The 5 Best Happenings at Singapore Design Week 2018 This March

PUBLISHED February 20th, 2018 05:00 am | UPDATED July 22nd, 2024 05:47 pm

As Singapore Design Week (SDW) heads into its fifth edition this March, we take a look at some the key highlights, from inaugural micro-festivals to home takeovers, exclusive craft and design workshops, and a world-class international furniture fair like none other in Asia. And there’s no need to feel intimidated at all – the design festival is completely open to the general public!

‘Trespass’ private homes at District Design Dialogue

With Holland Village being home to such a creative bohemian enclave, it’s no wonder the District Design Dialogue is making its debut there. Organised by creative agency HJGHER, this immersive activation will feature design takeovers of 10 terrace houses at Chip Bee Gardens as they transform into experiential spaces across the disciplines of fashion, lifestyle, print design and art through exhibitions, retail, panel talks, and even private dinners. What’s more, more than 50 creatives and businesses (think Basheer Graphic Books, Samantha Lo, Blackwattle, Demochoco, and Freedom Yoga) will be involved during the two weeks.

When: 10 to 18 March 2018

Where: Various venues around Holland Village

Celebrate the streets with Singapore Urban Design Festival

LOPELAB, the same people behind the prodigious Urban Ventures parties, is presenting the first ever Singapore Urban Design Festival, a five-day programme dedicated to urban design and the growing global movements in placemaking and public space activation. The festival will feature temporary installations, a two-day international summit, workshops, and cultural activities – not to mention a special edition of Urban Ventures that sees music by local synth-pop quartet Disco Hue, a line-up of renowned DJs such as JustMack and Orio Leshem, as well as a novel ‘Magic Carpet’ outdoor cinema that first originated in Hong Kong.

When: 14 to 18 March 2018

Where: Various venues around Tanjong Pagar

See the installations at SingaPlural 2018

You might be familiar with SingaPlural, the anchor event of every Singapore Design Week. Organised by the Singapore Furniture Industries Council, celebrates the stage of work even before design begins. Look out for over 10 installations like ‘Take a Peek’, a fascinating collaborative piece by Antalis and Meta Studio that explores the architectural possibilities of paper, as well as Gabriel Tan Studio’s surreal ‘The Mad Hatter’, a play on colours, forms, reflection, and light diffusion made with different tints of Alba mirror acrylics.

When: 5 to 18 March 2018, 9am – 9pm daily

Where: National Design Centre, 111 Middle Rd, Singapore 188969

Rethink your home at International Furniture Fair Singapore

Of course, the International Furniture Fair Singapore – in conjunction with the 35th ASEAN Furniture Show and NOOK Asia 2018 – returns to showcase the latest innovative design concepts, interior design, furniture and homewares from almost 30 countries. For one, world-renowned Italian designer Giulio Cappellini will curate an exclusive feature area known as the Italian New Renaissance, modelled after a noble house in Italy to feature leading Italian brands. There will be a newly launched Augmented Reality zone that allows you to interact with products like never before. Bet you didn’t think furniture could be so interesting, did you?

When: 8 to 11 March, 9.30am – 5pm daily

Where: Halls 3 to 6, Singapore Expo, 1 Expo Dr, Singapore 486150

Shop all things design at a special edition of MAAD

Singapore’s art, craft, and design creative community come together in this special installation of Red Dot Design Museum‘s Market of Artists And Designs, boasting some 50 makers from Singapore, as well as Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, and Malaysia. In addition to the sheer amount of products to shop from, look forward to over 10 workshops conducted by overseas makers. Learn to hand stitch sustainable materials into notebooks with CY Chen (Taiwan), get craft at the paper plant ball workshops by Jennifer Mong (Taiwan), pick up a new art with Kit Low (Malaysia)’s Zentangle course, and more.

When: 9 to 11, 16 to 18 March 2018

Where: Red Dot Design Museum Singapore, 11 Marina Boulevard, Singapore 018940

Singapore Design Week 2018 is happening from 5 to 18 March 2018 all around the city. For the full programme, click here.