The present and future of the country’s modern aesthetic was highlighted as the 2024 edition of the Jamaica Observer Design Week was launched yesterday at the S Hotel in Kingston.

The event, which is in its seventh year, continued its mission to increase the profile of how Jamaica’s home and décor landscape is conceptualised and innovated in an evolving market.

Under the theme ‘The Transformative Eye of Design: From Solar to AI’, the launch gathered industry specialists from both the design world as well as players in the housing, energy and technology arenas.

While existing and new technology were the focus, perspective was not lost on how furniture and art can enhance the look and feel of a living space.

Interior designer Kerry-Ann Clarke described how coffee table books provide a different ambience to a living space, using different accessories.

“Coffee table books are the perfect accessory to use to make your space more elevated, more interesting, and are great conversation starters,” Clarke explained.

Architect Vidal Dowding shifted the focus to how to make housing more suitable in addressing the issues of climate change.

“The built environment takes up so much of the world’s resources. We create the most greenhouse gases. How we create sustainable buildings in Jamaica or around the world is difficult to achieve,” he said.

Continuing along the path of sustainability, Solar Buzz CEO Jason Robinson made the case for Jamaica to be in a position to be energy independent with solar energy being the focus.

Robinson argued that with the frequency of hurricanes affecting the power grid, the country cannot afford to be without power, with AI being useful in making the technology work in such emergencies.

“We need to be moving forward and having resilience in mind. With these super storms coming into play, we need to be safe in protecting our family if the grid goes down, Anderson said. “If we get hit with a category five storm and the grid goes down for five months, what are we going to do?”

National Housing Trust Assistant general manager Dwayne Berbick further championed solar energy as a means for sustainable housing, with a shift towards what he calls a ‘climate smart agenda’ which also includes measures to find and utilise sustainable building practices. By providing the necessary financing for homeowners to adopt sustainable practices, Berbick says Jamaica can be better positioned in the long term to respond to the ever-changing climate reality.

“The reality is that the world is changing. We are seeing with greater frequency and greater intensity certain weather phenomena like hurricanes. We are promoting sustainability through green energy initiatives, better aligning Jamaican homes with international best practices.

With artificial intelligence (AI) playing a role in improving various industries, tech advisor Erica Anderson closed the launch by championing its use in the design market. By using applications that allow clients to customise and visualise their ideal space, Anderson is adamant in the technology being a partner for human designers and not as their replacement.

“It isn’t just about the technology, it is how we as Jamaicans shape it to reflect who we are. It isn’t here to replace designers or our cultural identity,” Anderson said. “Together we can create a future where it is not only integral and efficient, but accessible to all Jamaicans,” she noted.

The audience was treated to various video examples of AI software use in design as well as an AI voice-generated text in the Jamaican dialect which drew surprise and laughter from the gathering.

The launch concluded after an engaging question-and-answer session, an engaging prelude to what will unfold during the week.

Design Week 2024 continues tomorrow at Ashley Furniture Homestore.

…and Erica Anderson. (Karl Mclarty)

…Jason Robinson (Karl Mclarty)

…Dwayne Berbick (Karl Mclarty)

…Vidal Dowding (Karl Mclarty)

…followed by Nicola Byron (Karl Mclarty)

Jamaica Observer Design Week Ja conceptualiser Novia McDonald-Whyte explains the genesis of Design Week. (Karl Mclarty)

Jamaica Observer Media Group Managing Director Dominic Beaubrun in his welcome address. (Karl Mclarty)

The presentations kicked off with Kerry-Ann Clarke… (Karl Mclarty)