“N * thing is Possible”: Ecological tourism through design

What is the role of the luxury hotel brand Potato Head in promoting circular design?

DS.WRITER:

Σοφία Θρουβάλα

© Studio Periphery, Courtesy of Potato Head and OMA | Image Source: stirworld.com

On the occasion of Singapore Design Week, a special exhibition hosted at the National Design Center opened to the public. The exhibition “N * thing is Possible” opened in mid-September and will last until the end of the year (25/12). Why is this exhibition special? “N * thing is Possible” differs significantly, in its organization, its structure and the way it is presented, from other efforts to highlight design as a solution to climate change. The title is about how we can create something out of nothing, that is, without additional waste of materials and without further burning of fossil fuels to produce new objects. It emphasises the philosophy of "circular" production-consumption, which is ecologically and environmentally beneficial, if not life-saving.

More specifically, the exhibition is organized by Potato Head, in collaboration with OMA, which has undertaken the curation. What's interesting about this partnership is the fact that Potato Head is no ordinary hosting company. Although the apartments it maintains around the world are extremely luxurious and the cost is high, it proposes spaces with a "resilient" culture, with zero use of plastic, prohibiting the consumption of animals and animal derivatives and an architecture that highlights local culture and sustainability. In addition, each structure runs ecological education programs for children and activities for adults. But the most important thing is that the furniture design of these colossal hotel units is entirely sustainable and is based on the recycling of materials. Finally, Potato Head maintains a clothing brand made from used materials, under the slogan "Good Times, Do Good".

© Kevin Mak, courtesy of OMA | Image Source: archdaily.com

Potato Head's philosophy is therefore also a key reason for promoting sustainable practices in design and that is why it is a central factor of the exhibition in Singapore together with the also ecological architecture brand OMA. The latter implemented the philosophy of Potato Head founder, Ronald Akili, by designing and actualising Desa Potato Head in Seminyak, Bali, an architectural village complex (!) that promotes sustainability as the group's core business ethos.

© Kevin Mak, courtesy of OMA | Image Source: archdaily.com

In the exhibition, the works of various important designers and visual artists are presented. These include the established Studio Toogood and the great architect and professor Kengo Kuma, while also artists and designers from Singapore such as jakarta studio and the well-known BYO Living are featured. In fact, BYO Living has a long history of collaborating with Potato Head, designing the interiors and products of its tourist resorts. In addition, Eco Mantra, a company based in Bali that supports sustainable design and environmental engineering initiatives, also takes part in the exhibition as well as local food services like Singapore's Tanuki Raw. The "laboratory"-exhibition is run by TRASHLAB, Miniwiz & The Idea Co and the National Environment Agency.

© Studio Periphery, Courtesy of Potato Head and OMA | Image Source: stirworld.com

The exhibition approach is very interesting. We see the timeline of waste through the clever trick of the replaced museum pedestals! Specifically, bags filled with the raw material for the creation of the works, such as plastic, are placed as a pedestal for the design works on display. This creates the direct connection that waste, within the context of reuse philosophy, can be the main source of materials for the creation of more environmentally friendly works that at the same time draw attention to the importance of limiting the use of plastic and fossil fuels.

© Studio Periphery, Courtesy of Potato Head and OMA | Image Source: stirworld.com

But the works themselves show unique qualities, such as the open Colosseum by Andra Matin, who creates an architectural sculpture of significant dimensions made of 6,600 traditional shutters. Also worth mentioning are BYO Living's iconic chairs, which are made entirely from recycled plastic caps. Andreu Carulla respectively creates a stool with melted polystyrene legs whose seat is made from recycled shampoo bottles. Finally, a central part of the exhibition is Kengo Kuma's installations using natural materials and recycled polymers.

Image Source: designsingapore.org

As part of the exhibition, OMA designed a series of "didactic signs" with the aim of presenting the problem of waste streams, including those produced by the tourist industries, proposing alternative applicable solutions. The exhibition, in order to impart a visual understanding of the problem and raise awareness, used a large volume of plastic which at the end of the show will be recycled through TRASHLAB, promising that it will be the raw material for the creative industries and design workshops of Singapore, promoting both the exhibition's philosophy and the need for creative expression in a world that is in a state of collapse.