borneo sun bear project

Sabah, Malaysia

2014 - ongoing

USC Graphic Design students are doing interpretation design for the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre in Sabah, Malaysia as part of their professional project program. The design has so far involved over fifty interpretative panels along walkways, on a viewing platform and at a new visitor centre, which opened to the public in 2014.

The tri-lingual (English, Malay, Chinese) aspect of the project is giving USC students valuable cross-cultural design experience and the physical constraints of design for outside in the tropics are also challenging. Students have also designed print and education materials, merchandising and BSBCC’s website as part of ongoing work and students have visited over several years with New Colombo Plan funding.

Sun bears are endangered due to habitat loss in Borneo and their capture for the pet market and this project aids sun bear rehabilitation and conservation, through the education of local communities and international tourists. There were over 70,000 visitors to BSBCC in 2017.