SINGAPORE — Expect to have your senses tantalised and challenged at this year’s SingaPlural design festival. The fifth edition of the festival, which runs from March 7 to 13, will carry the theme Senses — The Art And Science Of Experiences.

In keeping with Singapore’s recent status as UNESCO Creative City of Design, the festival will present an expanded line-up of activities and installations, which will be curated by design studio PLUS Collaboratives and creative agency GOVT. These will give visitors a “unique sensorial experience” upon entering the festival premises at 99 Beach Road.

Commenting on the decision to return to the previous edition’s stomping ground, Mervin Tan, festival director and co-founder and creative director of PLUS Collaboratives, said the Singapore Land Authority had offered them the space once more after last year’s successful stint.

Visitor numbers are expected to increase by 20 per cent from last year’s edition, which saw 28,262 visitors. There will also be a 30 per cent increase in content and a bumper crop of 71 installations. SingaPlural chairperson Mark Yong said at today’s (Jan 28) press conference that this was “an encouraging development and motivation for this year’s festival.”

Among the new participants is Mediacorp, which will repurpose old, recycled studio props and sets for a centerpiece installation. It will be collaborating with the Interior Design Confederation Singapore, the Singapore Furniture Industries Council and the Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects for the project.

“Mediacorp produces thousands of hours’ worth of productions each year that require props and sets. We are delighted to participate in SingaPlural to give our recycling efforts a creative purpose. We hope it will encourage other organisations to explore ways to recycle and reuse their end-of-life assets in extraordinary ways and achieve unexpected results,” said Barry See, head of production resource, Mediacorp.

Other highlights include the festival’s flagship programme Project X, where solid surfaces company Luxx NewHouse will partner with designers such as Studio Juju and ceramics collective Weekend Worker. Expect innovative creations, too, from the younger generation of talents, such as Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts graduate Celine Ng, who will be working with furniture store XTRA and Swedish flooring company BOLON for an underwater-inspired installation. There will also be the festival’s first on-site performance, a collaboration between Singapore-based artist Daniela Beltrani and designer Wong Hui Ee.

“Last year, we had visitors and families staying on (at 99 Beach Road) for about half a day to experience SingaPlural. This year, our objective is for them to spend the whole day with us,” quipped Tan.

With offerings this unique and varied, perhaps even a day at SingaPlural won’t be enough.