Highlights at Singapore Design Week 2024
ByCarmen TenneySingapore Design Week returns with 11-day event. Photo courtesy of Kinetic Singapore.
Singapore will be bustling with a stream of events for Singapore Design Week (SDW) 2024 to celebrate the people who shape our society through design. Held from 26 September to 6 October, the specially curated island-wide activities are organized by DesignSingapore Council (Dsg) and based on this year’s theme “People of Design”.
Here's your guide to SDW and highlights from the three design districts of Bras Basah.Bugis; Orchard and Marina. These districts will come alive with exhibitions, workshops, installations and more, covering a bigger area than last year’s edition.
What: FIND - Design Fair Asia
Where: Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre
When: 26 to 28 September 2024, 10am to 6pm
FIND - Design Fair Asia is in its third edition. Photo courtesy of FIND - Design Fair Asia
FIND - Design Fair Asia is a premier trade show and design fair in Southeast Asia. In its third edition, it is SDW’s anchor event for the Design Marketplace pillar, covering 17,000 sqm with over 350 leading international brands from the furniture, lighting, decor, textiles and design technology industries, and more.
Clockwise from left: Handmade Buah Labu Kecil Ceiling Lamp by Budiman Ong (Indonesia), RE-UP Tables by Paphop Wongpanich of Take Home Design (Thailand) made with reuse and recycling in mind, and the Valorem Chair by Phúc Vinh Đo Phong (Vietnam) that is shaped to help improve health and posture of users. Photos courtesy of respective designers.
Part of the event is the Southeast Asian design talent showcase, EMERGE @ FIND, with the theme of ‘These Precious Things’. Curator of EMERGE @ FIND, Suzy Annetta, poses a fundamental challenge to designers: “Do we really need more?”
“This year, we are probing the very essence of value – its definition, arbiters, metrics, and potential evolution. It's an exploration to question the core purpose of design in our contemporary world.” - Suzy Annetta
The theme prompts the designers to explore the concept of value in an age of excess and environmental urgency. Featuring over 50 emerging and established designers from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, this year’s emphasis is on works by recent graduates from the region. Should you be interested in these works, you can purchase them online as part of a new partnership with The Artling.
Over 100 works are expected to be for sale on The Artling from 13 September 2024, connecting designers with The Artling's extensive network of buyers and collectors.
Click here to view the full list of design items from EMERGE @ FIND.
Click here for more information on FIND - Design Fair Asia and EMERGE @ FIND.
What: Design Futures Forum
Where: Victoria Theatre & Chamber at The Arts House
When: 1 to 2 October 2024, 9am to 6.30pm
Keynote address by tech futurist, Cathy Hackl. Photo courtesy of Cathy Hackl.
This year’s two-day forum will see speakers respond to the theme of ‘Designing Our Collective Future’, emphasizing design’s role and impact in emerging technologies, sustainability and care. True to her style and topic, tech futurist and “godmother of the metaverse”, Cathy Hackl (CEO of Spatial Dynamics), will deliver an online keynote about the convergence of AI; spatial technologies and gaming, and the larger transformative implications for design, industries and daily lives.
Other speakers to look out for include Singapore-based venture capitalist Debra Langley (Venture Partner, Lyra Ventures), Aric Chen (General and Artistic Director, Het Nieuwe Instituut), and DesignSingapore Council’s Tamsin Greulich-Smith (Director, School of X).
Click here for more information on Design Futures Forum.
Register for the forum here.
What: The Future Impact 2: Homecoming Showcase
Where: Asian Civilisations Museum
When: 26 September to 17 November, 10am - 7pm Daily (except Fridays 10am - 9pm)
Photo courtesy of Singapore Design Week.
This showcase debuted at Milan Design Week in April 2024, and some pieces will be refreshed for this homecoming showcase in Singapore. The Future Impact 2 : Homecoming Showcase looks to a new era of design where technology empowers designers to create a better tomorrow, featuring seven designers: Christian+Jade, David Lee, Faezah Shaharuddin, Gabriel Tan, Genevieve Ang and Interactive Materials Lab, Tiffany Loy and Zavier Wong. Admission is free for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents.
Click here for more information about Future Impact 2 : Homecoming Showcase.
Stay tuned to see a full list of design items from this showcase at theartling.com.
