Ministry of Design | Demographically Speaking

Curated by Andre Fu

Singapore’s unique identity comes from the inherent cultural diversity of the island – a rich blend of Chinese, Malay, Indian and many others. Each ethnicity’s distinctive flavor has shaped the collective cuisine, architecture, festivals, religious practices, and even local slang (Singlish).

Situated at the proverbial crossroads between East and West, Singapore is currently experiencing a heightened influx of foreign expatriates, that may alter its status quo – with future projections of an even more remarkable multiplicity. Inspired by this phenomenon, its impact on local lifestyle, culture and policies, Ministry of Design have created a series of furniture as infographics – drawing attention to the demographic data in a colourful and powerful way.

Demographically Speaking comprises three differently sized upholstered poufs, each reflecting the morphing ethnic diversity and growing population of Singapore over three periods – the past, the present and the future. Extrapolating simple two-dimensional pie charts, their aim is to exploit Hallingdal 65’s full colour spectrum to convey the cultural diversity and dynamic growth of Singapore.

year 1970 – population 2,074,500 
year 2011 – population 5,076,700 
year 2050 – population 12,000,000 (projected estimate)

About Ministry of Design

Singapore-based Ministry of Design is an integrated spatial-design practice. It was founded by Colin Seah, who was architecturally trained in the US.

The studio exists to ‘Question, Disturb and Redefine the spaces, forms and experiences that surround us and give meaning to our world.’ Reflecting this, the Ministry of Design pursues a distinctively integrated and experiential approach to design.