Based on what we usually have known, or on ontological level, design are purposely made for mass production – Product, advertising, marketing and many others. This, however, leading to disillusionment on every emerging to established designers who were told they had the tools to make the world a better place, but instead the world takes its toll on them (Larusso, 2019). No wonder that being a designer always being claimed as one of the most stressful job.
Source: sainthoax
But not until I discover the emerging trend of Social Design, that I was firstly discovered from Ezio Manzini (I know I have mentioned his name several times in this blog). And my algorithm begins to change.
Source: ethicaldesign69
What if design can actually be ethical and be socially impactful? Is it a wishful thinking for everyone in the game?
Apparently, social designer term does exist and it is emerging in many regions. The collaboration also being encouraged by some institution because amidst this complexity of the world, people require radical changes that come from people. And that’s how I discovered Kampung Kollektief and Karasa BDG in Indonesia.
Kampung Kollektief
Source: Kampung Kollektief
Design and environment can work hand in hand to build more sociologically ethical community and ecology. This can happen if designers are integrating self-reflection with practical intervention to solve social problems. According to Geddes, the importance of ecological thinking and localized action can offer a model for addressing systemic challenges by understanding the interconnectedness of social and environmental issues (DelSesto, 2022).
Kampung Kollektief, a community-based design practice from Jakarta, Indonesia, has apparently proven this theory through its research design approach. The community was formed in response to the What if Lab open call. Designers from Indonesia and the Netherlands collaborated with urban communities in Kampung Susun Kunir in Jakarta and later Tarwewijk neighborhood in Rotterdam to explore the ownership and usage of public spaces by communities. This collaborative effort led to the establishment of Kampung Kollektief, which aims to involve communities in the co-creation of resilient futures based on diversity, kinship, resourcefulness, and respect for local values.
Their approach to creating a better future for Kampung Susun Kunir, whose neighbourhood was being demolished for urban development and relocated to new flat complexes, involved iterative participatory action research that called ‘Rujak Plaza’. This involved engaging the citizens in the design process and fostering connections and an iterative approach during the planning phase. In accordance with this, it makes me believe that they were committed to ensuring that the citizens had a say in the development of their community.
And that’s how I arranged a discussion with the designers of Kampung Kollektief – Dinda Ciptaviana and Iqra Firdausy – to ask them further about their project in this collective.
Source: Interview with Kampung Kollektief
Q: How do you come up with “Rujak Plaza” as your artifact in your intervention to engage people to participate in the research process?
The development of Rujak Plaza was an iterative process that began with a unique challenge during the What If Lab open call in Kampung Susun Kunir, themed “What If: Sustainable Public Space”.
Upon entering Kampung Susun Kunir, Dinda, Iqra, and other design team made a crucial discovery: there was no actual open space suitable for a traditional public park or playground. The area was densely populated, and any empty spaces were considered “conflict zones,” making them unusable. This presented a paradoxical starting point for a residency focused on public space. The process is reflecting further from its colonialism historical root, on how they are defining public spaces.
Source: Kampung Kollektief
Thus, the team were inviting the people of Kampung Kunir to reimagine the public space by collectively gathering their memories of the past Kampung Kunir before being demolished.
Source: Kampung Kollektief
Through these conversations, a significant and “simple but very striking” insight emerged: residents shared a powerful collective memory of their kampung being very green before 2015, where they used to plant and harvest fruit trees in front of their homes. They even remembered receiving a “green kampung” certificate from the local government due to this green environment.
Therefore, they initiated a placemaking as a public space based on a key activity inspired by communal harvesting of fruits to make rujak (fruit salad) and gathering together. The team identified this activity as an inherent, informal way the residents had “created public space” themselves.
Source: Kampung Kollektief
Rujak Plaza is a moveable planter that the people of Kampung Kunir can use to spark a new public space in the environment of flat complexes and also a symbolic meaning to reclaim the public space again.
Q: How do you introduce and inviting people to your intervention?
Since it is a co-designing process, the research is always involving the people in the process from the beginning to the end. Not only on the process, but also when we are exhibiting the ‘Rujak Plaza’ artifact on many events and symposium.
Source: Kampung Kollektief
Q: Is the “Rujak Plaza” still being used by the people in the neighbourhood, and what is the plan to sustain its existence?
“Rujak Plaza” can be considered an “artefact” of the research and design process. While the term “artefact” can have various connotations, in this context, it refers to a tangible outcome that facilitates continued community engagement and dialogue. As of the discussion, “Rujak Plaza” is still in use by the residents. The designers have observed new and unforeseen functions emerging from its use, indicating its adaptability and continued relevance to the community.
The “Rujak Plaza” project led to the formation of “Kampung Kolektif,” a new initiative aimed at continuing collaboration with the Kampung Kunir residents. Through this, one of the Dutch architects, Isabel, proposed applying a similar idea in Rotterdam, leading to the “Tarwewijk Town” project. Both projects explore public space interventions in urban areas with negative connotations, often associated with marginalized communities.
