Crafting Narratives for Future Worlds

The project reimagines the potential of virtual reality (VR) as a tool for exploring and showcasing the intricate relationship between design and societal evolution. This project, a collaborative endeavour between the BA (Hons) Arts Management program at LASALLE College of the Arts, University of the Arts Singapore, and visceral reality artist Benedict Yu, seeks to demonstrate how design, at its core, is a human-centred endeavour that shapes not just physical spaces, but also intangible cultural narratives and community identities in a mixed reality environment.

The project employs VR technology to illustrate how design principles have been instrumental in transforming Singapore into a “liveable and loveable” city. Participants will be encouraged to reflect on their own experiences and contributions, articulating how design has impacted their lives and the lives of those around them.

The project will feature a VR Installation as well as facilitate interactive workshops where community members can participate in the creation of their “design vessels.” These workshops will provide a platform for dialogue and exchange, fostering a sense of collective ownership and celebrating the diverse contributions that have shaped Singapore’s urban design narrative. By engaging directly with communities, the project aims to preserve and showcase intangible heritage, capturing the stories and experiences that are often overlooked in traditional design narratives.

Supported by: Our Singapore Fund, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and The School of Creative Industries at LASALLE College of the Arts, University of the Arts Singapore

In collaboration with: Poetry Festival Singapore, Project Broken Barges, Checkpoint Theatre

Advisory
This VR experience is not recommended for persons with epilepsy, heart conditions, motion sickness, or those who are pregnant. Avoid participation if you are currently experiencing fatigue, nausea, or are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Participants must be aged 13 or older, and minors under 18 require supervision by a parent or guardian. By proceeding, you acknowledge these health and safety advisories.

Top image: Angela Kristie Rustham and Amila Khairana Binte Abdul Rahmat

This exhibition investigates the intersection of vernacular craft—particularly rattan and woven techniques—with dystopian aesthetics and biomimicry. Through a speculative lens, design students explore how environmental crises might reshape humanity’s relationship with natural materials. The resulting furniture reimagines sitting and resting in unconventional scenarios, drawing inspiration from flora and biological systems. Each piece integrates traditional craft with biomimetic forms to offer functional innovation and visual intrigue, presenting a vision of the future rooted in the wisdom of the past.

Top Image: Design by Calvino Kho

Singapore: A Design Thesis in the Making is a multidisciplinary project that reimagines Singapore through a matrix of sites and situations—both physical and conceptual. This project explores Singapore as a city, a home, a memory, a moment, a philosophical site, a living archive, a collective identity, and a field of imagination. The exhibition interrogates and expands the understanding of Singapore by situating it within everyday lived experiences, historical tensions, cultural mythologies, and speculative futures. The exhibition aspires to foster a deeper appreciation of Singapore’s multifaceted identity and the role of design in shaping the narratives that define it.

Top Image: Design by Djohan Johari