Celebrating Found Objects was an upcycling project that explored how discarded materials could be transformed into a meaningful product. The brief was to create an object that told a story about Pasir Ris, a town in eastern Singapore.
Project partner: Claudius Kheng
Exploring Pasir Ris
We explored Pasir Ris by bicycle, travelling through locations such as the Sampan Playground, Farmway, Loyang and Pasir Ris Park.
During our journey, we observed several characteristics that shaped the identity of the town:
- Pasir Ris Bus Interchange serves as an assembly point for National Servicemen travelling to Pulau Tekong.
- A lesser-known sampan-shaped playground is hidden within the neighbourhood.
- Compared with many other Singapore towns, Pasir Ris has more open greenery and a less densely built-up environment.
- Park connectors, bicycle lanes, parking racks and kiosks encourage cycling throughout the area.
- The coastline includes a jetty and several popular fishing spots.
Our cycling experience through Pasir Ris Park became the inspiration for The Fading Lamp.
The Fading Lamp is an interactive sculpture that captures our experience of exploring Pasir Ris.
The bicycle wheel represents the town’s cycling culture, while the reclaimed timber planks reference its parks, nature reserves and surrounding greenery. By bringing these discarded materials together, the sculpture gives them a new purpose and meaning.
The timber base supports the frame and allows the wheel to rotate within a 90-degree range. A dynamo connected to the wheel is designed to generate power for a light bulb as the wheel spins.
Rather than functioning as a conventional lamp, the piece encourages physical interaction. When a user turns the wheel, the resulting light illustrates how energy can be created through movement.
The gradually fading light serves as a reminder that natural resources are not permanent. Through the sculpture, we wanted to express our appreciation for the environment and encourage people to protect what nature has given us.
The Fading Lamp was exhibited at Naiise’s flagship store at The Cathay from November to December 2016. It was subsequently displayed at the National Design Centre from January to February 2017.