Sustainable solutions, wrapped up in beautiful designs

TWENTY years following the creation of DesignSingapore Council (DSG), Singapore has made impressive strides in design and architecture. The urban landscape has seen the emergence of more ambitious and complex structures, such as Marina Bay Sands and Parkroyal Collection Pickering. At the same time, the international stage has increasingly recognised local designs and designers, such as Nathan Yong’s Breakstool and Gabriel Tan’s Quiet Lines collection.

Coinciding with DSG’s 20th anniversary, this year’s Singapore Design Week (SDW) pays homage to the council’s motto “Better by design” by adopting it as its theme. SDW is also expanding its reach across three districts – Bras Basah, Orchard and Marina Bay – and commissioning leading designers, including Jackson Tan of Black and Pann Lim of Kinetic Singapore, to create installations and attractions. 

Madeleine Ho, festival director of SDW 2023, explains: “Singapore design embodies a universal attitude – the desire to always seek to make lives better using design. The motto ‘Better by design’ reflects DSG’s commitment to champion design and creativity that… meet complex challenges and shape a better future.”