Singapore Design Week 2023 opens with over 80 events in the heart of the city spotlighting festival theme of ‘Better by Design’

The festival marks a high point in DesignSingapore Council’s 20th anniversary with special commissions by homegrown designers, a special edition of the Design Futures Forum, and new Design Districts at Bras Basah.Bugis, Marina Bay and Orchard.

September 21, 2023

Panisa Khunprasert, exhibitor at EMERGE @ FINDPanisa Khunprasert, exhibitor at EMERGE @ FIND
Abie Abdillah, exhibitor at EMERGE @ FINDAbie Abdillah, exhibitor at EMERGE @ FIND

Singapore, 21 September 2023 – Singapore Design Week 2023 (SDW 2023) is set to enliven the city from today till 1 October, as Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry & Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Ms Low Yen Ling, officially opened the festival at the National Design Centre (NDC) this evening.

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of DesignSingapore Council (Dsg) this year, the flagship festival will bring to life the council’s motto, ‘Better by Design’ for this special edition. From special commissions by Singapore’s leading design curators to a dialogue of the brightest minds at the Design Futures Forum, three new Design Districts to the first-ever Friday Late at Bras Basah.Bugis, SDW 2023 will present an extraordinary showcase of Singapore’s unique brand of creativity.

Festival Commission at Bras Basah.Bugis

In the heart of the city’s civic centre, three of Singapore’s most renowned and inventive design names will present specially commissioned installations showcasing new ideas and reflecting on three key themes - innovation, sustainability and inclusivity.

Jackson Tan, co-founder and creative director of BLACK, is the lead curator for the Design District of Bras Basah.Bugis. Together with Ar. Ong Ker Shing and Dr Joshua Comaroff, co-founders of Lekker Architects, and Pann Lim, co-founder and creative director of Kinetic Singapore, these curators will present three immersive showcases – Playground of Possibilities, FI&LD and School of Tomorrow – across the district.

Festival theme ‘Better by Design’ comes to life in the Bras Basah.Bugis Design District. Photo by Pretty Much Films.
Festival theme ‘Better by Design’ comes to life in the Bras Basah.Bugis Design District. Photo by Pretty Much Films.

“Through these exhibitions, I hope that visitors of all ages can realise that everyone can create positive impact through design. As our society evolves, complex challenges such as digital disruption and climate change have also surfaced. Instead of viewing them as hurdles, design can help us turn these into opportunities to make things better,” says Jackson Tan, lead curator for the Bras Basah.Bugis District.

Festival hub National Design Centre will host Playground of Possibilities, while FI&LD, and School of Tomorrow will take place at LASALLE College of the Arts and Selegie Arts Centre respectively.

Playground of Possibilities at National Design Centre

Curated by Jackson Tan, Co-founder and Creative Director of BLACK.

Playground of Possibilities at National Design Centre. Photo by Pretty Much Films.
Playground of Possibilities at National Design Centre. Photo by Pretty Much Films.

Unleash your playful, creative self at the Playground of Possibilities. This showcase spotlights 12 design “stories of possibilities” from Singapore that tackle some of the most pressing challenges we face today with innovative solutions. The collection of playful and interactive installations, showcase four design principles or ‘pals of possibilities’ – Explore, Empathise, Imagine and Adapt – that designers use to tackle problems, transform them into opportunities, and dream up new possibilities.

Through the colourful array of experiential installations, visitors discover how the buildings of tomorrow can be naturally cool like the skin of an elephant; or visit a mini public housing town designed to be dementia-friendly; or interact with AI-equipped Robots, and play in a kitchen with ‘smart’ ceramic tableware that responds to thehuman touch. There are endless possibilities to discover with the help of design in this unconventional sandbox.

‘Gifting, More Sustainably’ featuring HARI HARI by This Humid House is one of the 12 Design Stories of Possibilities in the Playground of Possibilities. Photo by Pretty Much Films.
‘Gifting, More Sustainably’ featuring HARI HARI by This Humid House is one of the 12 Design Stories of Possibilities in the Playground of Possibilities. Photo by Pretty Much Films.

FI&LD at LASALLE College of the Arts

Curated by Ar. Ong Ker Shing and Dr Joshua Comaroff, Co-founders of Lekker Architects

A radical departure from traditional sports and games, FI&LD offers a new philosophy in inclusive design that is based upon play and improvisation. The interactive exhibition features some of the best examples of this ethos in practice – from physical environments and immersive experiences to graphics, products, and services. New concepts and initiatives, as well as prototypes of emerging objects and technologies come together to emphasise possible connections between inclusion, emotion, and technology through design.

FI&LD at LASALLE College of the Arts. Photo by Pretty Much Films.
FI&LD at LASALLE College of the Arts. Photo by Pretty Much Films.

