Friday, February 03, 2023 | 9:00 AM | MCB Auditorium, A-13 (formerly known as NIB)
ADA Awards 2022-23 as always presents parallel program that open a discursive dialogue with its eminent Jurors, comprising from the national and international sector. These discussions are open to the creative industry fraternity, academia and students that investigate the pursuit of excellence and the blurring boundaries in the creative faculties.
The program is segmented in presentations and panel discussion in three sessions of Architecture – Design – Art
Session I: Architecture
Presentation: Simone Sfriso-Italy
Presentation: Tanvir Hasan-UK
Presentation: Yahya Jan-UAE
Panel Discussion: Ejaz Ahed, Kalim Siddiqui, Simone Sfriso, Tanvir Hasan, Yahya Jan
Moderated by: Maria Aslam
Session II: Design
Presentation: Josephine Akvama
Presentation: M. Umer
Panel discussion: Hena Ali, Javed Jabbar, Josephine Akvama & M. Umer
Moderated by: Saima Zaidi
Session III: Art
Presentation: Alnoor Mitha
Presentation: Noorjehan Bilgrami
Presentation: Rashid Rana
Panel Discussion: Dr. Nadhra Khan (LUMS), Prof Dr. Farida Batool (NCA), Prof Ali Raza (LSE), Alnoor Mitha, Noorjehan Bilgrami, Rashid Rana
Moderated by: Prof. Naazish Attaullah
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Event Coverage
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In the 3rd iteration of the ADA Awards phenomenal questions were investigated. The question ADA pursues is the journey, the lessons learnt and unlearnt, the genuine impact that resonated in the socio-cultural-creative spectrum in the formation of ADA Awards in the discipline of architecture, design and art. The research conducted that paves the road map for sustainability and environmental leadership over the years. ADA invents and reinvents, the ADA Awards configures and re-configures as it culminates into the 3rd cycle 2022-23 with the Award night. Since its inauguration each cycle has been motivated with the socio-cultural and economic dynamics of our evolving region. Pakistan has yet to come to terms with the creative multifaceted design industry and the economic stand point that the creative industry supports to the collective realm. The winning artists, designers and architects together with the allied industry such as builders and developers will no doubt reshape the way we think of the creative industry nationally.
As a precursor to the Awards night, a seminar was conducted at the LUMS University Gurmani Centre, Lahore. The discursive seminar comprising of jury members, academia and professionals presented and discussed the importance of art and the social sciences integrated in other disciplines to create an ecosystem of better understanding between culture, historicity, arts and sciences; Dr. Nadhra Khan, Director Gurmani Centre for Languages and Literature who opened the doors of the LUMS environment for the specific talk; commented on the need for such hybrid dialogues and interactive sessions in the academic environment.
The seminar held on the morning of 3rd Feb 2023 comprised of three sessions architecture , design and art. The presenters of the architecture sessions were Simone Sfriso from Venice who elaborated on his works for NGO that formed a bulk of their portfolio. In a candid question as to how he sustained his gratis work, he simply answered “I don’t know” a response that reverberated amongst the audience with its stark honesty and genuineness. Ms. Tanvir Hasan from UK deliberated on architecture projects that had cross overs of historicity and cultural values embedded in the restoration works. Yahya Jan of NORR Dubai joined via satellite and deliberated on the urbanity and the sprawl of human population, a challenge in all cities.
The Design segment had provocative and meaningful presentations from the famed photographer Arshad Mahmood and jewellery designer M. Umer. The art segment resonated with talks from the juror Alnoor Mitha from UK and our very own pride of Pakistan; Noorjehan Bilgrami and Rashid Rana. Noorjehan informed the audience of the Pakistan Pavilion challenges and the stupendous outcome that is possible through tenacity and hard work. Rashid Rana an equally important name in the working of Pakistan Pavilion highlights his journey and works that culminates in the façade development of the Pakistan Pavilion as an art piece and his future explorations.
Interestingly the debate that ensued from the onset of the seminar was captured by the Founder and Curator of the ADA Awards as how the interdisciplinarity is the way forward, the blurring of boundaries in today’s world, the fluid spatial arrangement of varied disciplines where the artists, engineers, social sciences and researchers collaborate for a meaningful, inclusive environment. She further responded that ADA from its platform will continue in the pursuit of excellence through mediums of interdisciplinarity by widening the contents of the publication and the activist role of the publication house ADA.