Source: Kampung Kollektief
While Kampung Kunir lacks physical public space but has a strong sense of community, Tarwewijk has abundant space but a weaker sense of community. Both projects aim to find similarities and differences in tackling these issues, with “Tarwewijk Town” currently in a testing phase. A notable similarity observed is the unexpected resistance from local authorities, mirroring challenges faced in Indonesia despite official funding for the project.
Q: So, is the project from both of the towns have shown any significant results?
Since the project is newly established, we are still observing the progress of both application in the given towns.
Q: What potential does the “Rujak Plaza” concept hold for other urban kampungs in Jakarta, and what is needed for its wider implementation?
We envision “Rujak Plaza” as a potential blueprint for other urban kampungs, particularly those located along riverbanks in Jakarta’s Old City, like the Ciliwung River. We believe that if the concept were adopted by other kampungs, it could transform the image and narrative of urban kampungs, empowering them to become agents of urban change. However, this cannot be achieved alone. A robust “ecosystem” of collaboration is crucial, involving social designers, communities, and potentially other stakeholders, to ensure the sustainability and scalability of such interventions.
Q: What are the main challenges faced by social designers in Indonesia, and how do they relate to the concept of “ecosystem of collaboration”?
Well of course, it is not easy to be a social designer in Indonesia. It is particularly the struggle to balance social impact with financial realities. Especially the concerns about the “crisis” social designers often face, navigating projects that may not be financially sustainable in the Indonesian context. This underscores the need for a stronger “ecosystem of collaboration” that can not only support impactful social design projects but also ensure the livelihood of social designers. The challenge lies in creating a sustainable model where social missions can be integrated into financially viable initiatives.
Karasa BDG
While Kampung Kollektief was originated from a design competition organized by Erasmus Huis, Karasa BDG emerged more organically through the initiative of Kang Kodir, a designer who had just moved to a new area and found discomfort living in that neighbourhood.
Karasa Bandung was founded first by Kang Kodir and later owned by a group of young people from Gempolsari RW 02, Bandung, who initiated a self-reliance movement driven by collaboration, creativity, and innovation. The word Karasa in Sundanese (West Java indigenous language) means ‘to be felt,’ reflecting their hope to create activities that have a real and positive impact on the community. Karasa Bandung also carries a message for the city itself, to make Bandung’s identity more ‘felt,’ as a creative city grounded in values of goodness and collective spirit.
Source: Karasa BDG
Kang Kodir shows how graphic design skill not only capable to transform an idea into a product, but transform graphic design into a new pedagogy in the youth so they can have a new kind of ‘cool’ activity other than doing crimes.
The idea of ‘Transform yourself to transform the world’ is strongly reflected in Karasa BDG. As Brown (2017) suggests, a passionate individual’s life, work, and relationships can become the ‘front line’ for practicing justice, liberation, and alignment with others and the planet. Karasa BDG reflects this notion, showing how the vision of one passionate person can inspire collective action by giving others a renewed sense of purpose.
Source: Google Meeting
Q: What is your trigger on making this movement?
In 2017-2018, me and my wife decided to moved from the city center near Bandung station to Gempolsari RW2 on the outskirts of Bandung. Because we want to start new.
Upon arrival, we were actually surprised by the environment. Gempolsari RW2, being a border area, was high in criminality and gangster activity, particularly during New Year’s celebrations, where people would carry swords. The presence of noisy motor workshops operating almost 24/7 also contributed to the whole discomfort, making us consider moving again.
However, we thought that there will always be discomfort everywhere we go. Then we thought, how do we challenge the status quo by making Gempolsari a comfortable place to live in?
So, my wife and I decided to get familiarize with the neighborhood by introducing ourselves to the community. We knocked on every neighbor’s door and gave them gifts as a friendly gesture. From there, we started brainstorming ways to utilize our design backgrounds. My wife and I then offered to contribute to the upcoming 17 Agustus (Independence Day) celebrations by painting the neighborhood gate (gapura). We chose this approach because it aligned with our design skills and felt less awkward than simply talking to residents.
When we were painting the gate, a lot of children came a long with curiosity. They asked whether they could also get involved in painting the gate. We welcomed the with open hand and ask them to pain the other part of the gate. Thus, it invited many children to joined the activity. And it made me think, what about we made a drawing session with children as a gesture to approach the residents?
Therefore, the drawing class happened and we are able to get to know the neighbors and the neighborhood even closer.
Source: Karasa BDG
Q: How’s this small gesture evolve into a collective?
The turning point on how Karasa initiated was occurred during a 17 Agustus drawing competition. I realized that many children, as young as 4-7 years old, were drawing Dutch flags instead of Indonesian flags and incorporating gangster symbols into their artwork.
This discovery deeply impacted my wife and I, revealing that the children in Gempolsari think that “coolness” were being shaped by their environment’s negative influences such as gangster.
