In the heart of Milan’s Cinque Vie district, beyond the sleek showrooms and Aperol-fueled events, stood one of the most influential and quietly confident exhibitions of this year’s Milan Design Week. Hosted in the Chiesa di San Bernardino alle Monache, a converted 13th-century church turned serene design space, Future Impact 3: DESIGN NATION provided a respite from the overwhelming array of furniture and brand showcases.
The exhibition, curated by Tony Chambers, Maria Cristina Didero, and Singaporean designer Hunn Wai, celebrated 60 years since Singapore’s independence. It guided visitors through the nation’s design evolution, from nostalgic cultural symbols to modern innovations and forward-thinking visions from students.
Split into three distinct sections within the church, the exhibition visually narrated the story. The right side highlighted design’s significance in Singapore’s history, the center showcased contemporary pieces from eight leading creatives, and the left side presented speculative concepts from the next generation. It was a chronological exploration of an identity shaped by design, brimming with purpose and emotion.
### Little island of brave ideas
The initial segment, known as Little Island of Brave Ideas, served as a heartfelt collection of everyday items that have influenced Singapore’s collective identity. For instance, the Singapore Airlines kebaya, crafted in 1974 by Parisian designer Pierre Balmain, embodied elegance and warmth with its batik-inspired pattern. It symbolized national branding executed with grace and thoughtfulness.
Equally significant was the Courtesy Campaign from 1979, designed to promote social harmony in Singapore’s bustling urban landscape. This initiative demonstrated the fusion of civic messaging and public design to cultivate a culture of courtesy as a way of life.
A blend of humor and innovation was evident in NEWBrew, a sustainable beer produced using NEWater, Singapore’s recycled water. This project, initiated in 2018, transformed scarcity into opportunity by brewing environmentally conscious craft beer from an underappreciated resource.
Additionally, the hawker plates, iconic symbols of Singaporean culinary heritage, showcased the deep social and cultural significance of even the simplest food vessels. Despite the shift towards standardized tableware, these plates continue to preserve the communal spirit of hawker dining, emphasizing how design can maintain cultural traditions.
### Present day pioneers
Transitioning to the contemporary realm, the exhibition highlighted eight diverse and thoughtful design responses to today’s global challenges. These creations were not just objects but intricate systems, thought-provoking concepts, and tools for sustainable living.
One standout piece was Fungariums in Space by Ng Sze Kiat (Bewilder), exploring fungi as both a visual element and functional source. These steel structures facilitated the growth of medicinal Ganoderma mushrooms at home, blending ancient wisdom with modern biotech aesthetics to promote health and well-being.
Sustainability took the spotlight in Wei Xiang’s Knots Stool, a minimalistic furniture piece crafted by knotting old curtains or blankets over a lightweight frame. No special tools or technical expertise are needed to create this furniture piece—it’s more of a sophisticated call to reimagine waste.
Fungariums in Space
Knots Stool
Kintsugi 2.0
Wishbone Bag
Supermama’s Kintsugi 2.0 reimagined the traditional Japanese art of ceramic repair by using gold-plated 3D-printed resin to mend broken vessels and reconstruct missing pieces. This blend of sustainability, craftsmanship, and technology challenges us to reconsider the concepts of restoration, preservation, and memory.
Next, Claudia Poh’s thoughtfully designed Wishbone Bag (Wearable) offers a sleek modular bag system that prioritizes accessibility and ease of use with one hand. Poh’s work embodies inclusive design without compromising on function or style.
In response to urban overcrowding, Sacha Leong (Nice Projects) created the Oku Screen, a visually appealing spatial divider crafted in collaboration with Indonesian artisans. Olivia Lee’s Matahari reimagines solar cooking with its layered terracotta forms, while Randy Yeo’s Modular explores Singapore’s graphic design heritage through sculptural typography made from recycled paper.
These pieces, rooted in local culture while resonating globally, blend sustainability, accessibility, and aesthetic clarity with remarkable grace.
Oku Screen
Matahari
Modular
Visionary Innovators
The church’s left wall showcased a speculative future shaped by curiosity, care, and poetic optimism rather than fear or dystopia.
TERA by Namjot Kaur stood out, a self-watering planter for climbing plants featuring a clever terracotta funnel system. This innovative approach to indoor gardening offers a low-maintenance yet fulfilling experience, embodying Singapore’s inventive spirit.
pNEWmatics by Eian Siew was a showstopper, utilizing inflatable air bladders for structural joinery and a vacuum-powered brace for post-surgical healing support. Celia by Kalinda Chen explored environmental futures with a fungi-powered air purifier using oyster mushroom mycelium to absorb pollutants.