Singapore Design Week 2025 at Marina Central: Design for Care Comes Alive

circular connection
Sep 9
3 min read

From playful pavilions to forest-inspired escapes, Design for Care transforms Marina Central into a living expression of empathy and creativity.

Poster titled "Design for Care" by Marina Central. Features colorful geometric symbols and text about event dates: 11-21 September 2025.

Image: Singapore Design Week 2025

Singapore Design Week 2025 returns this 11 to 21 Sep 2025 with a refreshed energy, spreading creativity across the city. One of the most meaningful stops this year is Marina Central, where design is not just about form and function, but about care.

"Design for Care" transforms the district into a living canvas for empathy and togetherness. Curated by Randy Chan of Zarch Collaboratives, the programme features twelve showcases that explore how care can be expressed through spatial, social, and environmental design. Materials have been chosen mindfully, with an emphasis on interaction, rest, and sustainability.

Map of Suntec City area in Singapore featuring landmarks like Marina Square, South Beach, with MRT stations and exits marked.

Screengrab: Marinal Central

What makes "Design for Care" stand out is its deep focus on how people share and experience space. It asks: how can we design spaces that not only welcome but also nurture?

People walk through an exhibit with red and black modular walls. A sign reads "Design for Care." The setting is bright and spacious.

Image: Marinal Central

Rather than viewing care as a soft or abstract concept, this initiative shows that care can be built, shaped, and lived. It is about creating spaces that foster connection, empathy, and a sense of shared responsibility to each other and the planet.

Wooden table and chairs in a cozy setting with a "FOREST" poster in the background. Light blue chair and green plant add color.

Image: Singapore Design Week 2025

From interactive installations and exhibits to even a weekend plant market, the programming is created to bring communities closer together. Music lovers can also look forward to DISTRICT M, a two-day music festival featuring 16 local and international acts, adding vibrancy to the waterfront district.

The Marina Central line-up includes:

Care Pavilion (Millenia Walk, 11–21 Sep): Built with iconic Unica plastic stools, this striking structure serves as a community hub for dialogue and inclusivity.
Better By Design (South Beach, 11–30 Sep): A curated exhibition of student works from NAFA, showing how thoughtful design blends function, empathy, and sustainability.
FoRest (Suntec City, 11 Sep–30 Dec): A modular urban sanctuary with swings, puzzles, and quiet corners, designed to invite rest and reflection.
PlayBloom (Marina Square, 11 Sep–12 Oct): An eco-friendly playground that fosters creativity and resilience for children aged 5–12.
Playful Living (Millenia Walk, 11–21 Sep): An exploration of play as a human need, encouraging imagination and emotional well-being.
The Well-Being Bar (Millenia Walk, 11–21 Sep): An interactive pop-up where visitors “drink” in care through uplifting activities instead of cocktails.
Care-Full Shelter (Marina Square–Millenia Walk link, 11 Sep–30 Nov): A reinterpretation of the traditional bamboo feeding chair, reimagined as public seating and social sculpture.
Gratitude Grove (South Beach, 11–21 Sep): A restorative installation that uses calming biophilic design elements to encourage mindfulness and reflection amidst the city.
SilverActive (Suntec City, 11 Sep–30 Dec): A wheelchair-friendly outdoor fitness zone designed to support the mobility, strength, and well-being of older adults.
Roots and Rituals Plant Market (South Beach, 13–14 Sep): A weekend market celebrating design, craft, and nature through plants and handcrafted objects.
DISTRICT M Music Festival (19–20 Sep): A two-day celebration with 16 local and international acts across four vibrant festival zones, complete with fringe activities.