ASIA-PACIFIC, SEPTEMBER 2010 – Jointly presented by the DesignSingapore Council and the Singapore Institute of Architects, “1000 Singapores – A Model of the Compact City” at the 12th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia from August 36 to 21 November 2010 showcases Singapore as an example of sustainability through design. Almost simultaneously with 1000 Singapores, the DesignS network of design associations in Singapore, presents “Sensing the Next S-Curve,” at the Shanghai World Expo 2010 from September 8 to 29, 2010. This presentation is commissioned by the DesignSingapore Council and organised by DesignS, and features Singapore’s expertise in delivering globally adaptable and integrated design solutions for businesses.
“1000 Singapores – A Model of the Compact City is a response to the Biennale Director Kazuyo Sejima’s exhibition theme, People Meet in Architecture. “For Singapore, it is the coming together of a multi-racial society bonded in a unique experience by the creation of physical, economic, social and inter-personal infrastructures and systems that give our country its meaning and culture,” said Mr Jeffrey Ho, Commissioner of the Singapore Pavilion and Director of the DesignSingapore Council.
Mr Khoo Peng Beng, Lead Curator and Founder of ARC Studio, added, “Cities all over the world are growing at phenomenal rates and the world is struggling with the impact of this growth. 1000 Singapores – A Model of the Compact City is an invitation to look at how compact cities might reduce our demand for land and consequently how human beings might inhabit this planet of ours with the smallest footprint possible.”
The presentation takes housing beyond architectural typology and demonstrates how housing can be an active act in creating communities. It is a story that recounts the construction of an edifice that integrates architecture with governance, social systems, finance and infrastructure. From the most basic pre-fabricated component to towers, neighbourhoods, new towns, districts, then finally the nation; this evolution and growth embraces both the pragmatic and the sublime.
The exhibition will return to Singapore after the Biennale.
“Sensing the Next S-Curve,” seeks to offer a glimpse of Singapore Design capabilities at a multi-sensory exhibition at the Shanghai World Expo through three tracks – DesignSpace (urban planning, architecture, interior design and landscape design), DesignShape (fashion, furniture, product and industrial design) and DesignSense (advertising, branding and graphic design). As part of the exhibition, a video screening of works from various design disciplines is projected on nine large screens. 1,000 polaroids also form the shape of the Singapore island and show the portrait of the design community in Singapore and their works that shape the future.
“Design enables businesses to gain a competitive edge and acts as a differentiator in a crowded marketplace. Businesses now need to offer an integrated
experience for their customers and this is where a multi-disciplinary design approach will give businesses distinctive advantages,” said Ho.
