SYNTHESIS
‘Synthesis’ was organised by Design Asia Collaborative (DAC) based in Kuala Lumpur and China-based Asia Design Week (ADW). ‘Synthesis’ programme consisted of a design competition that involved submissions across the design fields, involving all the ASEAN countries and China. There were 900 submissions, out of which 100 was selected for exhibition during the conference at Sunway College. ‘Synthesis’ was backed by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC) and supported by the Malaysian Design Council (MRM) and (mREGA) graphic Design Association Malaysia. It was also supported by many learning institutions in Malaysia and China, and professional design groups across ASEAN.
For the first time, visual creators from ASEAN and China were gathered together in early May 2025 to kick off a journey of shared creativity that will last many more years. This event is important also because it rides on the wave where economic gravity is shifting Eastward, along with creative energy.
DAY 1
Dato Lewré Lew, Malaysian shoe designer and founder of luxury footwear brand, Lewré Bespoke;
Audrey Lim, contemporary fine art batik artist and the first Malaysian to win an award in the prestigious Arte Laguna Prize
international art competition;
Kaiyi Wong, product designer whose submission for the Synthesis Design Convergence competition was also on display;
Wei Xin, an engineer, sculptor and designer who has been involved in 30 significant projects across China in public art planning, city branding, urban sculpture, and transit space art, including Beijing Daxing International Airport;
Kamarul Izam, President of the Graphic Design Association Malaysia (mREGA);
Ritchie Ned Hansel, Chairperson of the Indonesian Graphic Designers Association (ADGI);
DAY 2
Jeand Pua and Jehcob Tan of FrameMotion, a digital media advertising solutions provider known for crafting immersive experiences;
Karson Wong, Industrial designer and President of the Macau Product Design Association (MOPDA);
Yang Siong Yao, Founder and Art Director of 1983ASIA, and Executive Council Member of the Shenzhen Graphic Design Association (SGDA);
Praseuth Banchongphakdy, Principal and Founder of Blue Grass Design Group, Laos;
Siam Attariya, award-winning graphic designer and Design Director of Pink Blue Black & Orange, Thailand;
Bridging Worlds·Connecting Hearts by Zhangjialin
This is a promotional poster themed, "Bridging Worlds·Connecting Hearts". The poster conveys that language, as a bridge of communication, can transcend geographical and cultural differences, closely connect people from all over the world, promote understanding and communication among different ethnic groups, and embody the concept of harmonious coexistence of diverse cultures and global family.
THE ‘S’ symbol in the branding visual symbolise the river.
Rivers symbolise the”cradles of Civilization” through the history of any country. They provide fresh water, fertile soil, transportation routes and cultural and spiritual significance. Like the Mekong river – the lifeblood of Southeast Asia flows through six countries: China, Myanmmar, Laos, Thailand , Cambodia and Vietnam before it flows into the South China Sea. In Malaysia the Klang River flows from the main range in the north to join the Gombak River which meet together forming the seat and birth of Kuala Lumpur as a city.
