Designing A Sustainable Community Resource
Background
Some may assiduously read this introduction – I suggest you scan it, and come back and forward to it, to confirm the integrity of what it precedes. It is a weblog and quite long.I am Anthony Frederick Ward . And I am a Community Resource.
A.https://anthonyfward.wordpress.com/2011/09/20/who-the-uckfay-am-i/ B.https://anthonyfward.wordpress.com/2011/04/25/ay-the-edge-of-the-forest-episode-1/ C.https://anthonyfward.wordpress.com/2011/04/25/a/ D.https://anthonyfward.wordpress.com/2011/05/09/it-arnt-hal-hot-maam/ E.https://anthonyfward.wordpress.com/2011/05/12/mapping-the-experience/ F.https://anthonyfward.wordpress.com/2011/08/31/mapping-this-users-experience-2/ G.https://anthonyfward.wordpress.com/2011/09/28/this-users-experience-3/ H.https://anthonyfward.wordpress.com/about/Managing a Finite Resource (Link A.)
To commit a design practice even in a small part to being PRO BONO PUBLICO raises issues for a prospective Client not the Resource. Is the project worthy of ‘free’ design thinking and affordable execution(costs)? Will the project meet the criteria implicit in equity with best practice? Equity not based on net gain but principles underlying sustainability. The triple bottom line paradigm that is integral to the maintenance – the sustainability of Community. For the Resource The Common Good impinges here on the Sarawak Community and its laws.
A Sustainable Business Plan
Given the complexities that arise with being a stranger in a strange land the following is a preferred business access to the Resource.
A locally registered business is established. Briefing while direct to the Resource is contracted project by project to the business name and registration.(TBA). All Fees & Costs arising from accessing the Resource and development of material for production will be based on a schedule agreed to by all parties on a project by project basis.
A Credential (Link H.)
The Resource is active at this time in the local Education industry and will only undertake projects not in conflict with his continuing Educational Practice in Malaysia.
A 50 year practice as a design thinker and maker working across most media and types of business is what has best qualified him for an overlapping Design and Educational practice.
With a majority of time spent in commercial practice in the area of strategic communication in advertising (Thailand) and Design (Australia) the Resource offers an understanding of the planning, writing and execution for media of all types of strategic communication. For page, screen and event.
A Sample Project (Link B.>G.)
IDW2012 is a PRO BONO PUBLICO Project. One that the Resource has been involved with from the development of the proposal in 2010 until the time of writing. The links that form the Introduction track that involvement weblog format until the development of a fact sheet for distribution at the ICOGRADA Congress in Taipei, October 2011. It was not acted upon. The document was positioned for a global target of Design business practitioners.
The text for the document now adjusted to a reduced word count follows.
COVER 1 Front
BEGINNING
RESDISCOVERY(LOGO)
(TREE OF LIFE IMAGE)
COVER 2 Back
END
RESDISCOVERY(LOGO)
(FRACTAL IMAGE)
INTERIOR PAGES 1/ 2 Left
MIDDLE
Design today in its nearly infinite manifestations flows from the wellspring of the human cultural narrative – a beginning, middle and end rooted in the first flames of human sentience, evolving through the transience of many todays it is an emerging certainty in the unfolding fabric of our increasingly uncertain, shared tomorrows.
REDISCOVERY(LOGO)
SARAWAK
A Design Conference and Design Week
Kuching Sarawak Malaysia 15-21 October 2012
Presented by wREGA under the auspices of ICOGRADA
In partnership with
The State Government of Sarawak ,
Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak ,
The Municipality of Kuching and
the People of Sarawak.
A Small World Of Design
REDISCOVERY brings a benign lens onto an indigenous and local Design microcosm, making available to world design scrutiny and reflection a uniquely formed and vital human imprint . An island in the world. A world story belonging to no one – if not everyone – awaiting rediscovery in its retelling.
