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Press Release

Singapore Design Week 2019 brings the value and impact of design on businesses, communities and individuals to the fore

8 min read
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Singapore, 4 March 2019 – The sixth edition of the Singapore Design Week (SDW), one of Asia’s premier design festivals, is back with a robust line-up of programmes, carefully curated to focus on design’s impact across four thematic categories, namely: Transform my business, Empower my community, Inspire my everyday and Reimagine my future. 

Launching the annual event at the National Design Centre (NDC) was Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry & Ministry of Education, Mr Chee Hong Tat. In his speech, Mr Chee talked about how “over the years, we have seen the impact of design on all aspects of our lives. From everyday products to business strategies and public policies, design plays a critical role in transforming, empowering and inspiring individuals and organisations alike”.

SMS Chee also announced an open call for interested Singapore-based furniture and lifestyle product designers to participate in the Business of Design Programme. This newly launched programme, SMS noted, would “support designers in their internationalisation efforts by connecting them to overseas markets, sharpening their brand positioning and showcasing them at international platforms”.

To be held from 4 to 17 March 2019, SDW 2019 will highlight how good design impacts the economy, environment, society and culture. Organised by the DesignSingapore Council (Dsg), SDW 2019 will showcase programmes forged from successful collaborations with partners like FORTUNE, Wallpaper*, the Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC), International Furniture Fair Singapore Pte Ltd, LOPELAB, OuterEdit, the National Heritage Board, the UNESCO Creative Cities in Australia through Sydney City of Film and Adelaide Festival Centre, and more.

“At this year’s Singapore Design Week, we hope people of all ages and from all backgrounds can learn about the far-reaching impact of design and how it can improve their personal lives and livelihoods,” said Mr Mark Wee, Executive Director, DesignSingapore Council. “Design transcends aesthetics. We believe that through the adoption and integration of design, people’s lives can be improved; communities can be bridged; and businesses can create value – today and in the future.”

SDW 2019, which takes place at the NDC and various locations island-wide, will include over 80 programmes by more than 70 partners highlighting the impact and value of design in everyday living.

Programme highlights to look out for at SDW 2019:

Transform my Business
  • Brainstorm Design 2019, SDW’s feature conference and the latest addition to FORTUNE’s influential Brainstorm conference series, returns for the second time with a new theme, “Vision, Empathy, and Scale”. This new edition explores and amplifies ideas raised from the inaugural conference in 2018. Brainstorm Design 2019 is led by the editorial teams of FORTUNE and Wallpaper*, in partnership with Dsg and supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board.
  • International Furniture Fair Singapore, SDW’s longstanding tradeshow and ASEAN’s leading furniture showcase, which will be held at a brand new venue, at the Marina Bay Sands with a new theme “UrbanAsia – The Future of Urban Living”.
Empower my Community
  • UNESCO Creative Cities of Design Public Forum, an inaugural platform that will see representatives from various fields, including design practitioners and educators, share their experiences and best practices on “Designing for Impact” in the areas of education, business, policy and communications.
  • Street of Clans, a vibrant festival that brings together Bukit Pasoh Road’s colourful history and Singapore’s creative communities, will feature several clans hosting rare open houses with design installations that showcase clan values and stories in a new light.
Reimagine my Future
  • SingaPlural, a collection of designs based on the event’s 2019 “Unnatural Phenomena” theme, explores the origin and evolution of extraordinary hybrids when disciplines collapse, mix and morph in shared pursuits.
  • Singapore Urban Design Festival 2019, an exciting place-making activation by creative studio, LOPELAB, will bring design into the heart of Jalan Besar – transforming an under-utilised part of a multi-storey carpark into an experiential festival village with inspiring talks, immersive live entertainment and displays of innovative urban solutions.
BBB Reframed

Festival goers can also look forward to experiencing the Bras Basah.Bugis district through the lens of design in a series of street installations by Singaporean and Australian creatives: 

  • Urban Interventions: Bras Basah.Bugis x Singapore Design Week 2019, a showcase of three interactive installations that were selected from the National Heritage Board’s Open Call for artists and designers, in partnership with Dsg, to submit a concept for the installation of public artworks within the Queen Street area.
  • The Community Thread, commissioned by the UNESCO Creative Cities in Australia and Singapore, is a nostalgic trip that will take visitors down five sites along Bras Basah.Bugis with hands-on activations and Facebook-based AR activations that are suitable for all ages.
  • Move Along, commissioned by UNESCO Creative Cities in Australia and Singapore, features site-specific artwork giving visitors a chance to explore familiar places through stories of love and loss inspired by connections between the cities of Adelaide and Singapore.

Adults and children alike will also be able to immerse themselves in various forms of design through hands-on activities that are part of the line-up of more than 80 satellite programmes in SDW 2019. For instance, children will be able to reimagine a whole new cityscape alongside international design practice HASSELL’s experienced architects, interior designers and urban specialists during its “HASSELL Junior” workshops. They may also explore Padme & Hum Studio’s mini “Nature Design Museum”, which will share stories about design innovation found in nature. More details on these programmes and more can be found in Annex A.

SDW 2019 is open to the design community, businesses, design students, and the general public. For more information, please refer to designsingapore.org/sdw. 

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About the Singapore Design Week

Now into its sixth edition, the Singapore Design Week (SDW) 2019 will run from 4 to 17 March 2019. The annual SDW brings together a collection of local and international design activities in Singapore. Organised by DesignSingapore Council (Dsg), the SDW is open to the design community, businesses, design students, public sector officers and the general public.

As one of Asia’s premier design festivals, SDW champions design thought leadership by bringing together the design, business and public policy worlds to bring about innovation and solutions to build businesses, engage communities and enrich people’s lives. It is a hub where the best design talents and businesses from Singapore and Asia converge to be showcased to the world; and a platform where Singaporeans and visitors can experience the value of design through delightful activities.

Through SDW, Dsg hopes to enhance the synergy among our design partners, and in turn boost Singapore’s profile and attractiveness as a global city for design. More information can be found at: designsingapore.org/SDW. 

About the DesignSingapore Council

DesignSingapore Council’s (Dsg) vision is for Singapore to be an innovation-driven economy and a loveable city through design by 2025. As the national agency that promotes design, our mission is to develop the design sector, help Singapore use design for innovation and growth, and make life better in this UNESCO Creative City of Design. Dsg is a division of the Ministry of Communications and Information.

designsingapore.org 

Written on : 04 Mar 2019

Media contact

Esther Ng

Edelman Singapore

D +65 9782 5450
Justin Lutian

Edelman Singapore

D +65 6347 2337

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VISIT
Singapore’s highest honour for designers and designs across all disciplines
One of Asia’s premier design festivals that champions design thought leadership
National Design Centre