Highlights from Singapore Design Week 2022

This year, Singapore Design Week (SDW) made its much-anticipated return after a two-year hiatus to showcase the best of design from Singapore and beyond from 16 - 25 September. Following a major strategic review, SDW relaunched the event with a brand new vision that demonstrated Singapore's distinctive brand of creativity and explored design through three defining pillars: 'Design Futures', 'Design Marketplace', and 'Design Impact'. United by the three festival pillars, SDW 2022 brought together more than 50 events and 200 designers. 

'Design Futures' focused on the design of the future and the future of design through the lens of a forward-looking Singapore where a more positive future is prototyped for Singapore and the world. This pillar featured the Design Futures Symposium, "Agency for the Future – Design and the Quest for a Better World", developed under the curatorial direction of internationally renowned design curator and author Paola Antonelli. As one of the most influential curators in the design world, this symposium encompassed her deep dive into how design can shape a better future.

The symposium assembled a host of distinguished thought leaders from Singapore and around the world. Together, they probed some of the critical ways in which design is fundamental to strategies for the future; and an enzyme for progress. The topics of discussion at the symposium included design approaches to complexity, systems, and prototypes; the imperative of regenerative design; designing for local and global challenges such as ageing populations and dense, low-carbon cities; how design can optimise human experience within the rest of nature; and how design can harness technology to build a better and more inclusive future.

Anchored by FIND – Design Fair Asia, Asia’s newest and largest furniture, interiors and design fair convened the largest carefully selected collection of interior brands, key opinion leaders, designers, and content from East and West under the 'Design Marketplace' pillar. Design tastemakers Tony Chambers and Yoko Choy of Wallpaper* magazine fame helmed the FIND – Global Summit where they initiated conversations with global design opinion leaders on key trends and topics such as the metaverse, wellbeing, biophilia, and sustainability. 

As part of FIND, dmg events and DesignSingapore Council presented the first-of-its-kind Southeast Asian design talent showcase at EMERGE @ FIND. Curated by Suzy Annetta of Design Anthology, the showcase shined the spotlight on over 50 established and emerging designers from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, unveiling fresh works through the lens of materiality. 

The 'Design Impact' pillar highlighted design as a driving force for transformative impact by showcasing innovative real-life solutions that address today’s most critical issues from waste and sustainability to mental health and our ageing society. SDW marked the launch of the President*s Design Award (P*DA) Tours where the public was able to experience first-hand some of Singapore’s most outstanding, innovative, and impactful designs that have made a difference in the lives of Singaporeans. The tours featured P*DA award-winning projects including green skyscrapers, sites that celebrate heritage craft, iconic representations of Singapore’s public housing, and inclusive spaces to connect all. The Good Design Research pop-up, curated by design studio WY-TO, illustrated the positive impact of good design through research and experimentation, featuring over 20 homegrown designers, and their prototypes and solutions birthed through DesignSingapore Council’s Good Design Research initiative.

The National Design Centre (NDC) transformed into N*thing is Possible, a regenerative design showcase that celebrated re-use, re-cycle, re-craft, and re-live. Expect experiences that span across design, art, architecture, music, food, and fashion in this creative takeover co-curated by Potato Head and OMA / David Gianotten, which included creations by design luminaries such as Kengo Kuma, Futura, Max Lamb, Toogood Design, Eco Mantra, and Thibaut Grevet. 

All images courtesy of Singapore Design Week.