A Past Present and Future Context For Design
REDISCOVERY offers a revelation and celebration of the first truths of indigenous knowledge by academics, design and craft practitioners. It is an opportunity to experience the uniquely energetic dynamic of a local>world Design incubator and to encourage, learn from and contribute to an undertaking towards a sustainable future culture shaped by design, education and responsibility. One that while partly a response to a history of exploitation of human and natural resources, it embraces the innovative hybridisation of cross cultural fertilisation with universal first truths originally revealed in flickering light beneath the canopy of ancient rainforests.
A Designed Delegate Itinerary
5 days experience of a unique place
5 days engagement with a unique culture
5 days of autonomous design discovery
4 planes of delegate experience
Speakers
Seminars
Workshops
Kuching Events & Experiences
The Program
The broadest experience of the conceived program will engage you with local, regional and international design and craft presenters and facilitators from the breadth of the design practice, business and academic world.
A detailed supplement outlining all to be involved will be available as a printable download from the REDISCOVERY website. (http://www. rediscoverysarawak.org?)
Present Context
wREGA
ICOGRADA
INDIGO
CREATIVE CITIES
6 Design Workshops
Design Craft Market
Past Context
5 Speakers
2 Seminars
Future Context
5 Speakers
2 Seminars
2 Venues
Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak
Kuching & its environs
A Journey Of Rediscovery
(This information is available within the fold out)
Getting to Kuching
Being in Kuching
Staying In Kuching
Leaving Kuching
ICOGRADA DESIGN WEEK 2012
• Rediscovery-Sarawak is the (6th?) Design Week generated by a national graphic design association under the auspices of ICOGRADA in as many years.
The (Taipei conference 2011 (name?) in Taiwan is the most recent. REDISCOVERY in Sarawak will be the first integrating the goals of the Indigo Design Network to be manifest in the Mother Tongue exhibition first presented at Taipei.
ORGANIZERS
• ICOGRADA
• Indigo Design Network
http://www.indigodesignnetwork.org/
• wREGA
http://www.wrega.org/v2/index.html
• Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak
• Sarawak Convention Bureau
SPONSORS
• State Government of Sarawak
• Municipal Government of Kuching
Sarawak
BUMI KENYALANG
Land of the Hornbills
(COAT OF ARMS IMAGE)
The hornbill is the heraldic bird of the State of Sarawak and central motif in indigenous iconography .
Located in the north east of the island of Borneo Sarawak is the largest of 13 states in Malaysia. 124,450sq.km and 750km in length (an area larger than North Korea but smaller than Greece).
There are over 25 ethnic groups in Sarawak, each with their own language, culture, traditions and lifestyle. Of the 2.4 million people inhabiting the State, the largest group at 31% of the population is the indigenous Iban people, followed by ethnic Chinese (28%), Malay (20%), and other native groups including Bidayuh (8%), Melanau (6%), Orang Ulu (5%) and others including Indian.
Sarawak is home to one of the world’s oldest tropical rainforests.
A rainforest that has over 185 species of wildlife; 500 species of birds and almost uncountable insect species. Including mosquitoes.
The colours of Sarawak’s different cultures are woven from the fabric of the rainforest and their history. All groups have their distinct languages, histories and legends. Traditional ways of life remain atuned to the forest, the rivers and the land.
Kuching is the capital city of Sarawak and the seat of Government and business, with an estimated population of 650,000.
A History
The geological and natural history of Borneo is as ancient as the world, and as unique in its differences as any island isolated by sea may be. Neolithic human occupation is dated to around 35,000 years ago but first arrivals may be as early as 1 million years ago during the global ice age. The consensus interpretation in modern anthropology is that nearly all indigenous peoples of South East Asia, including the Dayaks of Borneo , are descendants of a larger Austronesian migration from Asia, thought to have settled in the South East Asian Archipelago some 3,000 years ago.
The eastern seaboard of Borneo was charted, though not settled, by the Portuguese in the early 16th century. The area of Sarawak was known to Portuguese cartographers as Cerava. During the 17th century, Sarawak was self-governed under Sultan Tengah.
