SingaPlural announces 2016 theme
Celebrating its 5th anniversary, SingaPlural returns in 2016 with a theme of ‘Senses – The art and science of experiences’.
These experiences – sight, sound, scent, texture and taste – will come together in an amalgamation of colour and creativity to tease visitors with new perspectives of how design can be employed and enhance our daily experiences.
To be held from March 7-13 at 99 Beach Road – the heart of Singapore’s arts and cultural heritage district – SingaPlural is the annual anchor event for Singapore Design Week (SDW).
Organised by the Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC), the event will leverage on Singapore’s newly crowned status as a UNESCO Creative City of Design. This year will see a record 71 installations by designers, manufacturers, builders and design schools. Mark Yong, Chairman of SingaPlural, commented: “The number of design installations has risen significantly from previous years. It is an encouraging development for us and certainly a motivation for this year’s festival, especially with at least a 30% increase in content.”
“Many material players are coming on board this year to showcase the latest innovations and trends in materials through their collaborations with creative partners. Visitors can see how these materials are brought to life through the imagination of the designers. The exploration of the theme of Senses also promises visitors a full sensorial smorgasbord. Take for example, Project X, the flagship programme of SingaPlural features heavily on tactility with this year’s material, LG Hi-Macs, solid surfaces from Luxx Newhouse.”
SingaPlural 2016 expects to see at least a 20% increase in visitor numbers, compared to last year’s edition which attracted 28,262 visitors.
Mr Yong stressed: “It’s not just a record in terms of participation numbers, we are also achieving a new first, which is to welcome on board Mediacorp, who will be collaborating with IDCS (Interior Design Confederation Singapore), SFIC (Singapore Furniture Industries Council) and SILA (Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects) on an installation that brings new life to old, recycled studio props and sets.
“Not only will this piece be engaging on all fronts of the five senses, it also drives home the message of sustainability and how it can be integrated into our daily lives through creative and innovative use of design elements.”
SingaPlural has also engaged a local team of curators – Plus Collaboratives and Govt – to curate the entire festival, promising a unique sensorial experience to help shape new design perspectives.
The event will present installations by industrial designers, interior designers, architects, landscape architects, graphic designers, fashion designers and institutes of design. Visitors can expect to be immersed during the design festival by signing up for design tours, workshops or joining the various talks.
Sharing some highlights of the event, Yong said: ”The installations this year come from a wide range of designers, from young upcoming talents to established design practitioners. Just to name a few, we have NAFA’s 2014 top graduate, Celine Ng who in collaboration with Xtra and Bolon, will be presenting Engulf –a beautiful visual interpretation of ethereal beauty of a breaking wave, observed underwater.
Meanwhile, a Breathe Respite by Poiesis Studio in collaboration with Panelogue prompts visitors to slow down and engage their sense of smell by offering alternate experiential perspectives in the places we frequent, food we eat and people we meet.
Last but not least, innovative installation Project X will be presented by Luxx Newhouse in collaboration with four local design studios – Park + Associates, Studio Juju, Voidworks and Weekend Worker. Project X will unveil how solid surface materials can be used creatively for a range of products and solutions for urban lifestyles.
SingaPlural is held in conjunction with International Furniture Fair Singapore 2016, ASEAN Furniture Show, The Décor Show and furniPRO Asia. It is also the anchor event of the Singapore Design Week, which is organised by the DesignSingapore Council, a part of the Ministry of Communications and Information.
