Making A Difference With Design: Here’s What Happened After The India Art Fair

When it comes to sustainable design, and planet-conscious practices, everyone has something to say. But not everyone manages to do something about it. At OxD, we are proud to say that we stand by our principles every single day, and that’s what we did after India Art Fair (IAF) 2020 as well.

As detailed earlier , OxD conceptualised and created a unique spatial design at IAF 2020. We took over the food court with one of the most relevant concepts of our time – climate change. Titled ‘Rivers In The Sky’, our design concept centred on the Amazon Rainforest and the damage it suffers due to human interference.

We used bamboo to make the furniture since it is one of the most sustainable and planet-friendly alternatives to cutting down trees for wood. While trees take decades to grow, a bamboo plant can grow to its full size in 3-4 months. And it’s so strong that it’s often referred to as ‘green steel’, making it the perfect choice for sustainable design.

Apart from the bamboo furniture and lights, there were several other elements which were used in the creation of this space at India Art Fair 2020. Even though we had achieved the sustainability part of our core principles with this design, we also needed to ensure that none of this material was wasted. 

All of these design elements used here, including the artistic glass tables and the bamboo lights, were repurposed and donated to a government school in south Delhi.

We won’t judge you for wondering what use kids could have for glass tables. Since these tables would have been far too prone to damage, we repurposed them as writing boards for the school. Along with our vendors, the OxD team painted the glass panels in bright colours and fixed them at strategic points on the school’s walls. We also donated markers and dusters for the boards so that they could come into use with immediate effect.

The most heartening part of this process was the reception OxD got from the children, their teachers, and the school administration. The school held a special morning assembly to introduce the OxD team to the students and to show their gratitude. As part of our efforts to educate the next generation about saving the planet, OxD als donated the stickers used at India Art Fair.

The stickers, with environment-friendly messages like ‘Reuse’, ‘Repurpose’, and ‘Reduce’, were put on the students’ notebooks, a great way to spark conversations both in school and at home.

 

The grass turf, which was used abundantly in the design at India Art Fair, was given to the primary section of the school, where it is now used as flooring for the play area. The plants, which were inside the glass tables to represent the Amazon, have been put at different places, increasing the green factor at the school significantly.

The time to save our home is now. And it’s imperative for all of us to do our bit. How will you save the planet today?