Three generations of White Rajahs or “White Kings” ruled Sarawak through its political and cultural transition to statehood. Up till the 1800s, Sarawak was part of the kingdom of Brunei. When uncontrollable groups of pirates roamed the seas offshore and bandits swarmed the jungles inland, the Sultan could not expel them with the strength of his own forces. In 1841, a British adventurer by the name of James Brooke arrived on the shores of Sarawak and helped the Sultan of Brunei regain control. In return for his help, the Sultan gave him dominion over what is now Sarawak. Myth would have it that James Brooke is the Lord Jim of Joseph Conrad’s Novel. James Brooke became the first White Rajah of Sarawak in 1842, followed by his nephew, Charles Brooke, who was in turn succeeded by his son, Charles Vyner Brooke, the last White Rajah. After the Japanese Occupation and World War II, Sarawak was ceded to the British Crown. In September 1963, Sarawak joined the Federation of Malaya States to form Malaysia.
Kuching is the historic capital of Sarawak. Hundreds of years before the White Rajahs, traders from China and the West utilised the broad Sarawak river as a safe port to barter for rhinoceros horns, pangolin scales, hornbill ivory, camphor, damar (resin), gaharu (aloewood), edible birds’ nests and all the exotic treasures in the Bornean rainforest.
Cat City
The origins of the naming of “Kuching” city remain a mystery. Historians suggest language sources as diverse as India and China. Indian settlers may have started calling the city “cochin”, meaning “port” in their own language, after an Indian community sprang up at the base of Mount Santubong centuries ago. It may be a direct translation of the Chinese words 古井 (gu jing), meaning “old well”- one of a few known 6th century city landmarks among the Chinese settlers. It is also possible that the Malay community, whose word for cat is “kucing,” named the city. That the dense Borneo forest is still home to a number of unique species of cat is probably reason enough for this thriving gateway to Sarawak to be affectionately called and celebrated as Cat City by inhabitants.
Sarawak~Land of the Hornbills
Located in the north east of the island of Borneo Sarawak is the largest of the 13 states of Malaysia. 124,450sq.km and 750km in length (an area larger than North Korea but smaller than Greece).
There are over 25 ethnic groups in Sarawak, each with their own language, culture, traditions and lifestyle. Of the 2.4 million people inhabiting the State, the largest population group at 31% is the indigenous Iban people, followed by ethnic Chinese (28%), Malay (20%), and other native groups including Bidayuh (8%), Melanau (6%), Orang Ulu (5%) and others including Indian.
Sarawak is home to one of the world’s oldest tropical rainforests. A rainforest that has over 185 species of wildlife; 500 species of birds and almost uncountable insect species. Including mosquitoes.
The colours of Sarawak’s different cultures are woven from the fabric of the rainforest and their history. All ethnic groups have their distinct languages, histories and legends. Traditional ways of life are attuned to the forest, the rivers and the land. Kuching is the capital city of Sarawak and the seat of Government and business, with an estimated population of 650,000.
Travel Information
To & From Kuching
Kuching is one of the most internationally accessible cities in Malaysia.
Direct flights are available from Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Brunei, Jakarta and all other major Malaysian cities. Major carriers servicing air travel in the state include Malaysia Airlines (MAS), SilkAir, Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA) and Batavia Air. Low cost carriers include Air Asia, Tiger Airways and JetStar.
Daily over 2,500 flight seats are available from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
Around and about Kuching
Nothing is very far from anywhere else in Kuching – but to support the ease and comfort of movement by delegates from venue to venue – from city to more removed locations :
Small and larger buses will be providedto delegates for transit between different venues, accomodation and the city centre.
Taxi (teksi) and car rental services are available in cities.
Language
English and Mandarin Chinese are widely spoken alongside the official national language, Bahasa Malaysia (Malay). Other languages include local Chinese dialects.
Currency & Exchange
The currency is the Malaysian Ringgit (RM).
Banks outlets and 24-hour ATMs providing international access are found in the airports, universities and most urban centres. Commercial money exchanges offering
Malaysian rates of exchange are also available.
