Factsheet | Annex A
FIFTY YEARS OF SINGAPORE DESIGN
EMBARGOED TILL 12 MARCH 2015, 2000 HRS SINGAPORE TIME
Overview
The DesignSingapore Council presents the Fifty Years of Singapore Design (FYSD) exhibition
as a tribute to Singapore’s 50th year of independence. The exhibition is a documentation of
Singapore’s design landscape over 1965 to 2015. It showcases how design has evolved and
contributed to Singapore’s economy and nation development over the last five decades. Held at
the National Design Centre (NDC), the FYSD is one of the key highlights of the Singapore
Design Week 2015.
The FYSD exhibition chronicles the works of pioneer designers of the early years, and serves as
a platform to showcase emerging designers of today, narrated through a journey of the history of
design in Singapore. Visitors can view more than 200 exhibits of visuals, artefacts, videos and
stories that reflect trends, movements and values of each decade. The exhibition is open daily
from 10 March, 9am to 9pm, and admission is free.
Exhibition Concept
Showcasing five decades of iconic, pivotal and popular designs in Singapore, the FYSD
exhibition seeks to capture the spirit of Singapore design through the decades. It includes
designs from four fields, namely Visual Communications, Product and Industrial Design, Fashion
and Accessories, and Environmental Design.
Visitors can choose to experience Singapore’s design heritage via through two tracks - by
chronological order or design fields. Within each decade, visitors can also compare the
development of the different design fields.
One of the highlights of the exhibition is the Singapore Design Timeline which marks the
milestones and events that have steered the development of the local design scene such as the
establishment of the relevant government agencies, design institutions, independent creative
collectives, as well as major design awards, competitions and festivals.
A more extensive feature on all the designs and designers will be published in a book later this
year.
Curation Process
Commissioned by the DesignSingapore Council, the team comprising WY-TO for curatorial and
content, Gallagher & Associates Asia for exhibition design, and Pico Art International for project
management, fabrication and execution, was appointed for the project. The FYSD exhibition’s
conceptualisation commenced in June 2014, followed by six months of research, curation and
collation of exhibits. The curatorial journey included in-depth interviews and collaborations with
various designers.
Exhibition Venue
The Fifty Years of Singapore Design is a permanent exhibition located at the National Design
Centre. Home to the DesignSingapore Council, the National Design Centre plays an important
role as a confluence of Singapore’s design scene. Located in the arts and cultural district of
Singapore, it serves as an excellent venue to invite the public to learn about the chronicles of
Singapore design through the exhibition.
Fact Sheet | Annex A1
EXHIBITION DESIGN
The conceptual approach for the Fifty Years of Singapore Design exhibition documents the five
decades of the country’s design history in a visually immersive setting. It progresses from a 2dimensional (2-D) to a 3-dimensional (3-D) environment and evolves in form and character
through each decade.
The exhibition follows a chronological flow, from the early years of nation building to the current
day, with a foresight into the future. As they walk through the exhibition space, visitors will notice
that each section shows a distinct character through images and with the more recent decades,
through 3-D artefacts and videos.
The exhibition comprises a large 3-D grid of 50 cm by 50 cm squares and cubes, with each slot
within the grid showcasing iconic, popular or pivotal designs that have played a role in defining
the design landscape of Singapore. A large, three-storey graphic wall mural extends the grid
beyond the eye level and up the wall into a triple volume spatial void. The wall mural displays all
of the celebrated designs in a large format, expanding on the vast amount of noteworthy designs
in the space. Similarly, visitors can also view the wall mural images and track the development in
chronological order or by design fields.
The main focal point of the exhibition is a large cubic installation of images and lighted cubes
and stories that serves to anchor the whole exhibition as well as divide the spatial environment.
The structure consists of solid and transparent 50 cm by 50 cm cubes (a reference to 50 years)
and is a dynamic representation of the diversity and variety of designs throughout the last five
decades.
Factsheet | Annex A2
DESCRIPTION OF DECADES AND DESIGN FIELDS
Introduction to the Decades
1965–1975: Building a Nation
Singapore’s early years after independence were a period of nation building. The creative efforts
of this period were focused on domestic needs such as providing housing for the population,
establishing civic institutions, constructing public buildings, and setting up the infrastructure for a
new industrialised economy.
Town planning and building programmes were a keynote of this time, as was the development of
a national identity through national symbols such as state emblems and architecture. Vocational
institutes that taught craft and technical skills such as commercial art (now graphic design),
dress-making, woodworking and printing were set up.
1975–1985: Economic Boom
The late 1970s and the early 1980s saw Singapore emerge as an economic powerhouse. On
the back of the nation’s economic success the local design industry began to take shape.
