AMIDST ALL THE INTERESTING ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS IN SINGAPORE DESIGN WEEK 2023 ARE THE IDEAS FROM DESIGNERS AND ARCHITECTS THAT WILL BRING THE BRAS BASAH.BUGIS TO LIFE
TEXT: NATHATAI TANGCHADAKORN
PHOTO COURTESY OF SINGAPORE DESIGN WEEK 2023
(For Thai, press here)
The highly anticipated Singapore Design Week (SDW) 2023 will make its return. Hosted by DesignSingapore Council (Dsg), the event is set to take place between September 21 and October 1st, 2023, bringing its creative forces to venues across the country. The event’s ‘Better by Design’ theme draws inspiration from DSG’s motto, which values progressiveness, creativity, and long-term sustainability.
This year’s design week features a variety of interesting programs. One is the collaborative project initiated to redesign an old neighborhood, Bras Basah Bugis, by a group of designers including Jackson Tan, co-founder and creative director of BLACK; Pann Lim, co-founder and creative director of Kinetic Singapore; and Ong Ker Shing and Joshua Comaroff, co-founders of Lekker Architects. The collaborators are tasked with the responsibility of curating spatial programs and memorable viewer experiences based on three core principles: innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity.
Jackson Tan, Co-founder and Creative Director of BLACK
Pann Lim, Co-founder and Creative Director of Kinetic Singapore
Ong Ker Shing (left) and Joshua Comaroff (right) Co-founders of Lekker Architects
Let’s begin with Playground of Possibilities by Jackson Tan. The program’s head curator brings together 12 Singapore-based projects that are faced with challenges posed by technological advancements and innovations, each with a distinct ability to turn crisis into opportunities through the power of creativity. The program’s goal is to encourage designers to engage with the works through ‘playing.’
The works featured in Playground of Possibilities take various forms and formats. While unique and interesting in their own way, all the works are presented with a fun catchphrase: ‘Got a problem? Have no fear, design is here!’ such as the future facades that can stay naturally cool like elephant skin or the “smart” porcelain tableware that responds to human touch.
Jackson Tan, the project’s head curator, integrates three activities; Playground of Possibilities, FI&LD, and School of Tomorrow under the festival’s main event, Design District. In the following article, we will be looking into the last two events, FI&LD and School of Tomorrow.
For more information about SDW 2023, visit