Ciao: Singapore designers head to Milan Design Week
Future Impact 2 follows last year’s inaugural appearance at the world-renowned design event
MILAN Design Week is the most important design event in the world, and it brings together creativity and innovation not just in furniture, interior and product design, but also related fields such as fashion, art and automotive. Across the Italian city every April, historical spaces and buildings – including palazzos – are taken over to showcase everything from progressive ideas of emerging design talents to the latest product launches of established names.
What that means is any self-respecting designer will want to be there – as do nations that see themselves as being a hub of innovation and creativity. Yes, we’re talking about our little Red Dot here.
Last year, national design agency DesignSingapore Council (DSG) held its inaugural exhibition, Future Impact, at Milan Design Week with works from six young design talents.
This year, it’s making a return with seven designers for Future Impact 2, which seeks to harness the evolving and transformative power of design for a more sustainable future.
From unifying traditional craftsmanship with 3D printing, streamlining production with technology, to furniture designs that remove carbon dioxide from living spaces and interactive ceramics that can transfer heat, DSG says this year’s show will “reflect Singapore’s distinctively forward-thinking vision and approach to design”.
“As a prototyping city that incorporates innovation as part of its design approach, I believe these fresh works will resonate with audiences and spur their own thinking on new possibilities for the future of design and its impact,” says Dawn Lim, DSG’s executive director.
Who’s going
First-time participants at the event are Christian+Jade, David Lee, Faezah Shaharuddin, Genevieve Ang and Interactive Materials Lab and Zavier Wong. Making their return after last year’s involvement are Gabriel Tan and Tiffany Loy.
Their newly commissioned works will see the designers integrating a different technology or pushing the boundaries of production to create works that minimise environmental impact, reconsider current production methods and enhance functionality.
The exhibition is again co-curated by creative director and design consultant Tony Chambers and Milan-based author and curator Maria Cristina Didero.
Chambers says the two most pressing considerations for contemporary designers are technology and sustainability, as these affect how designers work, what they produce and impact on the planet.
In their selection process, the curators found the seven finalists to be creative yet pragmatic, thoughtful, curious and interested in problem solving – pushing beyond the purely aesthetic to wider impacts design has on society and the planet.
“They cover a vast range of disciplines, from textiles, ceramics and sculptural metalwork to cutting-edge electronics, 3D printing and artificial intelligence,” says Chambers. “They are also a diverse bunch, reflective of the rich multicultural society that makes contemporary Singapore so fascinating.”
Future Impact 2 will be held at the historic La Rotonda del Pellegrini from Apr 16 to 21.
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