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15 curated works showcase the country’s distinctive design approach, explore innovative responses to pressing global challenges in life and world-making
SINGAPORE, April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Prototype Island, presented by the DesignSingapore Council, officially opens its doors at Foro Buonaparte 54, located in the prestigious Brera design district.
Prototype island is the Council’s brand new concept for the 2026 edition of Milan Design Week, following its successful Future Impact series. It presents the nation as a living prototype – never static, but constantly evolving, optimizing and working to solve global challenges through revolutionary design and technology.
The exhibition brings together established and emerging designers based in Singapore, providing a unique insight into the future-focused design solutions being developed today in one of the world’s leading design countries. Each participant was carefully selected by the lead curator Hun Wai (Lanzavecchia + Wai) and assistant curator Eian Siewwho were both part of Future Impact 3: DESIGN NATION in 2025.
At Foro Buonaparte 54, visitors discover forward-looking ideas that respond to the challenges of an increasingly globalized world, highlighting Singapore’s reputation for bold thinking, creativity and large-scale action. The exhibition layout is carefully designed to reflect its key themes, with lightweight and flexible structures that symbolize adaptability and continuous change.
Visitors are greeted by an installation designed by Lanzavecchia + Wai, which presents the 15 works brought together around three key themes: exploring modern challenges through experimentation with technology and materiality; rethinking how crafts can be preserved and developed alongside innovative interpretations of systems of care; and reshape the future of urban life.
Technological and material ecologies
Addressing global challenges through materiality, The parable handcrafted modular ceramic system Iris combines unique artistry with a ceramic design that can be reconfigured to meet the user’s changing needs, while ODD M. reuses post-consumer waste into durable and functional objects. Jake Tan, Ezekiel Ignatius Rodriguez Chiacchio, Bao Songyu presents a quantum-inspired interactive installation using classical computing to explore dynamic interactions reminiscent of everyday life. In the meantime, Carlos Banon And Yiping Goh display an AI-powered architecture and spatial planning platform that preserves creative ownership while streamlining the design process.
Care infrastructures and cultural continuities
Exploring the preservation of craftsmanship and its integration with technology are Serina Lee Language systemwhich draws on a bilingual Singaporean lens to fuse traditional Chinese calligraphy with the English alphabet into a system of constructing garments that are both digital and physical; That of Roger Ng Chandelier Seriesreimagining the traditional Peranakan tea table with mother-of-pearl designs using contemporary materials and digital production; and collaborators Melvin Ong, Shervon OngAnd Andy Yeowhich explore how 3D printing and traditional lacquer threading can coexist, creating vessels that bring technology into dialogue with rare Southeast Asian craftsmanship. Additi Neti reinterprets traditional South Indian practice pool drawing through computer and mechanical systems, without losing its embodied meaning.
Center design on care and accessibility, WriterThe 3D printed tactile book uses a three-tiered modular plate system that displays raised images and words written in Braille to create a more accessible reading experience for children. Celeste Seah explores reminiscence therapy for people with dementia, using generative AI to construct images when memory prompts to foster connection, storytelling and dignity in care. Creative agency we are great presents a collection of porcelain plates co-designed with people with disabilities, available for purchase throughout the week.
Everyday infrastructure
Propose solutions to improve daily life, ONE*STAR Innovation factory@SIMTech For Castomize introduces its innovative 4D printed, patient-centered cast system, offering a tailored alternative to conventional fiberglass casts. Singapore National Winner of the James Dyson Award 2025, Zoey Chan present Nidoa compact and modular insulin needle holder combining safety, convenience and discreet design; while Interactive Materials Laboratory transforms the everyday barcode into an interactive design object. Nodaby Reynard Seahtakes inspiration from plant cells to create a flexible joint system suitable for shelters, playgrounds and transformable structures.
“The fifteen works presented at Prototype island were chosen for their ability to translate research into action, shaping tangible responses that navigate constraints, uncertainty and lived realities with rigor and imagination,” said Hunn Wai, senior curator of Prototype island.
Alongside the exhibitions, the DesignSingapore Council will host a series of events throughout the week. These will include a series of lectures led by Maria Cristina Didero, which will explore key trends in contemporary design, from curation and collaborative practice to diverse approaches to prototyping, featuring the exhibition’s curators and designers, as well as guest speakers.
Additionally, the Council invites all visitors to a special “Singapore Night” event on Wednesday, April 22, filled with Singapore-inspired food, drinks and music.
“Prototype island and our public programming brings Singapore, Milan and the wider global design community. From roundtable discussions with curators and designers to Singapore Night, these moments create a space for exchange, connecting perspectives across cultures and disciplines, and reflecting our belief in design as a shared language for shaping a more livable, more enjoyable and limitless future,” said Dawn Lim, executive director of the DesignSingapore Council.
*END*
Notes to editors
Prototype island is presented by the DesignSingapore Council, with Senior Curator Hunn Wai, Assistant Curator Eian Siew and support from Maria Cristina Didero as Global Perspectives Advisor.
For the full list of designers and their works, see Appendix A. HERE
For images and more information, please see the link HERE.
Showcase Details
Address: Foro Buonaparte 54, 20121 Milano MI, Italy
Open every day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from April 21 to 26, 2026
Media contacts
DesignSingapore Council
Sarah Chong
Senior Director – Marketing Communications
sara_chong@designsingapore.org
Lim serene
Assistant Director – Marketing Communications
serene_lim@designsingapore.org
FINN partners for DesignSingapore Consulting
Zi Jun Liao
Senior Specialist
zijun.liao@finnpartners.com
Danny Huang
Director
danny.huang@finnpartners.com
About DesignSingapore Council
The DesignSingapore Council’s (Dsg) vision is for Singapore to be, by design, a livable, enjoyable and limitless city. As the national design agency, our mission is to develop the design sector to be globally competitive, champion the use of design for innovation and growth in Singapore, and improve life in this UNESCO Creative City of Design. The DSG is a subsidiary of the Singapore Economic Development Board.
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SOURCE DesignCouncil of Singapore
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