venice architecture biennale 08: singapore pavilion

installation view of the ‘singapore supergarden’ at the venice architecture biennale image © designboom

singapore’s ‘supergarden’ presents a series of 22 inter-related objects at this year’s biennale. the range of works are displayed along one long table that runs down the middle of the space. products from the disciplines of art, graphics, fashion and industrial design come together and exchange thoughts with one another, creating a dialogue about today’s world of design. the display’s surface is covered in turf, providing a visual garden of products.

the highlight of the exhibition are the pre-recorded conversations with the designers, which can be heard through dome-like structures which hang above each project. their discussions provide insight into local design thinking, culture and processes, highlighting the close knit bonds within the design community.

singapore’s pavilion presents the role of the architect as not only one that designs buildings. today, most have multidisciplinary roles, working across different fields of creativity. this is the vision of our future, where boundaries are removed and cross-pollination occurs.

image © designboom

‘the unreasonable beautiful fan of faith, hope and love’ by union image © designboom

a tribute to those who have inspired them, union created this hand-crafted fan featuring their colorful community and new work space in a former church atop mount sophia in singapore. the fan unites beauty and function and is a true symbol of asian culture. traditionally, decorative fans were used to tell stories, and union refers back to its simple technology to create a story which reflects their own attitude towards sustainability and their sensitivity towards people’s needs.

‘a representation of a sketch of a striped t-shirt’ by h55

a life size version of an incomplete sketch of a conventional striped t-shirt, the garment exists between concept and actualization. the t-shirt also expresses the transformation an idea from thought into form.

‘forest stool’ by outofstock

‘forest stool’ by outofstock’s gabriel tan, comes from memories of taking walks through shrouded woods on quiet mornings. the ‘Y’ shaped junction of the legs cross and appear much like tree branches, providing a stable tripod structure.

‘zeth’ by angelus novus studio

nicknamed the ‘dark knight’, ‘zeth’ is a bike whose form is derived from the kinetic sculptures and dark artwork portrayed in gotham city. a modern-day iron horse made from used parts, the bicycle’s frame is made from recycled steel, while the rims are fabricated from refurbished spokes. the bike also includes other vintage parts which have been sourced from various parts of the world.

image © designboom

peter sim, director of farmwork and curatorial lead for the singapore pavilion image © designboom