With a focus on driving the state economy, the Kerala government has approved the state design policy — a strategic initiative that, it says, will create a “paradigm shift in planning”.

“It will set guidelines for the government to enact rules, plan and implement programmes and projects and set in motion various processes to scale up design capabilities,” said Tourism minister P A Mohamed Riyas.

What began as a three-day workshop in the state’s capital in January last year has culminated into this policy, which is set to effect change at every level of society, including environment, transport, arts and culture, agriculture, IT and data. The idea is to make Kerala a design-driven economy, says architect and urban designer K T Ravindran, a member of the Kerala urban policy commission, and a key figure in the making of the design policy document.

“Until now, there was no plan for the entire state. It has only been for cities or districts. The design policy is a shift in thinking with design as the driving force. Kerala is facing an exodus of its youth to other states and countries for work. This design policy will work at putting delivery mechanisms in place to make design a live experience for people and create jobs for youth. It will be about creating an experiential aesthetic that will be seamless,” Ravindran said.

While the 2007 National Design Policy connected design to industry, with the setting up of National Institutes of Design, the Kerala Design Policy hopes to pervade every aspect of living. “Kerala doesn’t have a Taj Mahal. What it offers is the smell of the earth, the beauty of the land, its culture and heritage — the design policy will look at the texture of these experiences,” he said.

From designing physical and social infrastructure such as roads, bridges, streets, signages, tourism infrastructure and public spaces to improving the quality of life, the aim is to make Kerala a global design hub.