When was the last time you thought about repairing a faulty product? Not too long ago, repair was the first response to a broken or worn-out item, until mass consumption made it easier and cheaper to replace.
This exhibition presents a counterpoint to the modern consumerist culture, where repair is either deprecated or ironically deemed extravagant, shifting the concept of repair away from mere restoration and reimagining the role of repair as an inspiring activity that produces aspiring outcomes.
Ten Singaporean designers were invited to impose their creativity to the restoration of broken, faulty, worn-out objects volunteered through a public call. These repaired products present unique and fascinating approaches that tickle our preconceptions of repair.
The ten participating designers are:
- Atelier HOKO
- Clement Zheng
- Jonathan Yuen
- Kinetic Singapore
- Lanzavecchia + Wai
- Lim Qi Xuan
- Mighty Jaxx
- State Property
- Studio Juju
- Tiffany Loy
Nine repair kits by design students also deliver novel techniques for repair that go beyond reinstating utility. They empower people to engage in repair procedures that yield restored products that are “better off” than the original condition. Instead of associating sustainability with sacrifice and inconvenience, the design propositions demonstrated in this exhibition suggest that sustainable practices can be articulated in a desirable, purposeful way.
Experience the repair kits at one of R For Repair’s accompanying e-Workshops.
Co-presented by Hans Tan Studio and the DesignSingapore Council, supported by National University of Singapore, Division of Industrial Design and the National Design Centre.
This event is part of the National Design Centre’s “Sustainability & Design” programme line-up for Jan 2021.
