HAVE A LOOK AT 2 IMPRESSIVE ‘DESIGN DISTRICT’ EVENTS IN SINGAPORE DESIGN WEEK (SDW) 2023 BY KINETIC SINGAPORE AND LEKKER ARCHITECTS
TEXT: NATHATAI TANGCHADAKORN
PHOTO COURTESY OF SINGAPORE DESIGN WEEK 2023
(For Thai, press here)
Singapore Design Week (SDW) 2023, organized by the DesignSingapore Council (Dsg), commenced on September 21st and will continue until October 1st, 2023. The event showcases a diverse array of interesting activities, including the revitalization of the historic Bras Basah Bugis neighborhood by a collective of prominent designers, which explores the three critical themes of creativity, sustainability, and inclusivity.
Pann Lim created The School of Tomorrow to offer comprehensive and sustainable design knowledge through immersive experiences. The exhibition, which is located in the Selegie Arts Center and spans across all three floors, welcomes sustainability experts from all over the world, including Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, India, South Korea, Australia, Germany, Lithuania, and England.
Selegie Arts Centre
The contents of the ‘lessons and teachings’ are also far from dull, from the biology class that introduces viewers to innovative alternative materials such as bioplastic made of corn and milk to the chemical class featuring a table exhibiting various elements. Even the school’s cafeteria gives everyone the opportunity to sample foods made using creative dinnerware and edible packaging. Pann Lim wishes for all ‘learners’ in this creative learning environment to take all the different approaches and methods of sustainability with them, adapt them to their daily lives, and contribute their parts to create a better future.
FI&LD by Lekker Architects is located on the opposite side of the space. This interactive exhibition is jam-packed with interesting design philosophies that design professionals can take away from, as well as a rendezvous for some exciting creative ideas. Ong Ker-Shing and Joshua Comaroff came up with experimental activities for viewers to explore the realm and boundaries of design through five curated spaces: The Emotions, Fun, The Senses, Care, Social Life and Interaction.
The exhibition allows visitors to participate in a game designed for people to learn more about inclusive creativity through sports. What’s particularly fun about this game is that it doesn’t have any specific rules, and the rules change according to the number of players. FI&LD, therefore, isn’t just a normal design exhibition but a boundless space (despite the limitations of the physical space) for the way it can foster unbound possibilities from new events, scenarios, and results. Lekker Architects intends for everyone to enjoy the space as much as they learn something from it.
That’s a wrap for all the highlights of Bras Basah.Bugis, the headline event of this year’s SDW. But this isn’t the only Design District taking over the island during Design Week, since this year’s designated venues include places and neighborhoods such as Marina Bay and Orchard Road with just as exciting programs.
For more information about SDW 2023, visit