Pakistan Institute of Interior Designers: For people who work with spaces, a platform of their own

The real show stealer was a chair made of zebra skin and what looked like an elephant leg.

KARACHI: The top 30 interior designing firms in the country were brought together to showcase their work at the launch of Spaces organised by the Pakistan Institute of Interior Designers (PIID). 

After the successful launch of Spaces Lahore and Islamabad, the PIID thought to bring it to Karachi as it helps provide a solid platform to architects, interior designers, furniture designers, artists and students in their respective fields.

White and brown cardboards were used to set up 11 stalls to exhibit office furniture, home and kitchen accessories, industrial lighting, antique rugs, lamps, fountains, candle stands and mirrors. The real show stealer, however, was a chair made of zebra skin and what looked like an elephant leg.

“The PIID came up with a plan to raise awareness, promote interior designers and to act as a catalyst for professional education, research and development in the country,” said PIID General Secretary Usman Salim Khan. “So far we have collaborated with the International Interior Designers Associations from the UAE and India and hope to work with many more.”

While talking to The Express Tribune, he said that the main philosophy of the organisation was to promote the interior design industry.

PIID founding member and interior designer Danish Azhar Zuby said that the interior design industry in the country was big but lacked a certain level of professionalism. He claimed that he was the only qualified interior designer in the country while the others were mostly architects. Zuby, however, was full of enthusiasm and said that he knew the project would kick off because it was a team effort.

While talking to The Express Tribune about what role they played in the organisation, a few members of the PIID said that it was their responsibility to explain how much practice was required.

They also had to educate the public and encourage the profession. PIID chairperson Naheed Mashooqullah said that there was a need to exhibit the work of masterminds such as Zuby, Sadia Rasheed and Tariq Qaiser.

While talking to The Express Tribune, former director of the Inter Services Public Relations Tahir Idrees Malik said that working with the PIID had given him a balanced place to showcase his work.

“It is a great learning experience for a student like me,” said a student from the University of Karachi. “Not only did the PIID offer me an internship but it has also organised a lecture series from the architects for my class.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 8^th, 2011.