Designing for the Future: 4 Lessons from Ayaz Basrai
The future of design isn’t what you think. Here’s why.
🗞️ This week’s Samachar is from my conversation with Ayaz Basrai (▶️ Audiogyan Ep. 289) for whom design is about the right source of validation (i.e) people for whom you design
Meet the mind behind The Busride Studio, Ayaz Basrai, whose work spans urbanism, speculative design, and thought-provoking research. More about his work.
1️⃣ Who’s a Designer?
Short Answer: Anyone improving life.
Long Answer: You don’t need a degree or fancy software to be a designer. If you’re solving problems, influencing behavior, or making life better in any way—you’re designing. The real challenge is shifting from making things pretty to making things work. Good design is about intent, not just aesthetics.
2️⃣ Why do we glorify aesthetics over real impact?
Short Answer: Pretty ≠ Useful.
Long Answer: Let’s be honest—design today is obsessed with looks over function. Raw concrete walls? Gorgeous. But do they actually solve a problem? If your work isn’t functional, emotional, and meaningful, then it’s just decoration. Design should serve a purpose first, and aesthetics second.
Will Mumbai really miss anything if Ferris Wheel of “Mumbai Eye” disappears?
3️⃣ What is intergenerational kindness in design?
Short Answer: Plant trees you’ll never sit under.
Long Answer: In Oxford’s New College, builders planted a forest 400 years ago just to replace the wooden beams when they eventually rotted. That’s designing for the future. Today, most design decisions are short-term, stuck in election cycles and quick wins. But real impact comes from thinking in decades, not months.
What’s your take on value creation? Here’s Amul’s take
4️⃣ How is AI/ML changing the role of designers?
Short Answer: From creators to curators.
Long Answer: AI can generate hundreds of ideas in seconds—” a hospital shaped like a burger with dinosaurs” - Done! In this reality, design is no longer about novelty, but choosing the best option from an ocean of possibilities. The designer’s role is shifting from being a creator of new things to a curator of the best solutions. The real skill? Knowing what to build as opposed to how to build.
Has the impact of AI on design started becoming visible?
It was an absolute pleasure speaking with Ayaz Basrai and exploring deep insights into design, creativity, and the evolving role of designers. 🎙️
If you’d like to listen to the full episode, find it here:
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