Summit Newsletter

Dorothy van’t Riet on Pan Africa Interior Design Virtual Summit 2018 (PAID)

Dorothy van’t Riet is the expert speaker on “ The History of Interior Design” and its impact on Africa at the first Pan-Africa Virtual Interior Design Summit 2018.

The summit will be starting on the 19th of March through to 30 March.

Dorothy is being featured on the opening day, Monday 19 March.

Please log onto http://summit.eteriorspaces.com/ to register. The first day is free.

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PAID Summit 2018
summit.eteriorspaces.com
tory of interior design and its relevance to modern day best practice, with a special emphasis on Africa.

Dorothy is embracing technology to communicate with many people across Africa as well as globally, from her Design Studio.

Her expertise in successful interior design projects globally, as well as her passion and commitment to education in this space made her a natural choice for the panel of expert speakers for the Virtual Summit.

While delving into her presentation preparation, she took time to share some thought starters for the Creative in all of us.

Rooted in Interior Design

During her interview, Dorothy will address several important aspects relevant to the history of interior design. She emphasises that design is a reflection of its time, and the history of interior design is an account of a large variety of influential factors.

“Design is the result of centuries of influence, development and change. The history of interior design is a story involving societies across the globe and it has historically been affected by aspects such as location, materials and cultural values,” she says. “A detailed study of the history and development of design is important as it serves as a foundation for understanding the ways in which architecture, interior design, and furniture have developed through the ages.”

The history of interior design, she notes, can help interior designers to develop relevant design concepts and to design in context. Since Antiquity, a large variety of traditional styles have developed and stood the test of time. It is important to be knowledgeable on historical periods and related influences, to understand the style variations that have resulted over the years.

Interior designers should understand history and geography and have confidence in their knowledge of the people and relevant area’s culture. This knowledge helps in the development of design concepts, as well as in historic restorations and rehabilitations. Culture and history, she adds, are also the largest sources to initiate the research process for a design project to find concept development inspiration.

Meeting with Mother Africa

Dorothy’s extensive understanding of African interior design is clear as she explains how she has used African history, culture and traditions in many of her projects. She emphasises that there is a treasure trove of African designs that have existed and developed over many centuries.

“As designers, we should be aware of this and incorporate it into interior design,” she believes.

Dorothy mentions that she does extensive research on the historical and cultural aspects of the architecture, interior design, furniture design, art, artefacts and traditional crafts of the country she is designing in. This serves as the starting point and source of inspiration for developing the design concepts of the project.

Interiors, she notes, should be designed in context and there should be sensitivity to the history of the interior design of the particular country.

For a hotel project in Rwanda, she was inspired by its breathtaking nature as well as the traditional cultural crafts that have been used for many centuries in the Central/East African country. Craft weaving and creating beautiful, textural baskets, are important traditions in Rwandan communities.

The intricate weaving and basket patterns of Rwanda were used as sources of inspiration for both structural and decorative elements in the interiors.

Another traditional Rwandan art form is Imigongo, characterised by the use of mud or cow dung. It is commonly made up of geometric and spiral patterns that are painted on walls, pottery and canvases. Originally used for decorations inside the walls of huts, these vibrant works of art are unique to Rwanda, and are traditionally based on the natural colours of the soil.

Dorothy has used these unique Imigongo motifs as a source of inspiration for fabrics, screens and other structural and decorative elements in the bedrooms. These sources of inspiration stemmed from traditional crafts but were creatively used and adapted to contemporary hotel interiors.

Connected with Inspiration Influencers

Dorothy is inspired by a host of significant people who have shaped and formed architecture, interior design and art through the ages and on different continents. These range from Italian Renaissance Masters such as Michelangelo and Brunelleschi, to 20th Century architects and designers such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Mies van der Rohe.

The Iraqi-British designer Zaha Hadid and African-born David Adjaye also inspire contemporary design.

“One can often be inspired by people who may not necessarily be prominent or renowned figures in the design industry. For example, on one of her corporate projects in Botswana, all the artworks were creations by local, often rural and mostly unknown artists. These phenomenal artworks, some of exquisite marble, others crafted from recycled materials, informed and inspired the interior design of the offices.”

She sees a definite need to research and document the history of interior design in Africa. Particularly to share its wealth of knowledge and inspiration, making it accessible to interior designers across the globe.

Login for in-depth learnings

During the interview Dorothy aims to inspire interior designers by sharing practical ideas on how to run their practices. She emphasises the importance of developing strong design concepts based on a variety of influencing issues and adds that one should be perceptive to the needs of clients.

Her session will include business tips, including how to build a brand and market an interior design business.

Dorothy always encourages specialists in this design field to further their knowledge on the history of interior design, through both formal and informal studies. In response to the overwhelming need for information of this, she has published two ebooks that will be released on the DVR website soon.

After the Summit, the following 2 E-Books will be available for purchase.
Go to www.dvr.co.za or contact her at to purchase the following E-books:

• From Caveman to Technology – The history of Interior Design from Antiquity to Modern Day Design.
• African Inspired – Dorothy’s Inspiration for Two Design Projects in Africa

Be sure to watch Dorothy’s inspirational talk on 19 March 2018. Login and register online at http://summit.eteriorspaces.com.

Registration for the first day, which includes Dorothy’s interview, is free. This inaugural edition of The PAID Virtual Summit will feature 25 sessions, each spanning between 35-45 minutes.

A Youtube link to Dorothy’s Summit interview will, in the near future, also be uploaded to the DVR website.