India's largest design meet opens in Kochi on Dec 11

:Seeking to leverage path-breaking design solutions in rebuilding flood-ravaged Kerala, the state government is organising a two-day "#Design Kerala" summit from December 11 in Kochi.

The summit forms the key segment of India's largest design festival, the six-day 'Kochi Design Week'.

The festival, which will be attended by leading design luminaries, architects and decision-makers from around the world, concludes on December 16.

The summit will have panel discussions, interactive sessions, debates and dialogues centering round designing of a futuristic and sustainable ecosystem for Kerala, a press release said.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will address the Summit on December 12.

The event, which will take place when Kerala is getting into a crucial phase of reconstruction, is helmed by the state Department of Information Technology.

"The event will showcase technology options which can be used during the rebuilding phase as installations so that various stakeholders can experience them.

Ideas emerging out of the event will be distributed to relevant departments for their reference," said M Sivasankar, Electronics-IT Secretary, at a press meet here on Tuesday.

"Building on the tempo set by the digital summit #Future held earlier this year, the Kochi Design week is meant for boosting innovative design and solutions in the state and equip it with futuristic technology and architecture to deal with natural calamities more effectively, Sivasankar added.

Rahul R, Managing Director, Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC), said that it was high time that the KTDC looked beyond traditional models.

"We are happy to associate with such events as the design elements could attract more tourists. The future of tourism hinges on these kinds of summits," he added.

KTDC is the official host of this event.

While the central theme of the meet is "design a sustainable ecosystem for the future", various sessions will take up for deliberation, topics like public infrastructure, technology infrastructure, tourism, handloom uplift and living spaces.

Experts from each area will innovate and outline models that ensure a sustainable ecosystem for a better Kerala.