Design News: Time-travel at Alliance Francaise; see sleek bathroom fixtures; splash out at yacht fest

Around The World Exhibition

An exhibition inspired by French author Jules Verne’s 1872 work Around The World In 80 Days, held at the Alliance Francaise de Singapour, promises to take visitors on a whirlwind tour of French transportation through the ages.

The free, immersive Around The World exhibition features a series of talks, film screenings, workshops and activities for children. It ends on July 15.

The experience is based on the adventures of the novel’s protagonist Phileas Fogg, who travelled the world by air, land and sea. There is also a section dedicated to space.

Visitors can explore different eras of transportation and see how French engineering has evolved since the 17th century.

One of the artefacts on show is a model of the world’s first supersonic passenger-carrying commercial aeroplane, Air France’s Concorde, which still holds the record for completing some of the world’s fastest commercial flights.

Learn about French land transportation through the intercity Train a Grande Vitesse, also known as TGV or high-speed train, which holds world records for speed while constantly pushing the limits of high-speed rail technology globally.

There are also exhibits on French sea transport featuring the SS France, the longest Transatlantic passenger liner in the world in the 1960s. Then head to the future with a virtual-reality tour of space exploration.

Visitors also stand a chance to win an Air France ticket from Singapore to Paris by submitting their entry ticket and completing a quiz.

Info: Visit the exhibition at Alliance Francaise de Singapour, 1 Sarkies Road, until July 15. Admission is free. For details, go to str.sg/ioND

Singapore Yachting Festival

Yacht aficionados and water-sports enthusiasts are in for adrenaline-packed treats at the Singapore Yachting Festival, organised by SG Marine Guide, an online platform for the leisure marine industry.

The ticketed event, which ends on Sunday, showcases more than 50 of the latest yachts from global brand names, including Sanlorenzo SX88 and Ferretti 860, among others.

The Seabob underwater scooter will also be at the festival, allowing cruisers to explore the seabed and discover aquatic wildlife near Sentosa’s coastline.

There are also water toys such as The Kinetic Option, an electronic surfboard designed and developed by the home-grown company of the same name. It is powered by advanced hydrodynamics and designed to reach surfing speeds of up to 55kmh.

Info: The festival is on at One°15 Marina Sentosa Cove, 11 Cove Drive, from 2 to 8pm on Friday and Saturday, and 2 to 7pm on Sunday. Multi-entry tickets cost $20 each from str.sg/ioNz

Hera Bathroom Experience Center

The Hera Bathroom Experience Center at Grantral Mall and Complex in MacPherson Road is a one-stop shop for bathroom fixtures designed to recreate the atmosphere of a wellness resort and spa.

The new experience centre is the brainchild of Singaporean entrepreneur Lew Eeling, 46, who founded Hera in 2017.

Hera’s signature is a sleek standalone bathtub that is small enough to fit into a Housing Board flat bathroom, but also “big on quality and comfort”, says Ms Lew. Each tub takes about 30 minutes to install, with no hacking required.

The centre offers vanity cabinets, mirrors, basins and taps in a range of hues and finishings, which the brand says can be mixed and matched to create more than 1,000 combinations.

Info: The experience centre at 04-24 Grantral Mall and Complex, 601 MacPherson Road is open on weekdays from 10.30am to 7pm and on weekends from 10am to 7pm. Go to herabathroom.com for more details.