BRAS BASAH.BUGIS DESIGN DISTRICT
Bras Basah. Bugis design district led by Hans Tan. Photo courtesy of Ivan Joshua Loh.
Held at various locations at the Bras Basah.Bugis district, this event is a collective led by three-time recipient of the President*s Design Award, Hans Tan. Curated by Tan and featuring Singapore designers such as Atelier HOKO, Forest & Whale and gideon-jamie, the series will see the designers reimagine everyday activities through experiential installations.
Tan’s 2021/2022 exhibition R for Repair will also be restaged at a pre-war bungalow at 42 Waterloo Street, located at the main building (Black Box, Level 2). Titled Heal: Repair+, it focuses on mending the mind and spirit through donated objects collected in collaboration with healthcare network, Yishun Health Singapore. The objects collection of objects are mended creatively by designers. Opening hours are 10am - 10pm. Admission is free.
Click here for more information on People of Design Showcase Series.
Photo courtesy of Clarence Eng
Organized by The Inceptery, this interactive and participatory workshop intends to help designers and those in the design-related fields understand how to co-create in harmony with nature, while safeguarding ecosystems and biodiversity, and meeting the needs of communities. Admission is $16.49 or $8.28 for students.
Click here for more information on Co-design With Nature.
What: Inclusive Design in Practice
Where: National Design Centre, 111 Middle Road, Auditorium (Level 2)
When: 28 September, 4pm - 5pm
Photo by STUCK design.
This is an open sharing and participatory discussion with the audience, intended for individuals and organizations keen to build more diverse, equitable, inclusive and accessible live/work/play places, services, products and experiences. The session helps you learn about inclusive design practices and real-world outcomes; bring inclusive design into your organization, and actionable tips to integrate inclusive design in your practice. Admission is free.
Click here for more information on Inclusive Design in Practice.
Register for the event here.
What: An Architectural Design Thinking Workshop
Where: National Design Centre, 111 Middle Road, Paperwork (Level 3)
When: 27 September to 6 October, 2pm - 9pm
Photo courtesy of Singapore Design Week. Illustrated graphic by MONOLYTHIQ.
Join multidisciplinary design studio MONOLYTHIQ in creating your own design metaphor and learn design concepts, build and unleash your inner designer in this series of hands-on workshops. The Architectural Design Thinking Workshop will touch on the basics of design thinking and provide you with the materials to build your own building, structure or furniture. Admission is free.
Click here for more information on An Architectural Design Thinking Workshop.
Register for the workshop here.
MARINA DESIGN DISTRICT
What: Newfolk Design Pavilion at Millenia Walk
Where: Millenia Walk, Marina Central
When: 26 September to 6 October 2024, 10am - 10pm
Rendering of the Neufolk Design Pavilion at Millenia Walk. Photo courtesy of Nathan Yong and Marina Central.
Curated by Nathan Yong, a multi-award winning designer who runs his own multidisciplinary design consultancy, the Neufolk Design Pavilion at Millenia Walk will house a curated exhibition, talks, retail experiences and workshops on design, sustainability and innovation. Admission is free with registration.
Click here for more information on Neufolk: Bridging Tradition and Future in Design.
To register, click here.
What: Envisioning Tech In A Future We Can all Trust
Where: Suntec Tower 5, 5 Temasek Boulevard, WeWork Office (Level 17)
When: 26 September, 9am to 12pm
Photo courtesy of Singapore Design Week. Illustration by Thales Design Center Singapore.
Participants of this workshop will be guided by facilitators through interactive sessions to help them align themselves with a human-centered approach and integrate the principles of Design Thinking and Futures Thinking. With these principles, they are able to empathize with current user needs, identify emerging trends and generate ideas that will shape the future of technology. Admission is free.
Click here for more information on Envisioning Tech In A Future We Can all Trust.
Click here to register for the workshop.
What: Cesar Jung-Harada: An Ocean City Imagined
Where: ArtScience Museum, 6 Bayfront Ave, Basement 2, Gallery 8
When: 21 September - 27 October, Sun – Thurs: 10.00am – 7.00pm (Last admission: 6pm), Fri – Sat: 10.00am – 9.00pm (Last admission: 8.15pm)
Image courtesy of Marina Bay Sands.
