20 young designers from Sarawak have completed their design training- a collaboration by ITB FAD and SARADEC (Sarawak Design Center). 26 alumni of the program also gathered in Bandung on Tuesday at Pullman Grand Central Ballroom (6/12/2022).

The closing ceremony was attended by the General Consulate of Indonesia Kuching and the Prime Minister of Sarawak YB Datuk Amar Haji Awang Tengah bin Ali Hasan, together with his staff. The ITB Secretary Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ir. Widjaja Martokusumo, Dean of ITB FAD Dr. Andryanto Rikrik Kusmara, S.Sn, M.Sn., and Sarawak Say D'signer Coordinator Dr. Imam Santosa, M.Sn. joined the event as representatives of ITB. Traditional Sarawak dances and media associates are seen as well.

SARADEC and ITB FAD have organized training activities for the participating designers, focusing on the furniture industry (Say D'signer Sarawak STIDC) since 2018. Joined by both ITB students and students from various universities in Sarawak, the series of activities was held for 12 months. Until 2022, there are four batches and 32 alumni who have completed the training.

Participants first study the Design Studio curriculum, consisting of design training and workshops to be more familiar with the history of furniture design, utility, organization, typology, ergonomics, materials, sustainability, culture, and market. Its main project is the application of all the knowledge gained in the participants’ personal projects in each semester.

The next task given to the participants is to create design objects and prototypes for the final exhibition. The task is divided into two projects: Easy Chair and Modern Contemporary Furniture Set. Participants also had the opportunity to visit the furniture and handicraft industries in Cirebon, Surakarta, and Jepara to broaden their perspectives on the sector.

The Dean of ITB FAD, Dr. Andryanto Rikrik, expressed his gratitude for the four-year collaboration between ITB and SARADEC to graduate the 32 young designers. Prof. Widjaja also gave his appreciation to SARADEC for planning the event well. ITB hopes that young designers can actively contribute to the economic, environmental, and social aspects of the industry while optimizing the rich natural resources of both countries in their artworks.

Moreover, this program encourages the development of the timber industry in Sarawak. Wood is the fourth largest commodity in Sarawak; thus, the Prime Minister of Sarawak hopes that the industry will be able to enter the international market through the program.

Datuk Amar stated that the design of the furniture must be aligned with the traditions and benefits of the materials. This ensures the products are sustainable with high economic value.

"We hope this program can continue until 2030 to successfully train 100 designers in the furniture industry," Datuk Umar said.

Reporter: Pravito Septadenova Dwi Ananta (Geological Engineering, 2019)
Translator: Ruth Nathania (Environmental Engineering, 2019)