In this decade, the entry of foreign multinational corporations that invested in design research
and development activities heralded the start of an industrial design scene in the country.
The economy was on the upswing with the nation’s growth creating corresponding demand for
new lifestyle choices, leading to the flourish of the arts, cultural, and fashion sectors. This period
of growth saw local design houses and architecture practices mushroom.
1985–1995: New Technologies
The late 1980s saw the Singapore economy rebound from the 1985 Asian Financial Crisis to
assume an outward orientation and open itself to the world in trade and investment. The
Singapore Trade Development Board promoted design to businesses as a tool to create new
products and brands with strong market competitiveness. Efforts were made to raise design
consciousness and design was beginning to be recognised as a professional practice. This was
also a time when several independent design associations were formed.
The advent of the home computer and the cell phone had already signalled the dawn of the
digital information age. Local designers adopted new technology and new modes of working.
The sense of progressiveness and openness can be observed in the built environment too.
Singapore welcomed foreign architects and global ideas that would shape it into a modern city.
With increasing appreciation for designed spaces, a local interior design market also emerged at
this time.
1995 – 2005: Going Global
The turn of the millennium saw Singapore designers step into the international arena to make a
name for themselves overseas. Across all fields, the industry was in full swing: product
designers were setting up their own brands, fashion designers were showing and exporting
overseas, photographers and visual communication designers were invited to work with
international brand names.
With the achievement of international recognition came too, a sense of local design identity and
a confidence to explore. On home grounds, a new generation of local architects started to
reinterpret traditional typologies. The establishment of the DesignSingapore Council to develop
the design sector to help to enhance the nation’s value proposition, and contribute to the
country’s economic growth and quality of life, was yet another turning point in Singapore’s
creative industry landscape.
2005–2015: Looking Back, Looking Forward
The Singapore design scene has flourished into a vibrant and dynamic creative culture.
With the advent of Web 2.0, designers are working in an even more fluid, borderless creative
environment. This is a time of speed and connection, and the scene abounds with collaborations
across disciplines. Designers are constantly experimenting and innovating to make things better,
faster or simply, more delightful.
In the hive of activity, there is a movement of ‘looking back’. This is set against global trends
such as the return of craft; and in a more local context, a ‘return to roots’. The trend is not just
about nostalgia, but an active reinvention with an interest to preserve and conserve what has
been done in the past. The Singapore design scene has taken on a spirit, a character, and an
energy as it looks towards the future.
Introduction to the Design Fields
Visual Communications (VC)
Visual Communications broadly encompasses brand design, advertising design, publication
design, and information design such as way-finding systems and web interfaces.
Product and Industrial Design (PI)
Product and Industrial Design is the development and preparation of products for manufacture. It
can include packaging design, furniture design, gadget design, and automotive and
transportation design.
Fashion & Accessories (FA)
Fashion & Accessories encompasses the design and construction of clothing and personal
accessories including footwear and jewellery. The articles produced fall in the main categories of
haute couture, ready-to-wear, and mass market.
Environmental Design (EN)
Environmental Design encompasses the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, urban
design, interior design, exhibition design and set design.
It generally refers to the creation of spaces and spatial experiences across a range of scales,
from regional strategies that address issues such as population growth and climate change to
detailed designs of retail, exhibition, and residential interiors.
Factsheet | Annex A3
HIGHLIGHTS OF EXHIBITS
DECADE 1 (1965 – 1975): BUILDING A NATION
The National Flag of Singapore (1959/1965)
Dr Toh Chin Chye and Committee
Visual Communications
In 1959, a new state flag was created after Singapore became a self-governing state under
British rule. It was developed by a committee led by then Deputy Prime Minister Toh Chin
Chye. A lesser-known fact is that the flag design reconciled different racial symbols and ideals
– red which represents good fortune for the Chinese, and red and white which represent
colours for courage and purity for the Malays; the Chinese wanted the stars as they were
inspired by the flag of communist China and the Malays wanted a crescent moon.
Cocktail Dresses from Singapore’s Pioneer Couturier (1960s)
Roland Chow
Fashion & Accessories
Christened Singapore’s ‘Mr. Dior’ in the 1960s, Roland Chow was credited as the first designer
to modernise the cheongsam and to introduce the French chignon to Singaporean women, and
was sought-after for his haute couture cocktail dresses.
An all-round fashion figure, Chow’s contribution was prolific and diverse. On top of running his
boutique Coral Company and the Roland Hairstyling and Fashion Centre, he organised fashion
shows around Singapore’s hotels and nightclubs. He also contributed to fashion literature.
