Singapore of the future: Where do we see ourselves in 2030?

In the upcoming The Future of Us exhibition, the ideas and visions of over 140 private and public organisations and institutions, as well as individuals, were sought in sculpting probable and plausible scenarios of Singapore's tomorrow. These scenarios are explored in six immersive and interactive zones. Pulling together a range of future-thinking projects, thought leaders in the fields of arts and sciences, as well as various facets of the local community, The Future of Us will materialise these possibilities into a tangible experience to jumpstart conversations about our future.

In the Theatre of Generations, visitors follow along interweaving life stories of two sets of characters - one from the 1960s and another from 2030. These stories epitomise the continuity in our Singapore Spirit and Story. Singapore composer Dick Lee believes in viewing the future against the context of the past. He stresses the importance of not losing sight of the Singapore identity as the nation grows and globalises.

Dick Lee's sharing is one of the many that inspires and envelopes the exhibition. More written contributions by Singaporeans, including writer Alvin Pang, blogger Atikah Amalina, designer and businesswoman Kavita Thulasidas and nurse Sister Thomasina, are featured in the Ideas Bank on the exhibition's website (www.thefutureofus.sg).

Symphony of the City unfolds the reveries of each character seen earlier in Theatre of Generations. In this section, visitors get to explore how transportation options, living spaces and leisure concepts can evolve and integrate into the pulse of the city. The themes presented in this multimedia zone further project the direction that Singapore's development and economy could be geared towards. To this, Henn Tan - CEO of digital innovation company, Trek 2000 - shared his view of Singapore as a "Smart Nation" that is at the forefront of technological advancements in various fields.

Henn Tan's sharing was also captured in the Ideas Bank.

Some of these advancements are already on track. Forward-looking innovations by students and institutions weaved into the exhibition includes rapid wireless charging roads that transfer power over an air gap; low-impact, fully-automated vehicles that cater to the last mile; and smart watches that assist the visually impaired in their mobility needs.

While many of these developments are still in the incubation stage, having such innovations in Singapore's core infrastructure is expected to bring greater convenience and inclusiveness, and allow future Singaporeans to live longer and better.

Apart from advancements on a macro level, Singaporeans can also zoom in and peek into the homes and communities of tomorrow. Named Home Tomorrow, this zone explores how the humanity of day-to-day interaction between people - whether it is in the way healthcare professionals aid patients or the opportunities for students to carve their own inroads for their education - could function in an increasingly technologically-equipped society.

Some have also expressed the desire to see an educational system that is less about grades and more about genuine learning anchored in involvement.

Home Tomorrow aggregates more than just the ideas of thought influences in our community. Novel ideas by children were also referenced in designing the exhibition. They shared imaginative innovations such as a layered city, solar-powered machines, residential blocks adjoined to nature as well as vertical farming that supplies to the community.

Incidentally, some of these possibilities are already being explored currently, such as the Crystarium, an urban farming concept that explores the incorporation of food production into the daily lives of city dwellers; the Life-to-Hawker Bagasse, a project to repurpose sugarcane drink by-produce into environmentally-friendly places using existing hawker tools; and SkyEye, an application that allows users to report a crime at a click of a button.

The visions of these individuals, organisations and more were pieced together to narrate the possibilities for Singapore's future.

From December 1, 2015, every visitor to The Future of Us exhibition will have the same opportunity to share their own hopes and dreams for the future. Their dreams and commitment will be pooled together in a segment called Blue Skies, where visitors can not only share their own projections of the future, but also read others' as they join a constellation of wishes in the digital galaxy. Members of the public can also pen their wishes at www.thefutureofus.sg/share-your-dreams/contribute.