Singapore Design Week
8th-10th March 2019 | Sherri Goh, Niken Wulandari Sutanto, Quratuaini Bte Jamil, Tang Chia Xing
Back Alley connected to Bukit Pasoh Road
Singapore Design Week was held on 4th-17th March with major highlights such as Brainstorm Design Forum, International Furniture Fair, Design and Heritage Trails, District Activation and Craft Markets. Street of Clans at Bukit Pasoh was part of the “Empower my Community” initiative that brings people, history and culture together. Majority of the clans in Singapore were set up long that road itself as part of the Straits Settlement that were there to support immigrants new to Singapore, like an extended family.
The lighting design concept for this event is inspired by the journey and experience of the people in the clans that travels to the unknown land by sailing through the deep water. “Sea the Light” is a lighting installation of being adrift in the tranquil dark blue of the sea. The relationship between human and nature is bridged by the warm lanterns that lit in the cool surrounding of the night.
Introduction to the Gan Clan
Located at the small alleyway at Bukit Pasoh Road, Lighting Detectives transformed thespace into an interactive and refreshing environment that invites people to use the space at night. The alley was immersed in sea-blue coloured lights that keeps moving as subtle as the movement of the waves. At the same time, the workshop engaged people to participate in the lighting installation by creating their own personal lanterns that was displayed together with others during the event. The lanterns decorated the space, creating a familiar warm feeling that welcomes people.
Programming of light with Martin
Hainging their works on display
In order to realise this concept, Lighting Detectives collaborated with lighting manufacturers in Singapore, who helped us throughout the whole preparation and installation process. Few weeks before the event, we started the coordination with Martin Lighting by Harman and ENDO Lighting to ensure the all of fixtures are available and ready to be used for the big day. Despite of the limited time and various restrictions on the venue, we managed to set up the installation successfully with our enthusiasm and excitement towards the event.
Lanterns in the sea
Light and shadow in the Water
Prior to the event, we had an internal session at the office to make 50 lanterns to create a base ambience for the set-up and preview of our installation. Mounting details for the fixtures were also made using unwanted stools in the office as affixed bases. These were all fabricated internally to support the upcycling spirit of the entire Design Festival.
Kids at the open workshop!
On the event day, we had kids workshop in which we encouraged locals around the neighborhood to do lantern making. We laid down a few craft items on the table; such as colored tracing paper, black construction paper, markers, color pencils and scissors. We had also prepared templates that we from the festival design for this event for them to use and draw. We noticed that participants preferred to be free and imaginative towards the subject or objects that they liked to draw. Although it slightly differed from our expected intentions and outcomes, the workshop was really popular and appreciated. Children were so impressed with what they made, that many of them wanted to bring it home for personal display. Instead, we had to request to display their lantern at the alley on staircases which glows in a golden hue against the sea blue background. To us, it still seems a success which represents the SEA OF IMAGINATION from our young local artists!
On the actual day, we had help from office staff and suppliers who volunteered for this event.
Participants started strolling in once the set-up was ready for the workshop. The workshop was well received by many, young and old, and at some point, the seats that we catered were not even enough to hold the number of participants. We had to stagger their visits so that everyone can work comfortably with the materials and help that we can provide them with. Although we had an online registration before the event, most of the participants that turned up were walk-ins, drawn by the crowd of the workshop and lighting setup. Participants get to design their own lanterns at the workshop and choose a location to place their lanterns at the back alley in collaboration with our lighting set up, and in line with the theme of ʻSea the Lightʼ .
Special thanks to Harman, Martin, ENDO, Kadampa Meditation Centre for the workshop venue as well as OuterEdit and Singapore Design Council for this opportunity to participate! （Sherri Goh）
