Out of 195 entries, five winning bench designs have emerged from the One Holland Village MILL Public Art Bench Design Competition, which took place from December 2021 to April 2022. This is an initiative by Far East Organization, organised in collaboration with creative studio FARM as part of the upcoming mixed-use development, One Holland Village. 

Seeking to celebrate the precinct’s cultural identity and enliven the public landscape, the competition made a call for original designs from the public. “We hope that these art pieces will strengthen the character of the neighbourhood and also serve as an amenity to the public through their use as communal furniture,” said Mr Edward Ng, Executive Director of Projects and Operations, who was one of the five esteemed judges. 

Be it self-expression or social commentary, a wide range of themes were explored in the creations varying from modular units to free-forming seating. Four designs were selected by the judges while one was decided through public voting on social media. Apart from the S$2,000 prize money awarded to the each winner, the five designs will be brought to life by Roger&Sons and installed in the common areas of One Holland Village by 2023. Here’s a rundown of the five winning entries:

ASPA by Hector Arturo Salazar, Head of Product Design Department, Raffles College of Higher Education 

Holland Village holds a special place in the heart of Hector Arturo Salazar who has lived there for some time. Seeking to embody values of inclusivity and diversity in his creations, his design is pragmatic and thoughtful with a gap that accommodates prams and wheelchairs to build a stronger sense of togetherness amongst people. 

More Than A Bench by Hai-png (Heffrence) Teow, Architectural Designer 

“I believe that ordinary objects and events around us influence our perception and interaction with our environment,” said Hai-png, the designer of More Than A Bench. More of an art installation, his work celebrates social integration and has the potential to change the way people interact with one another and experience the public realm. 

Sampan by Christophe Gaubert, Cynthia Chan, Poh Yun Ru and Tan Weijing, Team of Designers from the National University of Singapore, Design Incubation Centre 

Drawing inspiration from the traditional sampan, this multicultural team is proud of Singapore’s melting pot of ethnic cultures. Sampan embodies the spirit of welcoming people from all over the world with a simple form. “At the same time, it mirrors how settlers discover and embrace a new culture, adapting it to their tastes and fostering a sense of belonging,” say the team. 

The Boing Boing Bench by Muhammad ‘Ammar Bin Mohamad Malek, Architectural Associate

Inspired by Holland Village and the variety of experiences it offers, The Boing Boing Bench is a standard bench with a twist. The spring leg brings about an element of play, recalling old playground sculptures and bringing an element of fun and unpredictability to public spaces.

Comfort* by Jan Abigail Ampo Juarez, Li Xing Tong, Low Yi Jun, Second Year Architecture Students at Singapore Polytechnic 

Observing two distinct experiences in Holland Village, the slow pace during the day at quaint Chip Bee Gardens versus the loud and vibrant nightlife at Lorong Mambong and Liput, these second-year students created a bench that takes on an anthropomorphic form determined by the user’s sitting positions. Upright areas are catered to daytime seating while the reclined areas are meant for night owls. “The intention is that it not only adds to enlivening the One Holland Village community by bringing people together but also inspires creativity and uniqueness,” say the team.

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