This exhibition features life-sized manifestations of ArtScientist-in-Residence, Cesar Jung-Harada's pioneering sustainable technological inventions. The exhibition is anchored by a large-scale installation of International Ocean Station—a speculative blueprint of a floating ocean city. Cesar Jung-Harada: An Ocean City Imagined is curated and produced by ArtScience Museum as part of the ArtScience Residency 2023-2024. Admission is free.
Click hereto register for Cesar Jung-Harada: An Ocean City Imagined.
What: I Will Survive!
Where: Cosentino City Singapore, 5 Straits View, West, Tower, Marina One, #01-16/17
When: 2 October, 6.30-9pm
Illustration by The Press Room/ courtesy of The Press Room
Listen to the talks by small studios on how small design studios navigate the challenges of rising manpower and operation costs to survive. Hear from founders of interior design firms Open Studio and UPTRS for this sharing session, followed by a panel discussion moderated by Studio SML founder Kelley Cheng.
For more information on the event click here.
To register for this discussion, click here.
ORCHARD DESIGN DISTRICT
What: Re-Route: Orchard (RR: OR)
Where: Various locations along Orchard Road
When: 26 September to 6 October. Various timings.
Cheryl Sim Tay. Photo courtesy of PLUS Collaboratives
Mervin Tan. Photo courtesy of PLUS Collaboratives
Curated by interdisciplinary group PLUS Collaboratives, Re-Route: Orchard aims to enhance the visitor’s experience of Singapore’s shopping belt. Through curated interventions and design installations, visitors are invited to discover spots along the iconic street that are sometimes overlooked, and encouraged to delve into evolution of the district’s character. Admission is free.
Check out these locations:
Playground @ Far East Plaza, 10am - 10pm
Chairs Reimagined @ The Centrepoint, 10am - 10pm
Adaptation Showcase @ Cineleisure, 10am - 10pm
Dressed for Survival/ Rethink Showcase / Diorama @ Design Orchard, 10.30am - 9.30pm
Design Installation by Ritchie / Trigger Design @ 111 Somerset, 10am - 10pm
What: library@orchard Pro Series x Singapore Design Week 2024
Where: library@orchard, 277 Orchard Road, orchardgateway #03-12
When: 28 September: 11.30am to 1.30pm, 4.00pm to 6.00pm. 29 September: 2.00pm to 4.00pm, 6.00pm to 8.00pm. 04 Oct: 6.30pm to 8.30pm
Textile designer, Tiffany Loy. Photo by Tiffany Loy.
Genevieve Ang and Clement Zheng from Interactive Materials Lab. Photo by Genevieve Ang and Interactive Materials Lab.
This Pro Series programme features speakers such as President*s Design Award recipients Seah Chee Huang, KC Yong, and designers Tiffany Loy, Genevieve Ang and Clement Zheng who exhibited at Dsg’s Future Impact 2 showcase during Milan Design Week 2024. This series is co-curated by library@orchard and DesignSingapore Council (Dsg) and is open to members of the National Library Board, Singapore. To register, please ensure you have your myLibrary username.
For more information on the talks click here.
To register for the talks, click here.
What: Playable: Play, Experience, Connect
Where: 313@Somerset, #02-28 to 37
When: 26 September to 21 October, 11am - 8pm
Key visual by Design Center Asia, Sony.
Organised by Design Center Asia, Sony Electronics (Singapore), this hands-on exhibition featuring accessible products, services, and inclusive design initiatives from Sony that helps those with diverse needs to share “Kando” (emotion). The Sony Group aims to contribute to an inclusive society across its businesses by enhancing accessibility. This exhibition will introduce products and prototypes that were developed in collaboration with users requiring accessibility, including persons with disabilities and the elderly. Admission is free.
Click here for more information on Playable: Play, Experience, Connect.
For a full list of events, click here.
Stay tuned to see a full list of design items from EMERGE @ FIND, on theartling.com.
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. sdw.sg
About the festival theme ‘People of Design’
People of Design honors the everyday visionaries among us who are making meaningful contributions to society through design. They come from all walks of life, but share a collective aspiration to make things better. This year, the DesignSingapore Council invites everyone to join us in uncovering their own design potential to bring new and better outcomes to light – ultimately creating a more liveable and loveable Singapore. SDW 2024’s festival theme is part of Dsg’s larger People of Design campaign. Read more stories of People of Design here.
About the DesignSingapore Council
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. designsingapore.org
Any views or opinions in the post are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the company or contributors.