Lekker Architects have also tapped on the younger generation for FI&LD. Collaborators include students from LASALLE College of the Arts, National University of Singapore’s Department of Architecture, and Yale-NUS College.

Care is one of the five areas of inclusivity showcased at FI&LD. Other areas include Emotions, Fun, Senses and Social. Photo by Pretty Much Films.
Care is one of the five areas of inclusivity showcased at FI&LD. Other areas include Emotions, Fun, Senses and Social. Photo by Pretty Much Films.

School of Tomorrow at Selegie Arts Centre

Curated by Pann Lim, Co-founder and Creative Director of Kinetic Singapore.

School of Tomorrow at Selegie Arts Centre. Photo by Pretty Much Films.
School of Tomorrow at Selegie Arts Centre. Photo by Pretty Much Films.

Enrol in the School of Tomorrow for sustainability lessons with a twist. With a motto proclaiming “For Earth, For Humans, For All”, the School of Tomorrow, curated by Pann Lim of Kinetic Singapore, takes its serious mission of imparting sustainability through a fun and immersive format. Through classes covering common subjects such as geography, chemistry, and social studies, critical environmental issues will be introduced.

Drawing on the expertise of sustainability experts, School of Tomorrow spans three levels of Selegie Arts Centre. Through the novel set-up of each subject classroom, visitors will learn how to incorporate sustainability into their daily routines to design for a better future.

Uncover the harmful chain effects of plastic on our bodies at Biology class while getting a crash course on new alternatives like bio-plastics made from potato skins; study a reimagined periodic table which presents 45 new materials that will reshape the way we live at Chemistry class; or calculate your own carbon footprint and discover how to reduce it in Mathematics class. Last but not least, everyone’s favourite spot, the canteen, will feature an eye-opening menu of innovative food, tableware, and edible or sustainably sourced packaging.

Biology class examines the harmful chain effects of plastic on our bodies. Photo by Pretty Much Films.
Biology class examines the harmful chain effects of plastic on our bodies. Photo by Pretty Much Films.

“Sustainability might seem like a broad subject to broach, but we hope that by using the concept of a school for these installations, visitors can easily recognise the diverse environmental challenges we face, and find methods to better equip ourselves, both in theory and practice. Everyone has a stake in the future. We’re all students who are relearning our role and relationship with the environment to forge a greener path,” says Pann Lim, curator of School of Tomorrow.

Friday Late at Bras Basah.Bugis

Lighting up the Bras Basah.Bugis District will be Singapore Design Week’s first ever Friday Late on 22 September.

Image by BLACK
Image by BLACK

Festival goers can immerse themselves in the creative pulse of the district, with design installations, live demos, a pop-up retail market and food stalls running late till 11pm at five creative hubs – National Design Centre, LASALLE College of the Arts, Selegie Arts Centre, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and Stamford Arts Centre.

At National Design Centre, look forward to burgers and light bites from Love Handle, Asia’s first plant-based butcher. Festival goers can also get refuelled with sports- themed snacks from Lowercase after a round of games at LASALLE College of the Arts, or grab a plant-based ice cream from Kind Kones at the Selegie Arts Centre. Look forward to exclusive guided tours and open game sessions as the Bras Basah.Bugis district bursts to life to kickstart the weekend.

For Friday Late, shuttle buses will be running hourly from Marina Bay Sands to National Design Centre on 22 September starting at 5pm. The last bus will depart Marina Bay Sands at 8pm.

Judith Fereday

Managing Partner, Camron
judith.fereday@camronpr.com

 

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About DesignSingapore Council

The DesignSingapore Council was established in 2003 to help develop the nation’s design sector. This follows from the Singapore’s Economic Review Committee report, which identified the creative industry as one of the three new sectors (including education and healthcare) for economic growth. Developing the design sector can help to enhance Singapore’s value proposition; as well as contribute to the country’s economic growth and social progress.

The vision of the DesignSingapore Council is for Singapore to be an innovation-driven economy and a loveable city through design by 2025. As the national agency for design, the Council’s 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. Our work focuses on three areas. First, we help organisations and enterprises use design as a strategy for business growth; and for excellent delivery of public services. Second, we nurture industry-ready talents skilled in design and innovation; and engender a design-minded workforce for the future economy. Third, we advance the Singapore brand through raising design appreciation on homeground; and making emotional connections with people across the world.

Singapore was designated a UNESCO Creative City of Design in December 2015. This designation supports the development of a creative culture and eco-system in Singapore that fully integrates design and creativity into everyday life. It is also an opportunity for Singapore to collaborate internationally with the cities of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). The City of Design Office is sited within the DesignSingapore Council to coordinate and implement programmes that contributes towards the UCCN mission.