Interview | The Creative Genius of Akhil Mane: A Design Student’s Story

I have always been fascinated with the places and how the volumetric space interacts with humans. I have decided to understand all the aspects of the space through formal training in Architecture.

I consider myself a pragmatic designer. My philosophy of design is around empathizing with users about needs but to see all the aspects around a problem the strings of which vary from culture, interest, habits, needs, wants, aesthetics, usability, manufacturing, and longevity to the core of sustainability.

To me, design is the deeper connection that evokes an emotion within a user, facilitator, or consumer.

A design with the best usability which requires no user manual and a design with appropriate aesthetics to the user which makes it timeless to that consumer.

Good design is when it tries to check the maximum boxes for the target user and it concludes with not only earlier user testing but the longer use of the product or service.

The roots of my design are rooted in the volumes within and around the object. I take user study very seriously before ideating towards the problem, A joy in empathizing with the user at every step possible.

Once I understand the depth of the problem from the user's point of view, I respect the context it is placed. Understanding the Function itself gives different layers to the form of the design like usability advancements, colour, material, texture, and ease of maintain are the core focus in the Ideations of the design. Post which sustainability is the core while making that ideation into a reality be it ethical practice, material, packaging, or any stage of the lifecycle of the product.

Definitely. Diversity of India is my inspiration for inclusivity in design solutions.

As a student competitor, it is crucial to get validation from a global platform like the NY Design Awards. It motivates me to strive further and make designs that will add value and create an impact in every way possible.

Subsidence Jewellery collection is a conversation starter, a prompt to question the often-held delusion that we are separate from the natural world. Inspired by the phenomenon of land subsidence, the pieces represent the often-ignored consequences of human activity on the environment. I believe the meaning of sustainability is beyond sustainable materials, It is about sustainable practices, it is about the dialogue and awareness about the deeper sense of the subject, and eventually to practice what we preach.

The biggest challenge was to include sustainability in every aspect possible from inception to execution stage. Ethical sourcing of materials to making to make the purpose a hero keeping the aesthetics and ergonomics for the user in mind.

The validation of the authenticity of the work boosts my confidence as a designer and the stakeholders I work with to create design more impactful, more meaningful.

Opportunity to make a real-life impact through design, Collaborative working, and Interconnections with Art and Architecture.

The need for Design is still at the core of the Indian design industry and hence the innovations and implementations in designs are human-centered in nature.

With the technological advancements in all different instances like AR, VR, AI, and advanced manufacturing the design industry will be able to serve society in a more effective and ethical sense.

To be authentic in approaching a design problem and research deeper before proposing a solution.

Online peer learning platforms like Coursera, Youtube, and AI assistance.

I admire mutual respect in a conversation with a stranger, an AI, social media, or any metaverse.

My inspiration is my father who allowed me and gave me time and resources to learn something at the pace I can. In design my inspiration is my brother from the coding screens to design books I extended that interest to diverse designers like Zaha Hadid to Nendo.

Consistent hard work and keeping gratitude in the front while doing any task.

As a designer, I consider intangible aspects of design to be as important as tangible aspects. Even if we use digital platforms more for the design tactile elements are very crucial in the lives of human beings.