Kirti Trivedi

The Inaugural volume of a proposed Biannual Journal of Education, about innovations and emerging directions in Education. Articles on 'Guru' and 'Shishya' by R.N. Aralikattai; 'Alternative Education and Life-Long Learning' by Prof Cho Han Hae-joang; 'Jiddu Krishnamurti and John Dewey in the Metaverse: Education and Experience in an Age of Virtuality' by Punya Mishra & Marina Basu; 'Design of Rich Learning Environments' by Kirti Trivedi; and a review of 'Deschooling Society' by Ivan Illich.

Kohei Sugiura, Graphic Designer and Professor Emeritus at Kobe Design University, Japan, is a revolutionary innovator in all aspects of graphic design, with a core focus on book design, typography and information design, He has created an inexhaustible wealth of design work – which has influenced a whole generation of leading designers all over Asia. The work of Prof Sugiura spans the entire field of graphic design: from magazines and books to posters and postage stamps, and from exhibitions to environmental graphics. He has been honoured internationally with numerous prestigious awards. Prof Sugiura’s extensive writings about perception, visual communication, music and iconography with a special focus on the cultural traditions of Asia constitute an invaluable body of profound design thinking.

A selection of Prof Sugiura’s book and magazine design works, along with an essay on his graphic design methodology and philosophy are presented in this publication.

In the Indian writing systems, letters of the alphabet are much more than just symbols for written communication. A letterform is not only a vehicle for conveying ideas, but is in itself representative of a specific idea. Each letterform is an integral icon, its totality consisting of its sound, its shape and its meaning. Letters forms as icons are worshipped in many different ways: as seed-syllables, as yantras and mantras, as deities having distinct physical personalities and forms; and as compound letters to represent a multitude of meanings. The paper highlights the spiritual significance assigned to letterforms in the Indian tradition.
Expanded version of a paper originally presented at Type 90, Oxford, UK.

With the branding methodology universally adopted since the 1960s, visual identities of corporations have been largely based on consistency and fixed visual elements to be used across many different applications and use contexts. While this approach may be suitable for designing visual identities of local businesses, it does not work well for multi-national corporations, as different cultures view the same physicality differently. The paper illustrates with examples the practice of ‘Meaning-based Visual Identities’ in Asia; and the many advantages it has. In meaning-based visual identity creation, the main objective is to convey a meaning without relying on a fixed visual form. Such an approach has great flexibility and adaptability in different cultural contexts, and creates greater identification of the intended audience with the symbols. It also keeps the identity alive, organic, ever-new and ever-evolving; and avoids the huge costs involved in maintaining consistency in brand communication.

First presented at the Department of Visual Communication, Tsinghua University, Beijing.

Hindu philosophy views the cosmos to be holonomic and self-similar in nature. The procedures and methods used in the construction of Hindu temples bear a striking resemblance to the procedures of fractal geometry, including discretization, fractalization and extensive use of recursive procedures, with self-similar iteration. The instructions given in ancient Vastu shastras (texts on architecture) work like general programmes to generate various types of temples. The presentation draws attention to the similarities between the procedures and resulting forms in computer graphics and Hindu temple architecture, explain the relationship that exists between the form of the temple and the concepts of Hindu philosophy. It is proposed that Hindu temples may be viewed as examples of 3-dimensional fractal architecture and that the fractal principles used in them along with the parametric and algorithm based-form generation processes, have special significance to the emerging new discipline of Fractal Architecture world-wide.

The second part of the paper shows the applications of the fractal procedures as seen in contemporary architecture as a new methodology of creating architecture which follows a parametric, procedure based form-generation approach, rather than the intuitive approach. The fractal approach leads to an architectural output that is organic and holistic, with an integrated physiognomy similar to that found in natural structures. Fractal principles are drawing great attention in the architectural community, and a large body of work is emerging both as conceptual and also built architectural forms. The presentation illustrates with examples of contemporary works of fractal architecture – both conceptual and built architecture – ranging from individual structures to community networks using parametric modeling; and how thousands of temples in India and Asia built centuries ago provide excellent examples of fractal architecture created through parametric form-generating algorithms.

