Nation by Design
Josephine Koh, the new representative of the German Design Council in Singapore, attended Singapore Design Week on our behalf. On site, she observed how the festival highlighted design as an integral part of government planning, social development and economic innovation strategies. At the same time, this year’s edition linked the theme ‘Nation by Design’ with the city-state’s 60th anniversary, showcasing design as a driving force behind its past and future development.
The most striking example of this was the ‘Unnatural History Museum’ of Singapore at the National Design Centre. Curated by Kinetic Singapore, the atrium was transformed into a fictional natural history museum: a Merlion fossil, cyborg cockroaches developed for rescue missions, and drones securing urban agriculture told the story of a country without natural resources, forced to reinvent itself time and again. Here, Singapore’s history was staged not as coincidence, but as a deliberate achievement of design.
Urban Spaces as Laboratories
This narrative extended across the entire city. At Singapore Science Park, the Reinvention programme showcased the close interplay of technology, research, and design. In the Marina Central District, Design for Care highlighted that care is not merely an attitude but a principle that can be actively shaped. The Orchard District gave young designers a platform to rethink consumption and youth culture in collaboration with brands such as MUJI and Aesop. Meanwhile, in Bras Basah.Bugis, The Sausage of the Future: Singapore Edition demonstrated how even everyday foods can become a stage for cultural identity and sustainability.
Design as a Market and a Promise for the Future
At the FIND – Design Fair Asia exhibition at Marina Bay Sands, more than 250 international brands made it clear that design is far more than a cultural resource. National pavilions from Thailand, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Indonesia illustrated how countries position themselves on the global stage through design. In parallel, the EMERGE showcase presented the work of over seventy emerging Asian talents, where material experimentation intersected with sustainable product concepts and speculative design. While the pavilions embodied national identities, EMERGE gave voice to a generation intent on actively shaping its future. Together, FIND and EMERGE demonstrated that Nation by Design is not a local narrative but an international business arena—where cultural identity and economic strategy converge.
The DesignSingapore Council Sets the Pace
The DesignSingapore Council, a government agency under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, stands behind this clear positioning. Tasked with developing the nation’s design policy, it has been driving the implementation of the Design 2025 Masterplan for years. This roadmap explicitly defines design as a strategic tool for innovation, economic growth, and social development.
“Design has always been part of Singapore’s story, influencing how we live, grow and move forward together. With ‘Nation by Design’ as our theme, we invite everyone to celebrate how design has played a part in our everyday lives, and continues to spark our creativity and ingenuity to write Singapore’s next chapter,” explained festival director Jody Teo.
Dawn Lim, Executive Director of the DesignSingapore Council, added: “Singapore is a Nation by Design. This year’s Singapore Design Week is a celebration of our distinct creative courage, ideas, and possibilities. It’s a chance to honour what we’ve built together, recognise good design all around us, and to imagine bold new ways forward for our nation and the world.”
Design as a National Strategy
Backed by the DesignSingapore Council and embedded in a government roadmap, design was presented as a national strategy at Singapore Design Week. It was not merely showcased but systematically anchored as a tool for politics, business, and society — an ambition that goes beyond what European festivals are currently achieving.
In spring, Milan reaffirmed its position as the global marketplace with the Salone del Mobile. In September, London focused on landmark projects and urban installations, while Paris, under the theme Regeneration, highlighted trends and lifestyle. Running almost concurrently with Singapore Design Week, the Vienna Design Week continues until 5 October 2025, emphasising the close ties between urban spaces, neighbourhoods, and curated focal points. Shortly afterwards, from 18–26 October, Eindhoven will celebrate experimentation and look to the future under the motto Past. Present. Possible.
By contrast, Singapore elevates design to a national priority. In doing so, the city-state underscores the significance of design far beyond the festival framework, positioning it as a driving force for innovation, identity, and the collective future of an entire nation.
Strengthened Engagement in Asia
With the establishment of its subsidiary German Design Services Pte. Ltd., the German Design Council has expanded its presence into another international design hub. Since May 2025, Josephine Koh has served as the Council’s representative in Singapore. A native of Singapore, she works as a Project Manager in the Awards & Marketing department, supporting activities across the Asia region.
