Future Impact 3: Design Nation
Future Impact 3: DESIGN NATION takes centre stage at Salone del Mobile 2025, presenting a bold vision of Singaporean design as a catalyst for change. Hosted by the DesignSingapore Council, this immersive showcase at Milan's historic Chiesa di San Bernardino alle Monache will spotlight 14 forward-thinking Singaporean designers, from established studios to emerging talents.
Curated by Tony Chambers and Maria Cristina Didero, with Singaporean co-curator Hunn Wai, each of the exhibition’s three sections offers a fresh perspective on Singapore’s design evolution and future trajectory. Visitors will step first into Little Island of Brave Ideas, which charts six decades of Singapore’s design-led evolution. From pioneering public housing strategies to innovative urban solutions, this section highlights how the city-state has harnessed a design-forward approach to become one of the world’s most liveable cities.
The exhibition centrepiece, Future Impact, showcases eight contemporary Singaporean designers tackling global challenges through sustainable materials, adaptive production methods and human-centric design. These include an intuitive shape-shifting bag by adaptive-wear designer Claudia Poh, a design collective that enhances patient care through its new prototyping initiative, and explorations of new energy sources – such as a solar-powered cooker.
The third segment, Virtuoso Visionaries, turns the spotlight on six of Singapore’s next generation of designers. Expect future-focused projects from these emerging talents that reimagine emergency housing, experiment with biodegradable materials and explore AI’s role in cultural preservation.
Alongside these exhibition segments, DesignSingapore Council will host a series of daily workshops and events, including a special live broadcast on Monocle Radio. Join us from 15.00 on 9 April for hourly interviews with designers and curators, with cocktails served from 18.30.
Events
8-10 April
Morning Coffee Inventor’s Chat
10.00 — 11.30
8-13 April
Daily Curator’s Tour
11.00 — 12.00
9 April
Live with Monocle Radio
15.00 — 20.30 (cocktails served from 18.30)
11 April
Singapore Friday Late Party
17.00 — 22.00 (with cocktails and canapés)
Daily workshops
8, 10 and 12 April
Learn Singlish in 15 Minutes!
11.00 — 13.00
8, 10 and 12 April
Kiat’s Fungarium Workshop
15.00 — 17.00
9, 11 and 13 April
Kiat’s Fungarium Workshop
11.00 — 13.00
9, 11 and 13 April
Learn Singlish in 15 Minutes!
15.00 — 17.00
Future Impact 3: DESIGN NATION
Chiesa di San Bernardino alle Monache, Milan, Italy
