What to see at Singapore Design Week, from cyborg cockroaches to food of the future
Singapore Design Week 2025 showcases a new era of creative problem-solving – where even creepy-crawlies and sausages get re-engineered for the future
Who knew our most unwelcome guests could become our heroes?
“By turning one of our most familiar, and most prehistoric, creatures into an unexpected ally, the exhibition speaks to the ingenuity of turning challenges into opportunities, and the ability to find purpose in atypical ways,” says the mastermind behind the work, Pann Lim, who runs creative agency Kinetic Singapore. The exhibits reflect “Singapore’s knack for invention and reinvention”, he adds.
With the country celebrating its 60th year of independence, it is apt that SDW, organised by DesignSingapore Council, is themed “Nation by Design”. Singapore’s transformation into a modern city state, despite its lack of natural resources, owes much to the ingenuity of its people. Running from September 11 to 21, SDW features a wide programme of events, including another festival commission making its debut (“The Sausage of the Future: Singapore Edition”); inaugural showcases by designers from East Asia, including Hong Kong and mainland China; and a new design district.
Back in the city centre, the Marina Design District has a set-up that should resonate with many. The Care Pavilion, inside shopping centre Millenia Walk, will be constructed from 929 Unica plastic stools. This is the ubiquitous piece of furniture created in the 1990s by Singaporean industrial designer Chew Moh-Jin, of Design Counsel, and found in coffee shops across Singapore and other parts of Southeast Asia as well as Hong Kong and mainland China.