6. Nov-Dec 2010

Interior
Design Institutes in Nepal
Text & Compilation: Ar. Kalpana Bhandari
Research: Amrusha Shrestha, Krisha Shakya, Snigdha Bhatta,
Preema Ranjitkar, Suraj Karmacharya
ANALYSIS
Architecture prevails in every civilization, but what can be recorded is its
practice in different times by different people. Nepal entered modernism
in the Rana regime while rest of the world was departing from it to explore
post modernism. Despite adaptation of lot of styles from other places,
we have identified it as our modern architecture, though traits remain
apparently unoriginal. In response of the prospering architecture around
the world, we are educated with what might seem different than ‘the
architecture’ of the rest of the world. Narrowing the vision, the usual
interior layout practice in architecture schools is actually designing for
interiors-a reason that lot of architects are also into interior design. Also,
there is little awareness of the institutes where the major education is the
detailing, or art of ‘beautifying spaces’- the interior designing. This science
of detailing has taken quite a while to analyze the prospects in our market,
or are we there yet?
Part of a residential building designed by Prakash. B. Amatya (of SPADECO,
a local architectural firm)
Background
The need for interior design was rarely, if not never, a necessity in Nepal
since a decade back. While the lavish interiors of Rana palaces built in
the past showcase ideas borrowed from the West, the Malla palaces
on the other hand exude extraordinary craftsmanship. Both of which
were not the works of interior designers then, but rather an expression
of what the owner felt. It is for a fact that people treat their space
in the way they visualise it – irrespective of whether it 'fits' into the
context or not. Even today, interior design is sought mostly in official
and commercial areas than in residential projects. Nevertheless, the
profession is prospering within the past few years, although it is still
scaled down and limited to certain dimensions, which among other
factors, could be the effect of the level of education available on interior
design.
Architecture is closely associated with interior design and it would
not be wrong to say that they co-exist. The technicalities of designing
have prospered both in architecture and interior design, and along with
the number of architecture schools opening in the country, it is but
natural that the need of interior design institutes also be a part of the
whole process. In the following pages we will see what interior design
institutes have to offer in this regard- when and how were they started,
and their performance with and without architectural context.
When and how?
One of the first interior design institutes Lakhotia Institute of Art and
Designing (LIAD), officially started in 1997; a branch of its parent
company in Kolkata. Offering a two-year-course in interior designing,
the institute also runs fashion designing programs. Later, Kantipur
Institute, International Institute of Fashion Design (INIFD), IEC School
of Fashion and Art, and few other institutes opened in the valley,
offering varied levels of courses, the duration ranging from 3-5 months
to 3 years, corresponding to pre-academic qualification of SLC to high
school (+2 or equivalent) respectively. These institutes also run other
allied programs, probably to sustain themselves, where Bachelor in
Business Administration(BBA), Bachelor in Hotel Management and
Fashion Designing are most common.
Some of these institutes are affiliated to the interior design institutes
outside Nepal and claim to have their standard and curriculum as set
by its parent institute. Kantipur Institute, a 6-year old interior design
institute is affiliated to Purbanchal University, the only institute
recognized by a national university.
Awareness: opt or just?
The most reckoning fact about the interior design institutes in Nepal is
that, although the course duration ranges from 3-5 months to 3 years,
each graduate is considered to be an interior designer. Nevertheless,
whatever the level of qualification may be, the graduates from
Nepal and abroad, have found this industry booming, especially in
places of urban interests, malls, office complexes, and restaurants.
The awareness amongst the common people has increased to
newer heights and people have started to realize the importance
of assimilation of tangible objects that tune into intangible spaces.
Interiors are more than living spaces, because they are an identity to
one’s cultural arena. Therefore, the institutes offering short 3-5 months
courses and releasing the graduates into the market create a risk of
providing dual identities to living spaces.
79 www.spacesnepal.com
November-December 2010