Singapore Airlines Sarong Kebaya (1968)
Pierre Balmain
Fashion & Accessories
The iconic 'sarong kebaya' was based on a two-piece blouse-skirt costume worn traditionally by
women in the Southeast Asia region. Tailored to provide comfort in a flattering silhouette, the
SIA sarong kebaya consists of a semi-fitting blouse paired with a hip-hugging long skirt in a
batik material that reflects the airline’s Asian heritage.
The ensemble took the French couturier Pierre Balmain over a year to design, and is detailed
even in the straps of the flight sandals. Balmain had insisted that the uniforms were fully tailored.
To this day, each crew member has two fittings with the SIA in-house tailor and she is provided
with four sets of uniform each year.
Pandan Valley
Tan Cheng Siong
Environmental Design
Pandan Valley Condominium is Singapore’s first condominium housing estate, with a high
density residential complex offering a range of spacious living units designed for a sense of
place, and connection to the land and environment. The estate has generous green spaces
weaved through the seven buildings, creating a big, shared garden, encouraging a sense of
community and neighbourhood.
The condominium also has a retail component to serve its residents, another first in the private
housing sector in Singapore.
DECADE 2 (1975 – 1985): ECONOMIC BOOM
Le Cube Portable Radio Cassette Recorder (1980s)
Murray Camens, Philips Singapore
Product and Industrial Design
The snazzy Le Cube Portable Radio Cassette Recorder was one of the first products Philips
created for the lifestyle market. A fun piece of equipment for the young-at-heart, the Le Cube
was designed for beach parties. Besides a bright plastic casing and a removable, washable
grille, it also had a storage compartment to keep cassettes or cans of drinks.
Changi Airport Terminal 1 (1981)
Public Works Department, Interiors by Indeco, Bent Severin & Associates
Environmental Design
When Singapore Changi Airport started operations with the opening of its first passenger
terminal building, Terminal 1 (T1), it was considered an airport par excellence.
The design of the world-class airport boasts efficiency and functionality, and the passenger
experience was elevated by elegant interior finishes and user-friendly amenities that surpassed
the design standards of many other international airports of that time.
Accompanied by the iconic 78-metre tall control tower, T1 was a beacon and a hallmark of the
level of excellence a young nation could achieve.
Mixables Collection (1987)
Thomas Wee
Fashion & Accessories
Designed by renowned fashion veteran, Thomas Wee, ‘Mixables’ was the first career wear line
designed for women in Singapore by a local designer. Known as the King of Jackets, the
collection showcased coordinated separates that could be mixed and matched, with lean and
clean-cut silhouettes and in colours that are bold in solid shades.
Thomas was inspired by the colourful Memphis style of post-modernist 1980s and would
arrange the pieces by their colours against the all-black backdrop of his Wisma Atria boutique,
creating a dramatic display.
DECADE 3 (1985 – 1995): NEW TECHNOLOGIES
World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference Singapore, Corporate Identity & Event
Design (1996)
Su Yeang Design (now LlyodNorthover Yeang Pte Ltd)
Visual Communications
Resembling a spinning globe, the World Trade Organization (WTO) logo has a dynamism that
symbolizes member nations meeting to forge strategic alliances in international trade.
The logo first emerged as a winning design from over 200 entries in an international logo design
competition in 1996. Its creator, Su Yeang, was subsequently appointed lead consultant and
design partner for the inaugural WTO Ministerial Conference hosted by Singapore. The logo was
unanimously accepted by all 127 member nations, and adopted by WTO as its official identity in
1997.
Unica Plastic Stool (1990s)
Chew Moh-Jin (Design Counsel)
Product and Industrial Design
These ubiquitous and sturdy plastic stools were designed especially for use in Kopitiams. At the
end of each working day, they can be stacked and you could put a chain through the holes in
the middle of the stools.
The stool was first produced by Singa Plastics, a Singapore manufacturer of beer crates and
pipes. Still popularly used in kopitiams and eateries today, the plastic stool is an integral part of
the everyday makan culture in Singapore.
Singapore National Exhibition (1984)
Pico Art International
Environmental Design
In celebration of Singapore’s 25 years of nation building, Pico provided construction services for
this mammoth project that occupied three halls of the then-World Trade Centre in Singapore.
Visitors to the exhibition learned of Singapore’s accomplishments in the area of economic
growth, physical development and communications, education and health services, social and
cultural environment.
A variety of display tableaux and audio-visual experiences were created to communicate the
exhibition storyline. The multimedia experience was an impressive feat in the pre-digital age.
