FIND – Design Fair Asia reveals curated programme of over 50 speakers for Global Summit
Speakers from Asia Pacific, Europe, the UK and US will converge in Singapore to discuss urgent topics facing the design industry
23 August 2023
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Singapore, August 2023: FIND – Design Fair Asia will present the second edition of the FIND – Global Summit from 21 – 23 September, 2023. Over 50 speakers from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Southeast Asia, India, the UK and US will unite in Marina Bay Sands for the three-day programmme that is a key event of Singapore Design Week (21st Sept – 1st October).
Curated by design expert and creative consultant Yoko Choy, the summit will pivot around five pillars: Regenerative Design; Holistic Hospitality; The Asian Blueprint; The Innovation Era; and Creativity, Commerce and Communication.
Visitors can expect to hear from local and international voices that are shaping the design industry around the world, including Hamish Brown of 1508 London (UK), Ed Ng of AB Concept (Hong Kong), Teo Yang of his eponymous studio (Korea), Ronald Akili, CEO of Potato Head Family (Bali), Ren Yee of UNStudios (Amsterdam), amongst others. Topics such as the potential of regenerative design; 3D printing and emerging smarter materials; art in hospitality; the renaissance of workspace and beyond will be discussed.
“With the resumption of traffic between the East and the West, it's time to set our sights on the future. Following the resounding success of the inaugural FIND Global Summit in 2022, our goal this year is to further establish Singapore as a hub for innovative and future-proof solutions in the creative industry. By collaborating closely with our local and regional partners, as well as creatives from diverse disciplines worldwide, including both established figures and emerging talents, the summit will foster meaningful conversations around the pressing issues we currently face in the industry,” says Yoko Choy.
The full programme will include:
Keynote speeches will be led by Ren Yee, Head of Futures at intentional architecture practice UNStudio from the Netherlands; renowned furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue from the Philippines; and Ed Ng of Hong Kong’s AB Concept, one of the most prolific interior designers in the global luxury hospitality sector. Additionally, there will be panel discussions that tackle the questions of growth in retail channels, the SID Convention “Love of Design – Embracing Sustainability” and young emerging Asian design talents that explore the balance between traditional craftsmenship and contemporary technologies.
For the session “The Asian Design Dialogue – Mapping the Present and Beyond”, Choy will moderate four speakers – Teo Yang, Artistic Director of the Craft Trend Fair of the Korea Craft & Design Foundation and founder of his eponymous studio; Dawn Lim, Executive Director of the DesignSingapore Council; Danh Tran, Founder and CEO of Vietnam Design Week; and Andika Frestian, Artistic Director of Indonesian Contemporary Art & Design. Together, they will examine the diverse facets of Asia's creative strength and delve into the dynamic and rapidly evolving landscape of the region. Ongoing projects will be highlighted, and pressing issues in design and architecture will be discussed. They will also look at how creativity is shaping Asia's cultural identity and what kind of global impact it will have in the forthcoming years.
Also focussed on the Asian design scene will be the panel discussion “Bridging Borders: Asian Designs from Local to Global”. Japanese industrial designer Kensaku Oshiro and Rutvi Chaudhary from India’s Jaipur Rugs reflect on the journey to establishing their place on the global stage. The pair will shed light on drawing inspiration from their native influences, while incorporating a global perspective. In doing so, they are helping to reshape the standards of Asian design and offer a different perspective on the topic.
Tackling the issue of office design in our post-pandemic world, “The Renaissance Of Workspace” will feature Kahn Yoon, Director of International Projects at M Moser Associates, and Jaelle Ang, Co-Founder and CEO of The Great Room. The emergence of hybrid and flexible work models has resulted in an overhaul of the work environment, giving rise to various office typologies, including coworking hubs, remote work setups and smart offices. Both panellists will discuss the potential of design to shape the future of work, emphasising collaboration, innovation, and an enhanced overall work experience.
“Envisioning Asian Hospitality: Transcending Experience with Values and Luxury” focuses on the thriving hotel industry in Asia. Weighing in from the design perspective is Hamish Brown, Partner of 1508 London, in addition to two other industry leaders from the Potato Head Family, CEO Ronald Akili, and Pan Pacific Hotels Group’s Vice President of Operations for Japan, Oceania, China & Indonesia Marcel Holman. With the focus in recent years being on creating a holistic experience, it has resulted in design-led social innovation, creating a perpetual ecosystem that elevates the celebration of experiences, embraces social values, and forges indelible memories for visitors from around the globe.
Italian interior design magazine Interni are hosting two industry masterclasses with the first looking at the Zeitgeist and value of illumination in the construction of contemporary spaces during “Turn on the Light Design”. The second session will explore how a product evolves into an iconic design in “Between Modernity and Contemporary – How to Become an Icon”.
The Society of Interior Designers Singapore (SIDS) will take over the Summit stage on the last morning of the fair. The ticketed SIDS Convention will feature speakers, including Singaporean designer Peter Tay and Lai Siew Hong, the Immediate Past President of the Malaysian Institute of Interior Designers. It will consist of a series of presentations and panel discussions centering around the urgent topic of sustainability and exploring innovative ways to create spaces that evoke positive emotions and experiences.
ABOUT SINGAPORE DESIGN WEEK
One of Asia’s premier design festivals, Singapore Design Week (SDW) celebrates Singapore’s distinctive brand of creativity, exploring design through three defining festival pillars: Design Futures (the design of the future and the future of design), Design Marketplace (lifestyle trends with a spotlight on Southeast Asia) and Design Impact (innovative solutions for a better world). Organised by DesignSingapore Council, SDW is a celebration of creativity and innovation, championing thought leadership and showcasing the best of design from Singapore and beyond.
ABOUT THE DESIGNSINGAPORE COUNCIL (DSG)
The DesignSingapore Council’s (Dsg's) vision is for Singapore to be an innovation-driven economy and a loveable city by design. As the national agency that promotes design, our mission is to develop the design sector, help Singapore use design for innovation and growth, and make life better in this UNESCO Creative City of Design. Dsg is a subsidiary of the Singapore Economic Development Board.