Exploring New Perspectives in Design Through International Exchange at Design Talk
Jakarta, 18 September 2026 – Exploring how design can connect people, nature, and cultural heritage, BINUS University’s School of Design (SoD) hosted a Design Talk in collaboration with CushCush Gallery, featuring French product designer Clara Rivière and Bali-based industrial designer Cokorda G.B. Suryanata. Held as part of the Artist Designer in Residence (ADIR) 2026–2027 program, the session brought students and members of the BINUS community closer to international creative practices and the diverse perspectives shaping contemporary design.
(Photo Credit: Mufti Al-Warits | Photo Editor: Andi D. Ahnafandra)
Held at the Faculty Lounge, 8th Floor, BINUS @Kemanggisan Anggrek Campus, the Design Talk provided an opportunity for participants to explore the relationship between design, natural resources, traditional craftsmanship, and cultural contexts. The discussion was moderated by Ms. Patricia Penina Adele, Gallery & Exhibition Room Coordinator at the School of Design, BINUS University, who guided the exchange between the two designers and the audience.
Initiated by CushCush Gallery, a platform at the crossroads of art, design, and crafts, ADIR is an immersive residency program that explores fresh reinterpretations of Balinese crafts through the prism of design. The 2026–2027 edition carries the theme “Rethinking Our Future: Designing With the Forest,” inviting designers to reflect on the relationship between people, natural resources, and the ecosystems that sustain communities.
(Photo Credit: Mufti Al-Warits | Photo Editor: Andi D. Ahnafandra)
Through its focus on art, design, and crafts, the initiative creates opportunities to explore how traditional knowledge and local materials can inform contemporary creative practices. The residency brings together Indonesian and French designers through an exchange between Bali and Burgundy during 2026–2027.
Clara Rivière brings a design practice shaped by close attention to the natural environment surrounding her in Southwestern France. Through her work, everyday objects become a way to explore human, cultural, and economic relationships with their territories. Meanwhile, Cokorda G.B. Suryanata, founder of Studio Banda, approaches design through existing manufacturing and craft processes, exploring material behavior, everyday gestures, and unconventional production possibilities.
“As a Balinese designer, my practice has been deeply influenced by the communities of Alas Mertajati, Tigawasa, and Tenganan Pengringingisan in Bali. In these communities, bamboo curtains are widely found and reflect a close relationship between people, nature, and traditional craftsmanship. I see nature as an integral part of these communities, and this perspective has shaped the way I understand materials and design. Through my work, I explore how the knowledge, values, and everyday practices of these communities can inspire new perspectives in contemporary design,” said Cokorda G.B. Suryanata, founder of Studio Banda.
This perspective also reflects a broader approach to product design, where the relationship between people, materials, and living systems becomes an important consideration. “Product design is not about making something, but about honoring the interdependency of living systems,” said Prof. Dr. Dra. Mita Purbasari Wahidiyat, M.F.A., Dean of the School of Design, BINUS University.
For students, the Design Talk offered a closer look at how designers can work across disciplines and draw inspiration from the environments and communities around them. The discussion highlighted how traditional crafts and local knowledge can inform contemporary design, while encouraging participants to consider the cultural and environmental dimensions of creative practice.
(Photo Credit: Mufti Al-Warits | Photo Editor: Andi D. Ahnafandra)
The session was presented through a collaboration between BINUS University, CushCush Gallery, Arcade, the French Embassy, Innovation France Indonesia, Institut Français d’Indonésie, Institut Français, DRAC (Direction des Affaires Culturelles), and Région Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. The partnership supports ADIR’s international exchange and its engagement with creative communities in Indonesia and France.
(Photo Credit: Mufti Al-Warits | Photo Editor: Andi D. Ahnafandra)
As part of their residency in Indonesia, Clara Rivière and Cokorda G.B. Suryanata have been engaging with creative communities and exploring Balinese culture, natural materials, and traditional craft techniques. Their residency journey also includes plans to share creative experiences with communities and professionals in Yogyakarta, Bandung, and Jakarta, extending the exchange beyond the Design Talk.
(Photo Credit: Mufti Al-Warits | Photo Editor: Andi D. Ahnafandra)
Through its collaboration with CushCush Gallery and the wider ADIR network, BINUS University continues to create opportunities for students to engage with international creative practices and explore design’s connections to culture, society, and the environment. By bringing designers and creative communities into dialogue, the Design Talk offered students new perspectives on how design can be shaped by local knowledge while opening possibilities for contemporary innovation.
Author: Yusuf Rifai | Editor: Aninda Rahmasari