d+a | Issue 119

22 WE GET INSIGHTS FROM A GROUP OF SINGAPOREANS, CREATIVES AND BUSINESS LEADERS. DEFINING SINGAPORE DESIGN WORDS LOW SHI PING / PHOTOGRAPHY RIGG NGO PHOTOGRAPHY, JAEMS CHUA, THE TAKENOVER P orcelain plates decorated with our well-loved dragon playground; a children’s storytelling session at the National Museum of Singapore; an award- winning breast pump for Pigeon. These are just some of the many innovations by Singaporean designers that contribute to making the scene here colourful, multi-cultural and even customised. Attempt to define Singapore design though, and things get slightly complicated. Mirroring the cosmopolitan, melting pot nature of the country, it is hardly discernible – yet that in itself makes it distinctive. “Singapore design is a joyful celebration of its residents’ diverse backgrounds and ways of life,” affirms Rachel Poonsiriwong, a DesignSingapore Council (Dsg) scholar who is currently studying at the California College of the Arts. She is not alone in this opinion. We took to quizzing a group of creatives involved in varied fields of design to seek more insights. SINGAPORE DESIGN IS MULTI-FACETED “Singapore design is a dichotomy of many things – past and present, inward and outward,” shares Mashizan Masjum, President and Creative Director of footwear brand MASHIZAN. “It’s a mélange of all things unexpected, curious, strange and yet still magnificent.” That it is able to achieve all this while being a small country with a short history is an achievement in itself. “We take history, culture and technology to develop a design identity that is uniquely Singapore,” says Morgan Yeo, First Son and Director of carpentry studio Roger & Sons. He explains that it is derived from the journey the country has been on so far, created from a collection of experiences by individual Singaporeans. Referencing the past is something Gin Lee, of the eponymous fashion label GINLEE Studio, notices too, “We strive to give a nod to our roots, while reaching for our future, but Singapore designs tend to have a sense of practicality [too].” Orcadesign Consultants’ Director Jeremy Sun expands on Lee’s first point, saying it is “future-centric with an international outlook, although also rooted in Asian values and perspectives”. To him, it is equally efficient and smart, both functionally and aesthetically. SINGAPORE DESIGN SERVES THE COMMUNITY There is also a strong element of consideration for society. “To me, everyone has a part to play in designing Singapore – not just designers,” says lifestyle brand Supermama Store’s Edwin Low. “What is the Singapore we want to see? We [ask ourselves then] make it happen.” Larry Yeung, Executive Director of the / FEATURE /