The Weather
Kuching is one degree+ below the Equator. It‘s weather represents this moderated by its island geography. In October might expect intermittent cloudy and clear days with temperatures ranging from cooler mornings and evenings 23C – to warmer days 32C.
And there will be showers in a city with 4200 mm of rain per year October is a relatively dry month. A delegate’s umbrella/sun shade will be provided at registration. Venues and transport are air conditioned.
The Venues
+ Swinburne University http://www.swinburne.edu.my
Swinburne University of Technology (Sarawak Campus) is the only international campus of Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia. The Kuching campus opened in the year 2000. Its student population stands at 3,000 and is expected to reach 5,000 in the next three years. The campus is located within Kuching city limits and is within 15 minutes’ drive to major hotels. SUTS is the conference venue for the REDISCOVERY ~ ICOGRADA Design Week in 2012.
+ The Spring
The Spring is Sarawak’s largest and most popular shopping mall. Its Australian design of 1.1 million sq. feet covers 155 shops and open space .
+ Kuching Waterfront
Well-known for its tourist traffic, scenic views and historic significance, the Kuching Waterfront in the centre of old Kuching town. This kilometre-long esplanade along the Sarawak River where shuttle boats make the journey across to villages and the State Government buildings.
Accommodation
There are over 20 international-classed hotels with over 4,500 rooms in the greater Kuching area itself. A few of these are highlighted below:
+ 4-to 5-Star Hotels
+ Hilton Kuching http://www.hilton-kuching.com
At the middle of Kuching’s Golden Triangle where the city’s history began its white façade is a prominent landmark from across the Sarawak River. Overlooking the Kuching Waterfront and the Sarawak River, many of its 315 rooms offer a panoramic view of the river and stunning sunsets.
+ Pullman Interhill Hotel http://www.pullmankuching.com
The Pullman Interhill Hotel is a 5-star establishment with over 380 rooms. It is the latest addition to Kuching’s growing list of international hotels with an atrium connecting to 13,000 sq.m of up-market shopping facilities. The Kuching Waterfront, Main Bazaar and all they offer are close by.
+ Four Points by Sheraton http://www.starwoodhotels.com/fourpoints/
Five minutes from Kuching International Airport and 20 minutes from the city centre and 10 minutes from the conference venue is Four Points, Kuching’s largest hotel with 421 rooms. Offering luxury eating outlets, 24-hr fitness and business centres, Four Points is surrounded by one of Kuching’s most popular local eating spots.
+ Budget & Student Accommodations
Small city centre backpacker type accommodations are plentiful in Kuching.
+ Tune Hotel http://www.tunehotels.com/ourhotels/waterfront-kuching
+ Pinnacles Kuching http://www.pinnacleskuching.com
+ Wesberly Apartment http://www.wesberly.com.my
+ Limetree Hotel http://www.limetreehotel.com.my
+ Berambih Lodge http://www.budgetlodgekuching.com
+ Parklane Lodge http://www.parklanelodge.com
+ Lodge 121 http://www.lodge121.com
+ Kuching Waterfront Lodge http://www.kuchingwaterfrontlodge.com
+ Somerset Gateway http://www.the-ascott.com
+ Dormani Hotel http://www.dormanihotel.com
+ Basaga Holiday Residences http://www.basaga.com
+ Singgahsana Lodge http://www.singgahsana.com
+ Boutique Hotels & Apartments
+ Batik Boutique http://www.batikboutiquehotel.com
Batik Boutique is one of the newest lifestyle hotels in town and has a classic nonya-batik theme, friendly service and a Japanese eatery. Located in the centre of town, close to the Kuching Hilton and Pullman Interhill shopping centre.
+ Kuching Waterfront Lodge http://www.kuchingwaterfrontlodge.com
One of the first budget boutique lodgings in Kuching, the Waterfront Lodge is in a historic shop-lot house in the Main Bazaar in the city centre, and in full view of the Astana across the river. It offers the inviting warmth of a nonya-themed décor.
+ The 360 group of Hotels http://www.360kuching.com
The 360 group comprises two hotels in Kuching: 360 Hotel and 360 Express.
