ICAD design days 2025: outlandish optimism

From 19.05.2025 to 23.05.2025 Conference

ICoD is pleased to announce the Member Event ICAD design days 2025: Outlandish Optimism organised by INTI International College Subang. The conference will be held on 19 May 2025 with the Outlandish Exhibition ending on 23 May 2025.

SUMMARY

ICAD Design Days 2025: Outlandish Optimism is an interdisciplinary design event organised by INTI Center of Art & Design (ICAD) at INTI International College Subang, in conjunction with ICoD’s International Design Day. Launching this coming 19 May 2025 in Subang Jaya, Malaysia, IDD 2025 makes a call out to all students, academicians, professionals, and international creatives to rethink the boundaries of design.

The 2025 theme, Outlandish Optimism, is a bold provocation to professional designers—to embrace the unfamiliar and the seemingly impossible. It challenges creatives to explore outrageous ideas, adopt unconventional methods, and form unlikely connections. It’s an invitation to step out of the box, listen differently, and approach design in radically optimistic ways. Rooted in ICAD’s Manifesto—ethical design, industrial relations, competitive edge, and multidisciplinary practice—this theme calls for a disruption of conventional thinking. It encourages designers to be audacious, to question norms, and to reimagine the role of design in shaping a more hopeful and resilient future.

Come and join us as this event will feature Sharing + Provocative Forums, exhibitions, and an Art for Change Workshop with Halo Kids, where community-made artworks are transformed into merchandise for a better future. With a focus on radical creativity and hopeful impact, IDD 2025 is not just an event—it’s a creative RIOT.

EVENT DESCRIPTION

ICAD Design Days (IDD) is an annual celebration of design held by the INTI Center of Art & Design (ICAD) at INTI International College Subang, in collaboration with ICoD’s International Design Day. The 2025 edition, themed Outlandish Optimism, it’s a creative RIOT for designers to step out of their comfort zones, challenge norms, and embrace the unfamiliar with bold imagination and joy.
This year’s event aims to showcase:
● Event Day
A dynamic day filled with thought-provoking discussions, creative exchanges, and provocative forum:

○ Saw Teong Hin: Multiple award-winning producer and director of Puteri Gunung Ledang, the first Malaysian film invited to the Venice International Film Festival.

○ Asri Ahmad (CiDE): Renowned industrial designer behind branding programmes for Petronas, Celcom, ASTRO, and more.

○ IDr Tay Ei Ling: Co-founder of Youngblood, known for designing meaningful human-centred experiences and environments.


● Art for Change Workshop with Halo Kids
A heartwarming, hands-on workshop where original artworks—co-created by children and artists—are transformed into meaningful merchandise for a brighter future. This initiative embodies the spirit of Outlandish Optimism, showcasing how design can be a powerful tool for social change, compassion, and community connection. The project attempts to align with SDG 3 (Good Health & Wellbeing), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption & Production).


● The Outlandish Gallery
A creative riot of ideas, this vibrant showcase features works by students, faculty, and co-created pieces with Halo Kids, alongside industry-driven explorations. From wild concepts to radical processes and out-of-the-box experiments, the gallery celebrates the bold spirit of Outlandish Optimism in all its imaginative forms.



Through this creative convergence, ICAD Design Days 2025 becomes more than just a showcase—it’s a visionary platform for bold voices and new perspectives from Southeast Asia and beyond. It offers a glimpse into how design can stay relevant, resilient, and radically hopeful in uncertain times.