From September 26 to October 6, 2024, the Singapore Design Week (SDW) will return. This 11-day festival celebrates Singapore's unique design and creative spirit with a citywide array of events. This year’s theme, "People of Design," will guide a rich program of activities.

During SDW, a highlight will be the "Design Futures Forum 2024," which will explore the evolution and possibilities of design over the past 20 years.

What will be the role of design and designers in the face of rapidly advancing technologies, a planet that is at the point of “global boiling”, and a future in which the global life expectancy is increasing? The Design Futures Forum returns with an expanded programme this year, examining the critical role of design in creating a better future in the areas of emerging tech, sustainability and care.

Featuring thought leaders and practitioners from Singapore and around the world, the forum will explore how people – from an individual scale to a larger, societal one – and design intersect to make a positive impact and create a better future for all beings. Discussions will also be centred around the evolving question of what it means to be a designer in today’s highly complex world, advocating for interdisciplinary collaboration across technology, business, environmental science, health, and inclusivity.

Across the two days, the emerging tech segment will explore what it means to be human in a digital world. Within the fields of spatial tech, AI, experiential design and tech products, speakers will present perspectives demonstrating that tech is no longer just a tool, but an element in a new paradigm for how we live.

Day１
Segment 1: Design for the Future of Emerging Tech
Curated by Debra Langley
Date: 1 October 2024, Tuesday

Segment 2: Design for the Future of Sustainability
Curated by Aric Chen
Date: 1 October 2024, Tuesday

Segment 3: Design for the Future of Care
Curated by Tamsin Greulich-Smith
Date: 1 October 2024, Tuesday

Day 2
Segment 1: Design for the Future of Emerging Tech
Programmed by Design Matters
Date: 2 October 2024, Wednesday

Segment 2: Design for the Future of Sustainability
Curated by Wendy Chua and Dr Ying Seow
Date: 2 October 2024, Wednesday

Segment 3: Design for the Future of Care
Programmed by School of X
Date: 2 October 2024, Wednesday

Venue: Victoria Theatre & Chamber at The Arts House9 Empress Place, Singapore 179556, Singapore
Click here to purchase tickets

The sustainability segment will focus on regenerative futures, looking beyond minimising ecological harm towards healing the planet, including the needs and interests of non-human life. It will also present approaches and actions that communities and individuals can take to build regeneration at different scales.

The care segment will investigate how we can democratise the future of care through design, envisioning actions and environments that promote health and well-being as a default through thoughtful design interventions.

With a mix of thought-provoking presentations, engaging panel discussions and interactive hands-on sessions, the Design Futures Forum aims to inspire participants to drive positive change within their spheres of influence, creating a more sustainable, equitable, and caring future for all.