"my journal", in Bahasa Indonesia. This is my Studio Knowledge Object (SKO) for the Studio 4 Communication Design module. Studio 4 encompasses a 2-week study tour across Melbourne and at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). Prior to the tour, we were given a pre-brief, which was to design an initial cover of our journal or book. It has to include a map of some sort, up to our own interpretations. The SKO is either a revamp or an add-on to the existing design. I opted for the latter, through applying a new map and a new design on top of tracing paper. I will include my rationale below these images of the front and back covers of the A5-sized journal.
Redesigned Book Cover
Mapping Growth Through Place
This redesign builds on my original map-based cover by layering personal experiences across five key places in Naarm (Melbourne) that shaped my creative and personal growth: Sydney Road, Smith Street, RMIT’s CD Makerspace and Media Portal, and Milano Serviced Apartments. Each space holds memories of collaboration, independence, reflection, and resilience.
Instead of replacing the pre-brief design, I used tracing paper to preserve its narrative—anchored in my ancestry and upbringing—while visually extending it with new perspectives shaped by these encounters. Red and yellow lines, drawn from the Australian Aboriginal flag, honour the Traditional Custodians of the land. These markings act as both a tribute and a visual thread, guiding the viewer through moments that changed my sense of self and place.
Green spaces were highlighted to reflect their presence in Naarm’s city centre—unlike Singapore’s—and their role in community connection. Recycled twine wrapped in heirloom textile, first used in the pre-brief, returns to provide texture, tactility, and a reminder of home. The design captures my journey as a Malay boy of Indonesian descent navigating unfamiliar ground, blending old and new, always grounded in respect for the land and those who came before me.
