What to See at Singapore Design Week 2024
With Singapore Design Week kicking off next week, here are our editors’ picks of what to see and do during the annual city-wide festival
Singapore Design Week takes place from 26 September to 6 October 2024. The programme of events, activations, fairs and talks follows the theme People of Design, which ‘celebrates the everyday visionaries that shape our society through design, united by their collective aspiration to enhance how we experience life.’ Here are our editors’ picks of what to see and where to be throughout the week.
Design Districts
The districts of Bras Basah.Bugis, Orchard and Marina will each host a schedule of events and exhibitions that activate the neighbourhoods throughout design week, with programmes curated by a Singaporean designer: Bras Basah.Bugis by Hans Tan, Orchard by interdisciplinary group Plus Collaboratives and Marina by Nathan Yong.
Each district has its own programme of events, so consult these lists when planning your visit: Bras Basah.Bugis, Orchard and Marina.
Neufolk Design Pavilion
Designed by Nathan Yong, the Neufolk Design Pavilion will showcase exhibitions around renewability, emerging technology and care, with partners including Tapaestry by Lasalle, The Circular Classroom, Ipse Ipsa Ipsum, Semula, Ayer Ayer Project and Bewilder.
The pavilion programme also includes a one-day pop-up table experience, Neutropolis, where new materials are invented by fusing food remnants with elements of metal, plastic, cement and wood and a degustation meal incorporates new flavours inspired by the same ingredients.
26 September–6 October
Millenia Walk, The Great Hall
Plant: A Planter is Found, by Damian & Jenn for Hans Tan Studio
Bras Basah.Bugis Design District: People of Design Showcase Series
Ten designers and studios examine the rituals of daily life through the lens of design, with showcases that delves into a specific activity: Eat, Sleep, Shop, Read, Heal, Make, Plant, Commute, Display and Design.
Participating designers include Atelier Fang, Atelier Hoko, Forest and Whale, gideon-jamie and Studio Juju.
26 September–6 October
Various locations across Bras Basah.Bugis
Hybrid basketry lamps by Gabriel Tan. Image by Mark Cocksedge
Future Impact 2: Homecoming Showcase
Following its debut at Milan Design Week earlier this year, Future Impact 2: Homecoming is curated by Tony Chambers and Maria Cristina Didero and comprises newly commissioned works by Singaporean designers Christian+Jade, David Lee, Faezah Shaharuddin, Gabriel Tan, Genevieve Ang and Interactive Materials Lab, Tiffany Loy and Zavier Wong. While these designers work in varying mediums and scales, what brings them together is their interest in novel technologies or boundary-pushing production methods.
26 September–17 November
Asian Civilisations Museum
Design Futures Forum
The two-day conference brings together keynote speakers and thought leaders to discuss the critical role that design can play in the areas of emerging technology, sustainability and care.
1–2 October
Victoria Theatre & Chamber at The Arts House
Find – Design Fair Asia
Furniture, design and interiors fair Find – Design Fair Asia will showcase more than 300 brands. The fair is complemented by the Find Global Summit talks programme, curated by Yoko Choy and featuring Joyce Wang, Dawn Lim, Gabriel Tan, Hyunseog Oh, Mario Tsai, Tina Norden and many more.
26–28 September
Marina Bay Sands
Emerge at Find
Emerge, Design Anthology’s exhibition of Southeast Asian design, returns to Find this year with an exhibition — curated by Suzy Annetta — of more than 60 designers who explore notions of value under the theme These Precious Things.
26–28 September
Marina Bay Sands
Heal: Repair +
As part of the Bras Basah.Bugis Design District, R for Repair showcases donated personal objects that have been mended by designers. This iteration is titled Heal: Repair+ and focuses on mending the mind and spirit through donated objects collected in collaboration with Yishun Health Singapore.
26 September–6 October
42 Waterloo Street
Michele De Lucchi on Designing Furniture Today
The Italian architect will take part in a fireside chat about how emerging designers can stand out and how brands and producers can better collaborate with designers. Register →
1 October
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA)