Cyborg Cockroaches, Future Sausages & More: What to See At Singapore Design Week 2025

It’s Singapore’s 60th birthday, and instead of a greatest-hits parade, Singapore Design Week 2025, which takes place September 11 - 21 across the island, is asking a deeper question: What if everything that shaped this country was, actually, by design?

This year’s theme, “Nation by Design,” traces how the city was built not just on policies and planning, but on creativity, constraint, and some bold design choices. The nation’s largest design-led festival unfolds across four Design Districts, each with its own mood: Bras Basah.Bugis dives into surreal storytelling with a Merlion fossil and cyborg cockroaches at the “Unnatural History Museum”; Orchard hands the mic to Gen Z at SCAPE’s “Open Design Dialogue”; Marina Bay slows things down with “Design for Care” — think inclusive playgrounds and rest pods; and for the first time, Singapore Science Park joins the mix, reimagining what innovation looks like through installations, experiments, and a whole lot of tech-meets-art energy.

This year’s SDW is playful, sometimes odd, and genuinely thoughtful — a reminder that design isn’t just about aesthetics, but about how we live. Here, some of the events that caught our eye:

1. EMERGE @ FIND

What it’s about: EMERGE @ FIND is the fresh, boundary-pushing design showcase spotlighting over 70 emerging and established talents from across Asia — now expanded beyond Southeast Asia to include creators from China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and more. Curated by Singaporean designer Edwin Low (founder of Supermama) and Suzy Annetta of Design Anthology, it dives into “Dialogue through Design,” exploring how objects can tell stories, connect cultures, and address social and environmental issues through innovative materials and craftsmanship.

Why you should go: The fair is a rare chance to see the cutting edge of Asian design, all in one space—where tradition meets innovation, and sustainability takes center stage. This edition marks its most inclusive and expansive line-up yet, positioning Singapore as a cultural hub connecting creative minds across the region. Plus, it doesn’t stop at the fair: look out for the accompanying retail activation at the Supermama Store @ Asian Civilisations Museum (on now till September 21), as well as an inclusive design showcase at Enabling Village running in October. If you care about the future of design — and who’s leading it — EMERGE is the space to watch.

Where: Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Hall A (Level 1), 10 Bayfront Avenue

When: September 11 - 13, 10am - 6pm, register here

2. Unnatural History Museum of Singapore

What it’s about: A surreal, satirical take on Singapore’s 60-year transformation, reimagined as a “natural history” museum of an entirely man-made nation. Created by Pann Lim and Kinetic Singapore, the exhibition features cyborg cockroaches (yes, real prototypes), hybrid flora, reimagined city habitats, and a giant Merlion “fossil.” It’s split into three themed sections: R/Evolutionary Life, Growing Habitats, and The Resourceful Island.

Why you should go: It’s one of the most imaginative and visually striking shows of Singapore Design Week 2025 — part sci-fi, part national introspection. If you’re into design, storytelling, or just weirdly clever ideas, this is the one to see. It’s also a rare chance to explore how Singapore’s identity has been shaped not by nature, but by pure design intention.

Where: National Design Centre, 111 Middle Road, Atrium, Level 1

When: September 11 - October 26, 9am - 9pm

3. Lines Of Influence

What it’s about: The exhibition Lines of Influence is a creative rallying cry, bringing together 35 of Singapore’s top designers and illustrators in a celebration of generosity, mentorship, and cross-disciplinary dialogue. Curated by Jonathan Nah (Kiat), the show honors the late JunYang Pow — a rising star in Singapore’s design scene whose final wish was to support emerging creatives. The exhibition launches the JYP Creative Legacy Fund, which provides seed funding and platforms for early-career artists to showcase their own projects, nurturing the next generation.

Why you should go: This is a rare chance to see such a broad spectrum of local design talent come together in one space. It’s not just art on walls — it’s a testament to how knowledge-sharing and community spirit can shift the design landscape for the better. If you care about the future of creativity in Singapore, this show’s a must-see. Plus, with talks and tours, you get to dive deep into the heart of the city’s design culture.

Where: Art Outreach, 5 Lock Road, #01-06, Gillman Barracks

When: September 5 - 14, 11am – 7pm

4. The Sausage of the Future: Singapore Edition

What it’s about: This exhibit reimagines one of the world’s oldest designed foods as a lens for sustainability and innovation. Bringing together local culture, science, and design, the exhibition uses anatomical sausage models by Dutch-Zurich designer Carolien Niebling to unpack ingredients, nutrition, and form. Collaborating with Singapore-based chefs and creatives, the show explores pressing food issues like waste, biodiversity, and the psychology of disgust through inventive sausages made from seaweed, native flowers, offal, and dried fruits.

Why you should go: This isn’t just a quirky food exhibit—it’s a thoughtful, immersive experience that challenges how we think about what lands on our plates and how design can rethink food systems. If you care about the future of food, sustainability, or just want to witness bold creativity meeting urgent real-world problems, this is where design gets deliciously meaningful.

Where: NAFA Fashion Gallery, NAFA Campus 2, 38 Bencoolen Street

When: September 11 - October 19, 9am - 9pm

5. Future Impact 3: DESIGN NATION Homecoming Showcase

What it’s about: After turning heads at Milan Design Week this April, the exhibition Future Impact 3: DESIGN NATION returns to Singapore as the flagship show of Singapore Design Week 2025, marking 60 years of local design ingenuity.

Curated by Tony Chambers, Maria Cristina Didero, and—making his debut—Singaporean designer Hunn Wai, the showcase brings together 14 design studios and rising talents across fashion, furniture, healthcare, and speculative living. Organised into three immersive chapters, it reflects on how design has shaped the nation, tackles urgent issues like sustainability and inclusive care, and spotlights new voices reimagining identity and craft. Expect adaptive fashion, fungi furniture, and design interventions that touch everything from emergency wards to AI-woven textiles.

Why you should go: This is a rare opportunity to see how Singapore’s design scene is shaping the future—boldly, thoughtfully, and globally. With immersive storytelling, future-facing panels, and no-registration-needed talks featuring names like Olivia Lee, Supermama, and Claudia Poh, the exhibition is as much about where we’ve been as where we’re headed.

Where: National Design Centre, 111 Middle Road

When: September 11 – November 2, 10am - 7pm

6. Another World Is Possible

What it’s about: Yes the future tends to be depicted in dystopian terms (who can blame creators?) but the new exhibition Another World Is Possible offers an alternative that’s focused on long-term thinking, environmental care, and community responsibility. Featuring visionary works from local and global creatives like architect Liam Young, musician Bjork, and design studios WOHA and Pomeroy Studio, the show imagines hopeful, alternative futures. Expect to see biodiverse vertical cities, floating farms, AI-driven textiles, and immersive storytelling that mix design, architecture, art, and science.

Why you should go: Step into an inspiring space where the future isn’t scary, but something we can actively design and shape together. The exhibition comes with special talks, a thought-provoking symposium with artists and futurists, plus guided tours that dive deep into speculative worlds and local culture. It’s a powerful invitation to rethink how creativity, storytelling, and design can build a future rooted in care, innovation, and possibility.

Where: ArtScience Museum, Marina Bay Sands, 6 Bayfront Avenue

When: September 13 - February 22, 2026, 10am - 7pm (week days), 10am - 9pm (Fridays and Saturdays), get your tickets here

7. HOT BODIES

What it’s about: HOT BODIES is a bold look at how fashion needs to catch up with climate change. As the planet heats up, our clothes haven’t evolved—yet. This exhibition by Singapore-based design firm Anak brings together artists and designers like Jean Jullien, Harri, and local star Tanchen Studio, all teaming up with Anak to create next-level apparel that fights heat, rethinks materials, and keeps bodies cool and protected in a warming world.

Why you should go: Get in on the ground floor with Anak’s exclusive preview—see the creative process up close, meet the makers, and get a first look at pieces that could change how we dress forever. It’s an intimate, behind-the-scenes experience before the full exhibition lands at New Bahru in December. If you care about style and survival, this one’s for you.

Where: Annex@Furama, 407 Havelock Road

When: September 11 - 13, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm: three 30mins sessions per day, register here

8. Open Design Dialogue (ODD)

What it’s about: Plenty has been written about the fortunes about Orchard Road over the years but here’s a more refreshing take to Singapore’s busiest shopping belt. Orchard Design District (ODD) is turning the district into a vibrant public design lab. From upcycled pavilions and urban furniture to brand collabs and exhibitions, this district-wide programme invites visitors (especially youth) to imagine what a more inclusive, soulful, and design-forward Singapore could look like.

Why you should go: Think of ODD as Orchard Road reimagined—interactive, introspective, and unexpectedly cool. Check out Low Res, a sculptural design pavilion at *SCAPE by spatial designer Nous Nous and This Humid House; explore New Orchard, an exhibition by local creatives rethinking the future of the district; or hit Design In Situ, where brands like MUJI, Castlery, and Aesop let designers transform their stores. On September 19–20, don’t miss the OFFSITE Creators Market, where you can shop creations by independent makers, designers, and artists, alongside workshops and live music performances.

More information here.

Where: Various locations across Orchard Road

When: September 11 - 21, various times

9. REINVENTION presented by Singapore Science Park

What it’s about: For the first time ever, Singapore Science Park is stepping into the spotlight as a Design District at Singapore Design Week 2025, and it’s coming in hot with a full-scale takeover themed REINVENTION. This isn’t your average tech park — it’s turning into a creative playground where science, design, and innovation collide to reimagine how we live, work, and connect in a rapidly changing world.

Why you should go: Because this is not the version of “tech” you’re used to. This is warm, accessible, design-led innovation — where robots have personality, food tells stories, and every installation invites you to participate, not just observe.

Over 11 days, the Science Park will be packed with next-gen experiences, such as the exhibition Man + Machine, a robot showcase that’s more soft-touch than sci-fi; Flavours of Tomorrow, where you can expect some of the most experimental food you’ll ever taste in Singapore; BYOX Fair, where interactive tech meets playful creativity; GREEN-HOUSE HangOut, the sustainability-focused pop-up market that’s fun and functional and so much more.

Check out the full line-up here.

Where: Various locations across Singapore Science Park, 1 Science Park Drive

When: September 11 - 21, various times