Presented at the Second International Academic Conference on Modern Oriental Art,
Moscow, 17–20 October, 2017

A presentation explaining the causes of the sustainability crisis, and how a new set of possibilities are emerging which will make it possible for all to have a rich sustainable lifestyle: achieving the goal of Indian concept of Sarvodaya, which means well-being of all. The presentation suggests that adapting the traditional Asian way of life, which ensured a rich intellectual and creative existence for all, may be one way to solve the crisis which has its roots in having material goods consumption as the basis of economy.

The presentation was originally delivered to students in design universities in Taiwan in 2009.

Recurring events leave their mark on physical objects - creating visible data patterns which represent a processed summary of the event. The keyboard of a much used
computer, the buttons in an elevator, the patterns left on the beach by recurring waves, the wearing out of the grass on a jogging track or a cricket pitch, the greening of the land mass after the monsoon rains: all have much to tell if observed and
interpreted.

Such data patterns are self-evident, and they tell their story in a universally understood language. Study, observation and understanding of such self-generated, self-evident data patterns can be of great value to all involved in visual presentation of information. The main advantage of self-evident data patterns is that they don't need labels and legends to explain them; and are language-independent. Being visual they show the whole data pattern at a glance. Being directly created by the event, they also have great density of detail, as contributed by the various parameters of the event.

Existing both as static marks, and as dynamic data taking shape and unfolding naturally in real time, self-generating data patterns are a direct result of the data creating event. They don't go through the cycle of collecting verbal information about an event, classifying, processing and organizing it to show relevant data patterns, creating a visual representation of the data by assigning meanings to visual elements, and then labeling it in a chosen language of communication: reducing events to charts and diagrams, and parameters to circles, squares, triangles and visual icons. A
processing which often results in distancing or increased complexity of interpretation.
It is proposed to elaborate in the presentation on the nature of self-generating data patterns through selected examples examined in detail, and also explain their relevance for information design and the activity of visual data-based decision making.

Presentation made at IIID International Conference ‘DD4D’, in Paris, June, 2009.

Proposal for an exhibition on visual culture of India with an objective to bring about an understanding and appreciation of Indian visual culture for an audience unfamiliar with it. The exhibition is to be organized around the following sections: The Origin and Cosmology– Roots, Philosophy and Purpose of Visual Communication; Evolution, Expansion and Manifestations – Development of Creative Principles over a 5000 years continuity and the Variety and Diversity of Manifestations across the Indian sub-continent; Influences, Confluence and Expressions – Creativity under External Cultural Influences; Contemporary Visual Culture and Graphic Design.

A visual presentation about the significance of the auspicious symbol ‘Purna Kalasha’ – the pot of abundance, in India and Asia. The components, the symbolism, the history and the many variations of this motif in Asia are presented, along with an explanation of the symbol’s deeper meaning for all of us. First presented at the Third International Traditional-Ritual Performances Seminar in Tehran, Iran, 14-16 July 2011.

The rich tradition of Indian classical sculpture and religious representational art is based on the visualization principles laid down in ancient texts. The paper discusses the procedure of form creation and formal visualization of the formless, the invisible, and the unmanifest, as given in Vastusutra Upanishad, one such ancient text; and discusses the effectiveness of this procedure as a means of creating meaningful symbolic form in non-religious contexts and applications also.

A companion article to the presentation ‘The Talamana System of India: A Method for Representation of Hierarchy’, describing the traditional proportional measurement system used by form creators in India to represent the cosmic order and rhythm in human creation.

The Talamana ( Rhythm Measure) system is widely used in India by traditional architects and makers of sacred images and divine icons. It is a measurement system which helps in representing beings according to their importance in an image, and not according to their actual physical size. This is in accordance with the principles of the Indian art tradition which does not seek to represent the physicality of a form, but its essence. Not the ‘actual and physical’, but the ‘ideal’ perfect form of the original ‘idea’ from which endless variations have the possibility of emerging as individual manifestations. The Talamana system does not provide an absolute scale, but a proportional relationship of parts to the whole; which can be used to create perfect forms on all scales from miniature images to colossal representations.

