creativity on the global map.
A discussion session was held regarding the possibility of adopting modern and sustainable materials, in which several experts in architecture participated.
The speakers discussed sustainability challenges that the region faces, including the lack of regional data, the delayed consensus on the importance and necessity of achieving sustainability in the region, in addition to the issue of industrial development that may conflict with the global trend towards achieving sustainability.
Msheireb Properties seeks to change people’s outlook on life in the heart of cities, and improve the standard of living through innovative solutions that encourage social interaction, respect for culture and heritage, and consolidate care for the environment.
(QNA)
