Context is everything, It moulds the message in communication of design. Without context you would not be able to converse adequately. Context is a layer of exterior components that influence a given object. These layers can be physical or non physical. Materials and immediate environment are examples of physical context, while culture and economic pressure are non physical context.
These elements play a large role in the designing of products or places. Design for a house or for a warung in Indonesia would be different to that of design in Sydney. To understand these local contexts, it s important for us designers to be able to cater to the locals and create good design.
The context will decide the design style, material choice, the emotion and narrative behind the design. If done effectively, all of these components will produce continuity between a design and the user.
The economical context is associated with the circumstance of the countries economy. With the past decade, the global financial crises, and economic unrest has had a large impact on grand designs. Australia, off the back of the mining boom has been fortunate to have a stable economy, with a gross domestic product value of 1.6 trillion US dollars, this has allowed large spending on things like new and upgraded trains and train lines and newer and larger design organisations and competitions. In contrast, Indonesia has a gross domestic product value of 868 billion US dollars. This may seem high, but it means all the difference. Roads in Indonesia are of poor value and are rarely upgraded.
Culture is the beliefs and behaviours of a particular people. From generation to generation culture expands and contracts, it becomes a symbol of identity. Cultural context has a major role in determining contemporary design.
In Australia the scarf is a simple product that has been designed to have either of two functions; the warm the users neck or head, or to represent the users sporting team or country. In contrast, in Indonesia, a scarf is know as a Hijab, the function of the Hijab is about religious faith. Islam has greatly articulated the idea of modesty and decency between the opposite sex.
Design is and always will be affected by many elements. Theses elements form the context in which the designer designs. This procedure should not only be influenced by the designers own dream, but it must also adhere to the local and global surroundings.
Academia 2012, How important is context in contemporary architectural design, viewed 29 April 2015,
<http://www.academia.edu/How_Important_Is_Context_In_Contemporary_Architectural_Design>
Al Islam 2014, The Qur’an and Hijab, viewed 29 April 2015,
Funkd Punk, 2015, Funk Punk , viewed 29 April 2015,
Indonesia Global Design Studio 