I decided that instead of blaming the gangster, we focus should be on creating new, positive “coolness” (alternatif kekerenan baru) and amplifying good influences through design.
This led to a strategic shift: instead of primarily teaching young children, we decided to focus on empowering teenagers. The idea was that these teenagers, once skilled, could then teach the younger children, ensuring a more sustainable and long-lasting impact, acting as a “bridge” between the older and younger generations. This marked the conceptual beginning of Karasa, which later adopted its name from “Festival Merdeka Negara dan Bangsa”.
Q: What are the activities Karasa has done on Gempolsari?
Source: Karasa BDG
After teaching these teenagers design skills, we want them to apply their knowledge in a “graduation festival” where they can showcase and exhibit their graphic design talents. This event is highly anticipated and celebrated by the community. It has successfully transformed Gempolsari, a place once known for its dangerous reputation, into a vibrant creative village.
Source: Karasa BDG
We have an event call BrandGang with focus on revitalizing the neglected “branhang” (fire escape) alleys located behind houses, a common feature in Dutch colonial-era urban planning. Originally intended for emergency access and ventilation, these alleys often become dumping grounds or privatized spaces. We transforms these areas by painting murals on the doors with the teenangers, often with themes related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and cleaning up the alleys themselves. This initiative not only beautifies the area but also educates residents about the historical and safety functions of these spaces.
We also have an initiative called, “Play Gang” which rooted from the realization that the community lacks dedicated public spaces. Karasa BDG creatively repurposes these alleys and other available resources (like discarded mosque carpets or trash carts) to reclaiming public and play areas. For instance, we transformed a disused trash cart into a mobile game booth and turned old carpets and plywood into a mini-golf course.
Q: What an amazing initiative you have in here! I wonder how do you get the fund to realized all of these activities?
In Karasa BDG, we prioritize efficiency by utilizing minimal resources to maximize the utilization of available materials within the neighborhood. This approach aligns with our commitment to sustainability, as we actively engage in recycling waste and discarded items, transforming them into innovative and eco-friendly products.
Source: Karasa BDG
But sometimes, I used my personal fund from the project I got in my professional work. For projects like renovating the warung bakso (meatball stall), which cost Rp5 million, initial support also came from my personal network, including friends and his “inner circle” through co-funding.
Also, what comes from us goes for us as well. From the design collective by the youth, it sometimes generate income from professional design and mural projects outside the community. Me and Karasa team, utilizing the skills developed within Karasa, undertook paid work. A significant portion, specifically 15%, of the earnings from these external professional projects was directly reinvested into Karasa’s programs within the community. This means that the work done for clients elsewhere helped fund the local initiatives.
And again, Karasa operated with a philosophy of achieving creative impact with minimal capital and personnel. We want to be creative “tanpa modal” (without capital) or with “dana minim” (minimal funds), such as creating furniture from recycled cardboard from warung.
Q: What are the limitations in building Karasa?
I think the hardest part is envisioning the regeneration of this community. I realized a lot of teenagers are grown up and pursuing their dreams in university and professional work. So maybe, I might going to need more passionate teenagers or successor in the future to keep the Karasa’s spirit and existence alive in Gempolsari and the world.
Q: What is your hope for the Karasa in the future?
I think Karasa’s ultimate aspiration is for its initiatives to become a “culture” within the community, which I believe will require the consistent effort of three generations. A critical component of this is regeneration, where older youth are trained to become leaders and mentors for younger children, ensuring the movement continues and sustains itself even if the initiators are not always present.
We also envisions growing into a larger, more formalized entity. Hopefully, someday Karasa can become a school, or become a hub, or an institute. This aligns with our current practice of making RW2 a “living lab” for academic research, inviting external and international studies to collaboratively find solutions to community challenges.
While we starting locally, Karasa seeks to extend its influence, aiming for its movement to be recognized on a global scale, beyond just the city or province.
In summary, both Kampung Kollektief and Karasa BDG share a common thread that binds these collective: a shared issue, individuals with a common mission, a central hub, a group or individual driven by passion, and a spark of resilience. With these components, the collective inspired the people in the neighborhood to make a change.
Based on Emergent Strategy; Communities must develop the ability to recover and transform from hardships and injustices. This includes transforming toxic energy, hurt, and conflict into solutions by addressing the root causes of injustice, rather than simply punishing individuals. The concept that “nothing in nature is disposable” suggests that even perceived failures or conflicts can be transformed into growth and learning (Brown, 2017).
Resilience are like dandelions, they persist to grow in every places in every ways. Even though it can be hard to emerging in the beginning.
Bibliography:
Brown, A.M. (2017) Emergent strategy: shaping change, changing worlds. Chico: AK Press.
DelSesto, M. (2022) Design and the social imagination. London ; New York: Bloomsbury Visual Arts (Designing in Dark Times).
Online Interview with Kampung Kollektief on 25 July 2025
Online Interview with Karasa BDG on 10 August 2025
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