Gadong
x = independently organized TED event

Theme: Design

This event occurred on
December 11, 2016
BSB, Brunei-Muara
Brunei Darussalam

Without knowing it, design is principle to our daily lives in bringing us form, structure and discipline. However, it can be erratic, abstract and, sometimes, abnormal. Yet, this gives identities a unique shape to what we are already familiar towards to. We comprehend these concepts into norms, behaviour, traditions, cultures, societies and even integrated landmarks.

As Bruneians, we rediscover identity through the sights of aing muleh and sounds of guling tangan. Beyond the golden domes and jong sarat, there is an existential challenge of what creates local designs to be intuitive and familiar on a global stage. It is still a rarity for what outsiders may consider Bruneian; confusing us as a homogenous culture of people with our fellow neighbours. Perhaps, we want to say we are similar in certain ways - in how we act and think - but our born-and-bred Bruneian character is an idea worth spreading.

What makes our functions and forms unique? How can we take our everyday sights and sounds as inspiration? How can we trace success and emulate them to our own feat? What can we do to globalize local design?

This year’s theme aims to garner inspiration to what rules we should follow, or break, to be at the forefront of what it means to be truly an individual – a Bruneian. There is importance on the impact of design to bringing visual art together in creating objects, or people, that are extraordinary and practical. In tribute to the many disciplines of design, we invite creative pioneers and up-and-coming thinkers to mould a conversation in rediscovering our very own local creative DNAs.

iCentre
Spg 32-37
BSB, Brunei-Muara, BB3713
Brunei Darussalam
Event type:
Standard (What is this?)
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Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check event website for more information.

Akhmal Aiman

A final year student from UBD, Akhmal was one of the few who had the opportunity to be trained by award-winning theatre director and actresses like Natalie Hennedige and Nora Samosir from the prestigious National University of Singapore. He brings his knowledge with him to become one of the leading people who helped brought TW!STED to life. His extensive repertoire also includes being an actor, a playwright, a producer and a choreographer! This very talented individual has made his presence known both nationally and internationally - to name a few- in UBD’s Voices Within (Y.A.Y.O.: You Are Your Own) , NUS Tragic Form – Singapore and Kuriose and most recently, TW!STED. Having had the opportunity of exploring diverse theatrical platforms, Akhmal thinks that one must experiment with their national identity in order for one’s work to be well-recognised, either locally or globally. Akhmal will be talking about how one can express their identity through performing arts, focusing on five key aspects: Explore, Experiment, Experience, Express and Expose. He believes that it is important for one to realise that contemporary performing art does not limit one’s boundaries in adapting, shaping and embracing identity with a new and fresh perspective. According to Akhmal: “If most artists start with a blank canvas and most sculptors start with a block, then most performing artists start with a stage.”

Liyana Hanif

A Graphic Arts graduate from the University of Southampton, UK, from a young age, Liyana has always had an interest in art. Although she is only starting to paint her picture in the career world, she has already quite a list of achievements on her canvas. Liyana has had her graphic design work published in books by self-publishing writers abroad, as well as her photographs printed on t-shirts sold by a clothing company in the UK. Above all, one of her most exciting projects was to design merchandise for the giant ice cream company, Ben & Jerrys! Of course, one does not limit herself to just one craft, Liyana’s latest interest is filming and editing short films. Work from her latest project, a short film from her trip to New York City, was featured as Best NYC video of the week. Being a young designer based in Brunei, Liyana shares her journey on the multiple paths she has taken in order to expand her creative talents beyond borders. She shares with us her personal experiences focusing on the possibilities these paths hold. She gives us a glimpse of her desire to explore the unlimited opportunities ahead. Not forgetting, she wishes to thank it all to the thing which sparked her passion - her first compact digital camera!

Sara Khadhra

From a very young age, Sara Khadhra grew up thinking that her talents can only be expressed within the limits of a drawing block. That was, until she entered the world of multimedia and discovered the limitless opportunities graphic designs has brought to her. Through her perseverance and resilience, she has finally found herself in line with the career she has always wanted. She is now both an established graphic designer at Magic Media as well as a third year Creative Multimedia student at UTB. Clearly, she has proven everyone who has ever doubted her wrong. A gym freak with an interest in hair and fashion, Sara has found the time to do other activities ranging from rock climbing to scuba diving in the midst of her busy schedule.

Shafique Hussain

Equipped with a degree in Graphic Design: New Media, and a career that has spanned 10 years, Shafique has a vision of contributing to Brunei’s development, as he believes that Bruneians CAN do it. Bestowed with the responsibility of being a youth leader, and having had the opportunity to lead more than 1000 youths in the recitation of the Youth Day oath in front of His Majesty in 2014, he sees a huge potential in locals to achieve many great things locally, regionally and even globally. By sharing his life experience and business knowledge in this talk, he hopes to inspire, motivate and spark a chain of action in youths to reach their utmost potential. According to Shafique, “I also see that we need to be pushed. We need to be more confident of ourselves and our capabilities in order to reach our maximum potential. I hope that what I share will plant a thought in people’s minds and inspire them to nurture their minds and their skillset.” Shafique has a vast experience in the creative industry, having worked as a graphic designer and events manager, designing everything from corporate logos, to books, to IOS app UI and Website UI. He started his first business as a freelance creative designer in 2008 and since then he has started 3 companies that are still running today; Hyperdrive Co. (automotive), EatHappy Eatery, SUHBE Co. and most recently, Hyperdrive Hobby. He is also one of the founders of Brunei Parkour which has been active in promoting the discipline of Parkour for more than 5 years. Parkour is now an official activity in UTB and UBD and he hopes that parkour will be a part of ECA activities in the school curriculum and also included as part of the training in the National Service program.

Syen Sofian

With over 20 years of experience in design, marketing and media, Syen Sofian brings with him a proven knowledge of creative strategy and vision with an emphasis on brand creation, business designs and development. As the current Principal Designer of Syensai & Co. and the Founder of Designers Alliance Brunei, Syen has a broad range of experiences, especially in the areas of brand consultancy and marketing strategy, editorial designs and event, products and marketing collaterals, advertising and brand campaign strategy, new business development, user experience design and cross-platform product development. The man behind a reputable advertising firm in Brunei, Syen has multiple experience in managing teams of diverse personalities in deadline driven environments. He has managed to establish employee career development programs on top of also leading cross-functional team collaboration to develop industry outreach opportunities. From a man who has had experiences from around the world, Syen is going to tell us how to bridge the gap from designs to ideas to finally, inventions.

Wa'iz Maidin

Driven for success, Wa’iz has been juggling his time between classes and interior designing since early 2013. Wa’iz’s interest in design sparked at the tender age of 19 and thus, he started his part-time job at SAMO Design Studio. Armed with his self-taught knowledge of sketchUp and Photoshop, two years later, he is now a freelance interior designer slowly making Brunei more beautiful than it already is. His work includes some of the attractive places we may have already step foot in. Examples include, The Letterbox Co., The Potters, Pelicana Korean Fried Chicken and the newly opened Nollybook branch. This young man’s fuel for his hard work and determination is the dream of establishing his own design firm and creating a studio space for him and other designers to showcase, invent and develop their art.

Organizing team

Abdul Malik
Omar

Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Organizer

Fadli M
Zaini

Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Co-organizer
  • Azizul Rahman
    Team member
  • Hadi Khalid
    Team member
  • Hafizah Sufian
    Marketing/Communications
  • Ira Ali
    Production
  • sarimah latiff
    Curation