Design News: S’pore Pavilion at Venice Architecture Biennale, Baccarat opens in MBS

Singapore Pavilion at Venice Architecture Biennale

The Singapore Pavilion at the 18th Venice Architecture Biennale features the installation When Is Enough, Enough? The Performance Of Measurement, which explores the measure of a city beyond what can be quantified.

The 2023 Biennale, which runs from Saturday to Nov 26, is curated by Ghanaian-Scottish architect, academic and novelist Lesley Lokko. The theme is The Laboratory Of The Future.

Singapore’s entry looks at how the urban environment – which is designed and built according to measurable and quantifiable standards – is in stark contrast to the community’s interaction with intangible parts of the built environment.

Taking reference from the Loveable Singapore project led by DesignSingapore Council in 2021, the pavilion seeks to encourage dialogue about new ways of measuring and evaluating the intangible qualities of architecture, and asks: How much is enough?

The opening of the pavilion in Venice on Friday was attended by guest of honour Rosa Daniel, Singapore’s Permanent Delegate to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).

It is co-commissioned by the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the DesignSingapore Council, and organised by the Singapore Institute of Architects.

Info: Go to

singaporepavilion.sg

,

facebook.com/singaporepavilionvenice

, and

instagram.com/singapore.pavilion

French crystal brand Baccarat opens at MBS

French luxury house Baccarat has opened a standalone boutique on Wednesday at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, ahead of the brand’s 260th anniversary in 2024.

The boutique is decked out in polished stainless steel, wood, wallpaper and marble, which work together to draw attention to the brilliant-cut crystal creations of the storied brand.

It carries the entire collections of the House of Baccarat, including its Mille Nuits (tableware), Tuile de Cristal and Zenith chandeliers, as well as contemporary pieces by celebrated designers such as Jaime Hayon, Marcel Wanders and Philippe Starck.

Founded in 1764, Baccarat celebrates the work of French artisans who have transformed the elements of nature – earth, air, fire and water – into award-winning crystal masterpieces in the spirit of art de vivre (French for art of living).

Info: Prices start at $430 for a Massena bevel-cut glass. The Baccarat boutique is at B1-68 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Avenue. Go to

baccarat.sg

for details.

Beat the heat in bed with cool comfort

Heat traps in mattresses are the biggest hindrance to a good night’s sleep, especially in tropical climates such as Singapore’s.

The mercury recently hit 37 deg C, the highest recorded temperature for May. It is on a par with the country’s highest daily temperature last recorded on April 17, 1983.

Singaporean entrepreneurs Lian Zheng Wen, 26, and Ethan Sim, 28, founders of Snow Slumber, believe they have come up with a cool solution.

Their Snow Slumber brand of mattresses in single, queen and king sizes features six cooling layers. Each mattress is 33cm thick.

The topmost layer is made of ActivSnow+ Silk, a proprietary stretch-knit material that is said to absorb and dissipate heat. Then come four layers of wool and foam with more cooling properties that prevent heat from building up in the mattress.

The high-tech materials sit on a base of pocketed springs for spinal support, and are said to reduce mattress temperature by up to 7 degrees.

The mattresses are locally designed and manufactured in China. Each purchase includes a 120-night trial with a full refund and a 15-year warranty.

Info: Prices start at $699 for a single-size Snow Luxury Hybrid Mattress. The showroom is at 05-08 Victory Centre, 10 Lorong 23 Geylang. Go to

snowslumber.com