Design News
Enabling Village marks 10th anniversary with inclusive showcase of works
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The i’mable Collective Space at Enabling Village in Bukit Merah features its debut exhibition, “Design Social,” which runs till Dec 12, showcasing works from more than 20 creatives with disabilities.
PHOTO: WEARESUPER
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SINGAPORE – SG Enable unveiled its i’mable Collective Space in October at the Enabling Village in Bukit Merah – the first showcase shining the spotlight on Singapore’s creative community of people with disabilities.
SG Enable, Singapore’s focal agency for disability and inclusion, also marks the 10th anniversary of the Enabling Village with the unveiling of the new space.
Since its 2019 inception, i’mable Collective has launched unique training, employment, retail and even fashion design partnerships.
Its i’mable Collective Space is an additional platform for designers, businesses and community partners to enable people with disabilities to gain experience in gig and longer-term work.
Spanning more than 800 sq m, it brings together eight partner organisations in an integrated hub, housing a retail store, gallery, studios and a cafe.
Home-grown design lifestyle brand Supermama runs the flagship weareSuper store, studio and gallery. It also operates the i’mable Collective Space, setting a new bar for inclusive retail.
The space’s debut exhibition, Design Social, which runs till Dec 12, highlights accessibility-focused projects as well as standout works from more than 20 creatives with disabilities. Many of these works are from the Emerge@Find fair which ran from Sept 11 to 13 as part of Singapore Design Week.
Visitors to Design Social can expect to see nuanced works such as The Inaugural Collection – Gilded Fragment by artist Muhammad Ridhwan Masli. It was co-designed with weareSuper, in collaboration with social service agency Rainbow Centre.
The porcelain piece celebrates craftsmanship through gold elements and the use of silkscreening combined with acrylic paint, paper and even everyday tools such as plastic cards to build texture and form.
Expect to see works such as “The Inaugural Collection – Gilded Fragment” by artist Muhammad Ridhwan Masli, which was co-designed with weareSuper, in collaboration with social service agency Rainbow Centre.
PHOTO: WEARESUPER
Prices for works in the collection range from $28 to $88.
Supermama founder Edwin Low, who helms the weareSuper outlet, says the i’mable Collective Space is open to all, inviting Singaporeans to shop, co-create and reimagine what inclusion means.
“We’re here to use art and design to reframe perceptions and build real prospects for creatives of all abilities.”
Info: Besides the Design Social exhibition, on till Dec 12, visitors can join the Enabling Village 10th Anniversary Celebration at 20 Lengkok Bahru on Dec 6. Go to str.sg/qHvr str.sg/DBYL
Castlery’s furniture wins coveted G Mark award
Singapore’s global furniture brand Castlery won Japan’s Good Design Award for its Hugg Collection of flexible, space-saving furniture.
PHOTO: CASTLERY
Singapore’s global furniture brand Castlery recently won Japan’s Good Design Award for its Hugg Collection of flexible, space-saving furniture, comprising coffee tables and hidden stools.
The annual award, established in 1957 and organised by the Japan Institute of Design Promotion, is open to entries from around the world. It is represented by the G Mark symbol, which signals design quality and boosts product visibility worldwide. It also supports a broader mission of excellence in design that enriches lives, industries and society, covering fields such as architecture, sustainability and social innovation.
Castlery’s co-founder Declan Ee notes that the brand’s approach stems from Singapore’s compact living spaces, focusing on pragmatic design. Its flagship showroom is at Liat Towers in Orchard Road.
“Growing up in Singapore, I found that space was always a luxury,” says Mr Ee, who has positioned Castlery as a direct-to-consumer (DTC) brand since its founding in 2013.
Unlike traditional retailers that often carry similar items from various brands, DTC brands design and manufacture products in-house and maintain a showroom and a strong digital presence. This lets them create distinct and original products that stand out in the market, while shoppers are drawn to the bespoke offerings that allow them to express their personal style.
Today, Castlery – which has more than 500 employees worldwide – has sold over a million products in five major markets in Singapore, the United States, Britain, Australia and Canada.
The Hugg Collection’s inventive form with hidden stools is versatile – shape-shifting easily from a coffee table to added foot stools to even extra seating.
“There is immense pride in winning the iconic G Mark, proving that our unique, home-grown perspective has the power to resonate around the world, right from our Little Red Dot,” Mr Ee adds.
Info: Visit Castlery at 02/03-02 Liat Towers, 541 Orchard Road, or go to castlery.com
