Singapore Design Week 2024 Spotlights “People of Design” Theme with a Rich 11-Day Festival

The DesignSingapore Council (Dsg) has announced the main highlights and creative concept for Singapore Design Week (SDW) 2024, Asia’s premier design festival. Returning from 26 September to 6 October, the 11-day celebration will showcase Singapore’s distinctive creativity and design innovation, with a diverse range of island-wide programming curated around the theme “People of Design.”

The festival’s campaign, conceptualised by Kinetic Singapore and illustrated by Lyla Soh, aims to celebrate diversity, individuality, and the universality of design. The SDW 2024 theme, “People of Design,” focuses on everyday visionaries who shape society through design and are united by their aspiration to enhance how we experience life.

“Singapore has a distinct vision and approach, driven by a desire to drive positive change around the world through design. For this edition of Singapore Design Week, we will be spotlighting the innovators whose impactful ideas help us all to live better.” Shared Jody Teo, Festival Director of SDW 2024.

Festival Highlights and Key Pillars

The festival will be anchored by three defining pillars: Design Futures, Design Marketplace, and Design Impact.

Design Futures will explore the future of design, with the expanded Design Futures Forum as its flagship event. Keynote speaker and “godmother of the metaverse” Cathy Hackl (CEO, Spatial Dynamics) will join segment curators including Debra Langley (Venture Partner, Lyra Ventures), Aric Chen (General and Artistic Director, Het Nieuwe Instituut), and Tamsin Greulich-Smith (Director, School of X, Dsg). The forum will focus on design’s role in Emerging Technology, Sustainability, and Care through presentations, panel discussions, and hands-on sessions

Design Marketplace will bring together global lifestyle trends and Southeast Asia’s design community. FIND – Design Fair Asia, Asia’s largest design trade fair, will take place from 26 to 28 September at Marina Bay Sands. EMERGE @ FIND, curated by Suzy Annetta of Design Anthology, will feature over 50 designers from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, presenting works under the theme “These Precious Things.”

Design Impact will showcase design solutions that address societal challenges. The Future Impact 2: Homecoming Showcase, which debuted at Milan Design Week 2024, will be a key event. It will be held at the Asian Civilisations Museum for eight weeks and will feature refreshed pieces by local designers.

Expanded Footprint with Design Districts

SDW 2024 will have an expanded presence across Bras Basah.Bugis, Orchard, and Marina Design Districts, each presenting special commissions, exhibitions, installations, workshops, and more.

Bras Basah.Bugis Design District: Led by designer Hans Tan, this district will feature the People of Design Showcase Series with site-specific installations examining everyday activities such as eating, sleeping, and commuting.

Marina Design District: Curated by designer Nathan Yong, this district will showcase “Neufolk: Bridging Tradition and Future in Design,” featuring exhibitions, talks, retail experiences, and interactive installations.

Orchard Design District: PLUS Collaboratives will curate Re-Route: Orchard, focusing on enhancing visitor experiences along Orchard Road with design interventions and installations under the theme “Adaptive Reuse.”

Additional Programming and Events

SDW 2024 will also feature over 70 ground-up events including exhibitions, talks, workshops, and tours. Two Friday Late events are scheduled, on 27 September at Bras Basah.Bugis and on 4 October at Marina Central, offering after-hours activities such as VR experiences, curator tours, and music performances.

The Singapore Design Week 2024 promises a comprehensive showcase of Singapore’s creativity, inviting participants to engage with diverse perspectives on design’s role in enhancing daily life. For more details, visit sdw.sg.