Ideation & Concept Design

From Singapore to Singaporean: The Bicentennial Experience

Singapore to Singaporean: The Bicentennial Experience was dedicated to the remembrance of two hundred years of history that made a nation, with messages crafted, curated and devoted to its people. This two-part showcase beckoned with stimulating perspectives into history told in a variety of formats, bringing to life snippets of history going as far back as 1299.

to engage

From Singapore to Singaporean takes visitors on a journey through time to explore history as a series of visually audacious yet emotionally engaging adventures. Each act was conceptualised as a unique, exhilarating dive into Singapore’s past. Designed to resonate with visitors of all ages, the storytelling tone was intended to foster a participatory atmosphere and break the fourth wall, so that visitors would feel more like eyewitnesses, rather than simply passive observers.

to inspire

The team set out to tell a story that would spark curiosity in people, and encourage them to embark on a journey of discovery.

Split into five acts spread over two levels of the Fort Canning Centre, the hour-long experience reaches back over a thousand years in time. The prologue opens on a rain installation that reverses dramatically to symbolise the journey into the distant past. This sets the scene for the dramatic rise and fall of settlements and port-cities across South-east Asia. The opening is mirrored in an emotionally charged finale on a rain-soaked Padang, with dark clouds giving way to warm sunshine over the modern metropolis Singapore has become.

key services

storytelling & experience

ideation & concept design

digital & multimedia production

spatial design & build

event management

related news

The Bicentennial Experience opened from 30^th May to 31^st December 2019 to the public. For more behind-the-scenes, view our 45^th Anniversary Book.

The entire exhibition was a collaborative work only made possible with passionate inputs from fellow creative minds - MET Studio , ZARCH Collective, multimedia partner - Anomalyst, and film partner - Zhao Wei films.
The project is also featured on Wallpaper*, CNA, and The Straits Times.

Living with Ink: The Collection of Dr Tan Tsze Chor Exhibition

The vast Special Exhibitions Gallery, housed within the Asian Civilisations Museum, presented an extensive collection of artworks by Singapore’s renowned art collector Dr Tan Tsze Chor. The exhibition explored the appreciation of Chinese art from the 1950s to the 1980s through the selection of Dr Tan and others in the Chinese art community in Nanyang. Through their exchanges and networks, the exhibition explored the formation of Chinese identity occurring in the emergence of Chinese modern art.

to engage

To complement the works on display, a clean and elegant design approach was adopted. The open nature of the layout allowed visitors to freely explore the different curatorial themes while the adoption of a white palette ensured focus on the works themselves. A large, suspended, fabric backdrop served as the singular design element that characterised the entire space.

to inspire

To accompany the main exhibition, a series of fun interactive stations allowed for hands-on engagement. Targeted for younger visitors, guests were able to try their hand at making their very own Chinese scroll, as well as calligraphy and other creative activities.

key services

spatial design & build

visual communication

ideation & concept design

related news

Living with Ink: The Collection of Dr Tan Tsze Chor Exhibition was open to the public from 8^th November 2019 to 26^th April 2020 at the Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore.

Steel in Bloom

The goal was to deliver a multi-sensory touch point offering visitors a quiet respite amidst the hustle and bustle of the busy passenger terminal. Creating a thought-provoking hybrid display, Steel in Bloom is a novel experiential garden and a key rest stop for visitors when they enter the terminal.

to inspire

Steel in Bloom was themed around the idea of synergy between organic forms and mechanical elements. The centrepiece integrates living horticultural elements while the technology aspect speaks to the innovative nature of Terminal 4. The garden layout was also inspired by the fluidity of topographical lines, visually complementing Terminal 4’s ‘petal’ concept architecture as a whole.

to engage

The understructure comprises expansive tree-like branches which provide structural rigidity and strength. Layered with walls of lace-like steel, botanical motifs are exquisitely detailed and rendered in a contemporary papercut style. The second layer of the structure is more dimensional and inlaid with printed lighting, a high-tech, ultra-thin (1mm) and lightweight lighting system integrated into the forms of flower blossoms and butterflies. 

The third and final layer of the structure is designed to be interchangeable, with a moveable support and interlocking edges, allowing live air plants to be integrated into the structure as part of seasonal decorations. stalled together with a light show that takes full advantage of the sculpture’s intricate form.

to activate

Besides providing a key rest point for visitors among T4 retail shops, the garden embodies a remarkably accurate impression of Singapore as a world-class City in a Garden, introducing Singapore as a country with abundant lush greenery while remaining as a bustling metropolitan city. The main structure represents the symbiosis and interweaving of human artisanship and living plants, reminding us of the interdependence between Man and Nature.

Multiple prototypes, including 3D printed versions and full-scale mockups, were created to achieve the final buildable sculpture. The curved convex transparent terrarium covers were particularly challenging to fabricate, with extensive trials using materials like glass and high-density acrylic required to make a viable shape and achieve the correct look.

A zone for travellers to project their imagination and excitement while exploring the world and beholding the site of an engaging and visually-arresting landmark.