JB City Walk Guide

Design education achieves its profound social value when students step outside the classroom to engage directly with local heritage and urban identity. As part of the BGD 33053 Graphic Design and Society module at Raffles University, students undertook a community-based design initiative in collaboration with Bando Kita for the Johor Bahru Town Festival (JBTF) 2026. Tasked with creating a functional and culturally sensitive City Walk Guide, student designers including Foong Min Shun and Anson Min applied rigorous design research to illuminate the historical narratives, architectural landmarks, and botanical legacy of old Johor Bahru town.

The collaboration involved meticulous field research, ethical framing, and active dialogue with community leaders to ensure historical accuracy and local resonance. Through close communication with event partner Mr Jimmy, the student team refined key narrative elements across iconic locations, including updating historic descriptions for the Johor Chinese Ancient Temple, clarifying the cinematic heritage of the former Broadway Cinema, and correcting historical milestones such as the completion year of the Sultan Ibrahim Building on Bukit Timbalan. The guide also highlighted the historical significance of local cash crops such as Gambier (Uncaria gambir), Pepper, and Gutta Percha (Palaquium gutta), going as far as sparking civic engagement that led the Johor Bahru City Council (Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru – MBJB) to replant Gambier specimens along the heritage trail.

The outcome of this co-creation process demonstrated the practical impact of design as a tool for public wayfinding and community storytelling. Upon completion of the project, Mr Jimmy commended the student team for delivering a final publication that was creative, impactful, relevant, user-friendly, and cost-saving. By successfully aligning academic learning with real-world heritage preservation, Raffles University students contributed to UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), proving that student-led design can actively enrich urban culture and public engagement.