7 local design projects to get up to S$35,000 in R&D funding

Singapore

SEVEN projects by local designers and design enterprises have been selected to receive funding of up to S$35,000 each for up to a year under the DesignSingapore Council's (Dsg) inaugural Good Design Research (GDR) programme, Dsg announced last week.

The GDR programme aims to "propel Singapore designers and design enterprises to develop innovative and impactful work that can tackle complex global and societal challenges".

These would improve people's lives, the state of businesses and the environment, while enabling businesses to develop unique value propositions and products and services that are highly sought-after globally, Dsg said.

The first open call from March 18 to April 30 received 60 eligible submissions, which were evaluated by a panel of members recognised by the design industry for their expertise in business, technology and design.

The seven winning projects focus on issues such as the future of work, inequality and social cohesion, and environmental and business sustainability.

Said Dsg executive director Mark Wee, who chaired the evaluation panel: "Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, the world was already grappling with intractable issues such as climate change and ageing, whilst new topics such as well-being will be even more important in a post-Covid world.

"The world urgently needs bold and better human-centred innovations, and designers have the skills to design for these needed solutions. With our support, Singapore designers will be able to embark on robust design research and experimentation to create unique, human-centred solutions to make life better for local and global communities as we move into this next decade", said Mr Wee.

The designers and enterprises behind the projects are Agency, Common Ground, Roger&Sons, Produce Workshop, Forest & Whale, Edmund Zhang and Esli Ee, and GINLEE Studio.

The funding of up to S$35,000 for each project will cover research and development until the "proof of concept" stage for a maximum of 12 months. The type of research that will be conducted includes studying how individuals and organisations are adapting to new ways of living and working during the Covid-19 crisis, ethnographic research, and exploring ways to reduce waste in manufacturing, packaging and construction.

Evaluation panel member Tai Lee Siang, executive director of BuildSG at the Building and Construction Authority, said the seven winning projects identified needs accurately, offered creative solutions and recognised the need for affordable solutions. "Research is fundamental to good design, but it requires investment, which is not always possible with smaller design houses. This is where GDR fills the gap", Mr Tai said.

"Given time and exposure, good research can be mainstreamed and self-funded by designers and innovators to achieve greater breakthroughs in the design industry."

Each project will be assigned a mentor for guidance, insights and industry connections. GDR will also hold monthly engagement and sharing sessions as a platform for knowledge exchange and networking opportunities. Knowledge partners such as digital tech and material innovators will be brought in to share their expertise and become part of an ecosystem to support designers in the programme.

These sessions will start in August, and be open to all designers in the local design community.

Dsg plans to issue a second open call in Q4 2020, this time for projects that focus on the following: using design to promote a sense of identity and culture, redesigning current systems and processes to achieve global goals like sustainable development, and designing bold new products, services and experiences by adopting technological and digital advancements.