A COURSE AT 'ASID' COULD MAKE YOU A PROFESSIONAL DESIGNER!
The Auxilium school of Interior Design tucked away in silent Halls Road in Egmore has been training scores of men and women in this fast buck art of Interior design.
The director of this school Mathew Jacob Chakramakal is affirmative in that though Madras does not have as much demand as Bombay or Delhi for interior design consultants, the idea is catching on with more commercial compliances coming up that concentrate on catching the attention of the consumer by all means. His major consultancy work in Madras has been doing the interior of Grindlays Bank in association with CR Narayana Rao, a leading Architect.
The school started simultaneously at Madras and Coimbatore in 1989. Last year's students numbered around 80 and at least a 100 of them are expected to join the course this year.
The certificate offered at the end of the course is a Diploma In Interior Designing with exposure to the HUDCO
*Auxilium School of Interior Design is one of Tamil Nadu's premier schools of Interior Designing and Decoration*
(Housing and Urban Development Corporation). Classes are held in 5 batches at different timings and the duration of the course is one year.
Though literally anyone can join the course Mathew observes that only those having a flair for drawing and creative vision carry on till the end. Students of Engineering are indeed at an advantages position but as the course is inclusive of primary and advanced levels anybody with a flat for beauty and art can do well.
The annual fee for the course is rupees 3,600. However Mathew says that students are granted scholarship - a reduction in the fee depending on the talent and economic background. Those who cannot afford to pay a lump sum amount are allowed to pay it installments throughout the year.
The syllabus for the projects consists of learning how to draw lines and designing rooms from 1 point and 2 point perspectives. Later they learn to draw a decorated room as would be seen in a photograph. A number of projects done by the students stand effective testimony to their skill. Then comes in furniture designing cost estimation and deciding on raw materials to be used. Two residential and 8 commercial projects are to be done by the students. They have to apply that theoretical knowledge in literally Designing home and office establishment.
Regarding the Avenue for jobs in this field Mathew says that students who procure and a plus in the school are automatically place in designer firms by them.
Even otherwise nearly every student is employed even before they get their diploma. The different channels are diploma holder can choose are varied. They can opt for the design consultancy firm or become designer for government and private offices or can start there own business.
Mathew assures that a 6 month stint at an Architects firm is sufficient to start up once own business. As this course is comprehensive no for the study in this subject is necessary.
For futher specialisation in fields like lighting or air condition design etc. There are colleges abroad with specialised on particular aspects of interior design.
He is assistant in his work by his spouse and together they plan to start a similar school in Bangalore and then in Cochin. Together interior decoration and designs seems to be their cup of tea.
To
Auxilium School of Interior Design
Established 1989
D8 Halls Towers 56 Halls Road Egmore Chennai 600008 Tamilnadu India.
