by Lydia Tan
SingaPlural is back this year for Singapore Design Week, with the theme “Unnatural Phenomena”. SingaPlural is a collaborative exhibition between brands and creatives that promotes innovation as “a multi-faceted and multi-disciplinary design platform”. Curated by Formwerkz Architects and branding and marketing agency Bravo, this year’s exhibition will feature a total of 10 exhibits that explore “the origins and evolutions of novel new design species”. Here are our recommendations for the exhibits you should check out.
1. renaturation by University of South Australia
This exhibit explores the concept of evolution and the future of human-assisted evolution as technology and science continues to advance. The exhibit’s design takes inspiration from cytokinesis – the process of cells being formed so as time passes, the exhibit will evolve, just like a living cell.
Enter the inflated dome and immerse yourself in the changing lights and projections of nature all around you that simulates an evolving cell. This exhibit is also interactive; scan the QR code there and you can submit your photos, artwork and videos to be displayed at the exhibit.
2. Senses by Cellini x etc.lab x Synergraphic
A collaboration between lifestyle furniture store Cellini, etc.lab from Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s School of Design & Environment and glass art studio Synergraphic, this exhibit features six contemporary furnishing objects made with aluminium and glass. The students were tasked to come up with innovative ways to combine aluminium and glass to create a unique product design.
Take a look at the different objects and marvel at the chic, modern designs made by the students. Each design is meant to evoke at least one of your five senses; for example, Aura, an incense burner in which the smoke spirals out of a glass funnel.
3. Autumn by Décor Fan x Fraction
If you like the 4D movie experience, you will like this interactive exhibit. Fraction Design Studio and Décor Fan Singapore come together to create this fully immersive exhibit that ignites your senses. Drawing inspiration from the harvest season, this exhibit lets you momentarily escape to a beautiful autumn landscape bathed in warm sunlight.
Put on the VR goggles and step into the exhibit full of spinning pinwheels. The wind from the fan overhead simulates a cool autumn breeze and the sound of the paper pinwheels reminds you of crisp crinkling leaves all around you. In this creative exhibit that combines technology and art, you can take a break from the real world and be transported to a different environment that will make you forget you’re at an exhibition!
These are just a few of the exhibits featured at this year’s SingaPlural. You can expect to see designs that are based around science and geometry, like the Graceful Fig and Enjoy the Silence exhibits, as well as challenge the conventions of your senses and perception, like the Bo(u)lder and Tilt Shift exhibits. Come down to SingaPlural 2019 and experience the rest of the exhibits for yourself!
There will also be exhibitor talks where six of the exhibitors will share more in-depth on the inspiration behind their designs, taking place on 13 March, starting from 2pm at the National Design Centre Auditorium L2.
You can find out more details on the talks and which exhibitors will be presenting here. Admission is free, but do register before 11 March.
SingaPlural 2019 will run from 4-17 March 2019 at the National Design Centre, from 9am-9pm daily. Admission is free.
