| Summary: | Project PUSAKA is a Final Year Project submission in the field of Product Design. It was driven by
the desire to explore and pay homage to the culture that the author grew up in: the Javanese culture. The
intention of the project is to study the relevance of Javanese philosophy to the area of furniture design. It
also aims to propose a possible application and representation of the cultural philosophy through a working
design methodology.
This report presents the study and rationale behind the project. First, it introduces the concept of
Pusaka, the core of Javanese teaching that binds generations of Javanese people true to the tradition. It is
also a concept that is reflected in many of their art forms and an ideology that shapes many of their customs.
A brief account of the Javanese art is also presented, followed by an emphasis on Javanese furniture and
Batik design.
The report tells the context of the thesis, a study of the relationship between the Javanese tradition and
its role in the design scene in Indonesia. It looks into the culture extensively, highlighting its assets and
evaluating its characters, while trying to address the conundrum that seems to hold back the progress and
popularity of the culture. The country’s socio-political issues form the basis of this argument. Other
considerations include a cross reference to other cultures and a similar project that have been done in the
country so far.
The report details the process and development of the proposed furniture design. It is then concluded
with an analysis of its successfulness on three different categories: how the project has affected the author
personally, how it offers a new perspective in the industry, and how it would play a role in shaping the
identity of the Javanese society. As might be expected, it is then followed by a reflection; a critical
inspection of the thought processes involved in the formulation of the design.
In the course of this report, any Javanese and Indonesian terminology will be highlighted in italic
when appears for the first time. Meaning of the words will be translated immediately after.
|
|---|