360 Hotel is a 95-room set of luxury service apartments located 10 minutes away from the city centre.
Places & Activities of Interest
From markets to shopping malls to luxury resorts, rustic longhouses and outdoor experiences. Here are just a few. These will be available with local guides and transport provided by the organiser for delegates with arranged tour programs for half and full day.
+ Main Bazaar and the Kuching Waterfront
This is the oldest street in Kuching, dating back to 1864. It represents the very heart and soul and evidence of Kuching’s history. Old Chinese shophouse architecture remain, most owned by the same families for generations.
+ Satok Weekend Market
Opening at 12.00 noon on Saturday and trading till 12.00 noon Sunday the Weekend Market is a transient shop window onto the bounty of ocean, river, forest and field that is the staple of the local diet and the proclamation of an uncompromising love and interest in food.
+ The Sarawak Museum
Erected in 1888 by the second White Rajah, the Sarawak Museum is the oldest building in Borneo. Across the overhead footbridge sits Dewan Tun Abdul Razak, a complementary modern extension to the original accommodating archaeological artefacts, pre-historic earthenware and archives.
+ Sarawak Cultural Village
SCV is an award-winning living museum presenting the cultures of the 6 major indigenous groups of Sarawak. Traditional ethnic dwellings of the major tribes cover the 14 acres located at the foothills of Mount Santubong, about 35 km from Kuching.
+ Bako National Park
Facing the mystical Santubong mountain on one corner and the South China Sea on the other, Bako National Park is located on a rocky peninsula about 30 km north of Kuching. Beautiful beaches and jungle trails are scattered throughout the park.
+ Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre
At Semenggoh, visitors can see orang utan, they can participate in the rehabilitation process where sick orangutans are nursed back to health and orphans taught survival skills. Located about 20 km from Kuching, Semonggoh is a patch of natural forest where orang utan exist semi wild while these “wild men of the jungle” are prepared for release into the deep jungles of Sarawak.
+ Rainforest Kayaking
There are more rivers in Sarawak than there are roads. And most of these rivers are flanked by beautiful rainforest with overhanging branches. The best way to enjoy the landscape is to float downriver on an open kayak along the Sungai Sarawak Kiri as experienced guides lead the way.
+ M.V. Equatorial
A luxury double-decker cruiser on the Sarawak River that provides a wide range of sightseeing experiences along the Kuching skyline. It caters to tourists on lazy meanders along the riverine mangrove forests immediate to Kuching.
.+ Jungle Cycling
Cycling tours come in many forms in Kuching: on-road easy rides along small scenic village paths; more challenging mid- to long-distance rides to the towns of Serian, Bau or Sematan; or adventure off-road jungle rides that can be anywhere between 5 km to 60 km, a combination of both on- and off-road and anywhere in between.
+ The Way of the Iban Longhouse
The Iban tribe is Sarawak’s largest indigenous group, with a wonderful culture of song, dance and art based on centuries of commune with the rainforest. Nanga Sumpa is an Iban longhouse situated in the last remaining habitat of wild orang utans, Batang Ai National Park. It is one of the few traditional longhouses in Sarawak with facilities specially built for the visitor.
+ Kopitiam Walkabout
This is the land of laksa, kolo mee and kueh chap, traditional recipes created and evolved in Sarawak. Sampling these local dishes in old fashioned kopitiams (coffee shops), watching the world go by is the best way to enjoy them. Spend a day, kopitiam-hopping trying the local favourites.
Delegate Registration
Registration can be completed at several REDISCOVERY counters :
- Kuching International Airport immediately upon arrival.
- The lobby of Building A Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak on the first day of the conference.
On the ground support
- The Visitor Information Centre (VIC) is located in the colonial Old Courthouse in the city centre.
- The Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB) provides support services for conference organisers. The Bureau is located next to the Tun Abdul Razak Museum.
Kuching has one of the lowest crime rates in Malaysia. A special Tourist Police Unit is on hand to service the security needs of visitors to the State.
A PLACE TO CELEBRATE 
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