TEDxGadong

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.