Vividly recalling the twisty narrow roads from the Colombo International Airport to the lush green Kandalama Hotel, it dawns on me that one can journey long and far enough to experience what Geoffery Bawa calls “the art of the inhabited space”. The very idea that spaces can be designed to evoke in us a sense of curiosity, intrigue and fascination is what got me there in the first place. Witnessing Bawa’s ambitious and sensitive designs only strengthened my faith in the path that I had chosen for myself. I knew that I inevitably needed to pursue what I am most moved by. Design.
I am a design enthusiast! And like the proverbial moth to a flame I am drawn to all things wonderfully designed, from structures and spaces to products and graphics.
Growing up in Romania, surrounded by a diverse cultural mix, I had the chance to learn more about people that come from different parts of the world; the languages they speak, their beliefs, and their ideas. Living in Bucharest, attending a Christian school, I discovered my love for reading, writing (from stories to letters to pen pals), French, Christmas trees, snowmen, badminton and art.
After moving to Dubai (an impressive city that was once a small fishing village on the edge of the dessert), I began to cultivate an interest in various sports like hockey and football in school. I enjoyed being a part of school plays and choirs; acting, dancing and singing my heart out in productions like The Lion King and Beauty & the Beast. I took up Art as a subject for my A levels, and participated in the Red Bull Design Challenge, which was possibly my first encounter with global industrial designers and artists, and my first step into the world of Design.
As an undergraduate student of Interior Design in Manipal University (Dubai), I had the chance to delve into an array of different design disciplines offered in the course modules. Here I could explore the various components of design put forth to us and determine what I liked best. I was predominantly fond of subjects like Landscape Design, Product Design, and Construction Techniques. I enjoyed arts, humanities and history of architecture as well. In retrospect, however, once I began to work on my dissertation in the last year, I knew that I wanted to approach design in its entirety and be involved in all its facets, and not just a select discipline. My final project received praise from jury members and professors alike, on account of which I attained the award for Outstanding Academic Achievement. During the three years there I participated in a number of events and competitions; winning awards for best model for sustainable design, inter-department group dances, and girl’s inter college basketball.
Soon after my graduation, I joined Aedas Interiors, a leading international design practice known for their award winning projects, which gave me the perfect head start to my career. I was fortunate to have been a part of numerous notable cutting-edge projects, such as the The Hard Rock Hotel (Abu Dhabi), Cleaveland Clinic 5 Star Hospital, and The Langham Resort (Palm Jumeira). I was given the chance to explore the many aspects of the design process; from concept to development of construction documents and to implementation on site. In my first year at the company I was invited by Shanhua to visit their carpet factory in Beijing for the The Hard Rock Hotel project. During my week there I toured the city; not missing the majestic Great Wall, the captivating Forbidden City, and the many Buddhist temples. Come second year at the firm, I had the chance to fly to Dusseldorf to learn more about interior sanitary ware solutions at the Grohe Headquarters and factory. From dinner at the infamous Neuer Zollhof buildings by Frank Gehry, to staying by the River Rhine, and visiting the Red Dot design Museum; all of it an exhilarating experience that were my most memorable during my stint at Aedas.
To gain further hands-on experience in the field, I decided to join a fit out company in Al Quoz (Dubai). Here I was the sole designer on board and I had a team of architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, CAD technicians, foremen and labor to work alongside. I designed jewelry stores that are now up and running in the Gold & Diamond Park.
I went on to pursue my Masters in Interior Architecture and Design from the University of Lincoln in England. Here I founded the university’s yoga society and began teaching yoga to students and we soon became a large community of over 200 students. For my final project I explored vertical farming and urban agriculture within derelict buildings. After returning to Dubai, I began working with Swiss Bureau Interior Design, and had the opportunity to develop a strong portfolio of commercial projects. The Hira Walraven office project has been nominated twice for the Best Office Design Award, and I was nominated for Index’s Rising Star Award.
In 2019 I began Humans of Design, a blog that tells the inspiring stories of designers in our region and globally. To know more about it visit: www.humansofdesign.com