The principles of the Talamana system can be applied in all contemporary design contexts, visual or verbal, where elements have to be arranged according to their hierarchy: from product interfaces to information websites, and from the printed page to packaging.

The form tradition of Asia, with a visual feel completely different and unique, is most eloquently seen in the everyday pots used in Asian countries. Refined over thousands of years, journeying through material and functional evolutions, the everyday pot of Asia is simultaneously practical and common; philosophical and symbolic.

The lota and the kalash of India, the chanoyu tea kettles of Japan, Chinese ceramic pots of everyday use – all are objects of deep beauty: both outer and inner. Ceremonial, functional, sculptural, festive, sublime, mystical, symbolic: the everyday pot is also a container of potential and possibilitie – an envelope for fluidity.

A collection of selected pots in everyday use from 8 Asian countries, which were part of an exhibition at the School of Art, Design & Media at NTU, Singapore in 2009.

As practice of design in the 21st century moves away from Object and Surface Design to Interaction and Experience Design, the rich visual tradition of Asia assumes a new relevance. The Asian Way of Design is a treasure-trove capable of revitalizing modern design and giving it a much-needed depth. From expressing the essence of an idea to creating multiple meanings simultaneously; from giving visible form to the most profound abstract concepts to creating successful mind-to-mind communication; from symbolic gestures and rituals to creation of imaginary worlds visualized in full detail – the methods and procedures of the Asian Way create experiences with great power, energy and refinement.
The principles are universal and timeless – equally applicable now to the contemporary creative needs of the digital and the information age, as they were ages ago. Considering what has been achieved by the Asian Way only with physical and manual tools, an entirely new dimension of human creativity awaits us, inviting to be explored, applying this approach with the power of digital tools.

The paper describes and explains the practice of Rathotsava in India – taking a mobile icon of the deity in a procession around the temple on special occasions. The ratha festival has very old origins in India, dating back to over three thousand years. Many ancient texts on temple rituals as well as works on temple architecture describe the ratha festival. During this festival the ratha with the deity in it, is pulled along the streets of the town by a large number of devotees who consider it an act of merit to pull the ratha.
The chariot used in the ceremonial procession is as important as the temple itself and has deep symbolic significance. It represents the dynamic order of the cosmic phenomena – both in its temporal and structural nature.The paper explains the symbolism of temples and temple rathas in the Indian tradition with many illustrations.

Essay on the revisiting in 2011 of the original ICOGRADA Design Education Manifesto 2000, presented at  'Oullim' Seoul. Published as part of the compilation 'Revisiting ICOGRADA Design Education Manifesto 2011, presented in Taipei, ICOGRADA General Assembly 2011.

The paper outlines the need and the methodology for a research project to identify, define and describe the components of rich learning environments across the entire learning spectrum and learning contexts; to help achieve the transition of current teaching institutions to rich learning environments which would nurture excellence and creativity. This is acknowledged by learning scientists to be a major need for wealth creation in the knowledge economy.

Hindu philosophy views the cosmos to be holonomic and self-similar in nature. According to ancient architectural tradition, Hindu temples are symbols of models of the cosmos and their form represents the cosmos symbolically. The procedures and methods used in the construction of Hindu temples bear a striking resemblance to the procedures of computer graphics, including discretization, fractalization and extensive use of recursive procedures, including self-similar iteration. The instructions given in ancient Vastu shastras (texts on architecture) work like general programmes to generate various types of temples. The paper is an attempt to draw attention to the similarities between the procedures and resulting forms in computer graphics and Hindu temple architecture and to explain the relationship that exists between the form of the temple and the concepts of Hindu philosophy. It is proposed that Hindu temples may be viewed as threedimensional fractal models and that the use of fractal geometry procedures has a special symbolic meaning in the generation of the forms of Hindu temples.

Presentation made at the Design Degree Show Conference at Industrial Design Centre (IDC), Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India, in June 2014; discussing the problems in current institutionalized academic structure; and some suggestions on how to work towards creating a learning environment, which will help nurture excellence and individual creativity.