DECADE 4 (1995 – 2005): GOING GLOBAL
Guinness ‘Word of Wisdom’ TV Advertisement
Lim Sau Hoong/10AM Communications
Visual Communications
Lim Sau Hoong is one of Singapore’s most visionary brand thinkers, well known for her ability to
communicate brand messages through compelling TV campaigns—often masterful tapestries of
visual vocabulary, poetry, rhythm and stirring music woven into strong storylines.
The Guinness ‘Word of Wisdom’ television advertisement, featuring Hong Kong celebrity
George Lam, was one of the most unforgettable commercials of the decade, which proved to
be one of Lim’s most recognisable and timeless piece of work, having ran for half a decade
from 1989 to 1994. The TV ad successfully found its way into Singapore and Hong Kong’s
popular culture.
DECADE 5 (2005 – 2015): LOOKING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD
IKEA Bookbook
Maurice Wee & Tinus Strydom (BBH Asia-Pacific)
Visual Communications
With over 13 million views on YouTube, over one million shares across social media, 82,000
likes on Facebook, winning advertising awards and making headlines across global mainstream
media outlets, the IKEA bookbook was a clever advertising campaign. It was conceived by BBH
Asia Pacific in Singapore for the Swedish furniture chain, IKEA for its 2015 catalogue. It was
conceptualised as a spoof of the iconic campaigns of Apple. It invites users to ‘experience the
power of a book’ and rediscover ‘the original touch interface’, while highlighting ‘selling features’
such as ‘eternal battery life’ and pages that ‘load instantly, with zero lag’.
Teochew Festival 2014
Lim Sau Hoong/10AM Communications
Visual Communications
Led by advertising veteran Lim Sau Hoong’s 10AM Communications, the agency produced a
series of videos to promote the Singapore Teochew Festival. The event was organised by the
Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan to commemorate its 85th anniversary.
Taking its cue from the ‘png kueh’ or rice cake, the logo was developed as an artistic
interpretation of this distinctive Teochew snack. Eight ‘png kueh’s were graphically woven in a
circle to symbolize values such as ‘harmony, community, union and family ties’. To attract the
participation of younger audiences using social media, Lim Sau Hoong also created a series of
short videos on YouTube featuring different groups of people – children, a female string quartet,
a male choir – singing and playing the jingle “Teochew nang, kaki nang”.
The Pinnacle@Duxton
Arc Studio & Urbanism
Environmental Design
The Pinnacle@Duxton is Singapore’s first public housing development with 50-storey blocks.
The project demonstrates that high-rise, high-density housing is liveable and sustainable. By
addressing both the pragmatic and the metaphysical, the Pinnacle@Duxton paved the way for a
new form of urbanism that broke design barriers in providing a sense of spaciousness even
though the units were compact.
Initial ‘Signature’ product range
Orcadesign Consultants
Product and Industrial Design
The Initial ‘Signature’ Range sets itself to be the next icon of hygiene service products through
design innovation. The range addresses hygiene needs through the integration of sensor
technologies and user-centric interaction. The structure is built based on ergonomic studies of
layout, positioning and user interaction, which promotes the accessibility of product for
customers, and the serviceability for staff.
Indian Heritage Centre Architectural Design Competition
Environmental Design
Inspired by the “Baoli” (or Indian stepped well), the winning design by Robert Greg Shand
Architects and URBNarc for the Indian Heritage Centre celebrates the multi-faceted nature of
Indian culture through the use of a translucent shimmering façade that showcases the IHC as a
“shining jewel” in the day while transitioning by night into a “glowing lantern” of the Indian
community when the colourful mural behind the façade lights up.
Located at the Little India Heritage District, the centre is scheduled to open in 2015 and will
feature small-scale museum facilities as well as programming and educational spaces.
TIMELINE STORIES
Baharuddin Vocational Institute
Environmental Design
Baharuddin Vocational Institute (BVI) is Singapore’s first tertiary school dedicated to manual and
applied arts in Singapore. The school started operations under the Vocational and Industrial
Training Board in 1969 at the Kim Keat Vocational School. In 1971, with funding from United
Kingdom Special Aid and donations from Federal Republic of Germany, the institute, which had
up to then been housed on the campuses of other vocational schools, officially opened as BVI. It
had five departments: Applied Arts, Fashion, Handicrafts, Printing, and Woodworking.
Over the years, the institute’s course offerings moved from technical craft to be more designfocused courses such as Graphic Design, Product Design, Interior Design, Dressmaking, Dollmaking and 3-D Design.
In 1990, with the inception of Temasek Polytechnic, students from BVI were absorbed into the
Polytechnic's School of Design. It was there that professional courses were differentiated from
technician-level courses, and School of Design started with three diploma programmes: Product
Design, Graphic Design and Interior Architecture & Design.