After a successful inaugural edition in 2022, FIND – Design Fair Asia, the key marketplace for furniture, interiors and design, returns to the
Singapore Design Week on 21-23 September 2023 at Marina Bay Sands over 18,000 sqm of exhibition space. Over 15,000 visitors, 500 international brands, 50 international speakers during the Global Summit and an array of young emerging talent showcases are expected at the upcoming event.
The highly anticipated tradeshow and design hub will once again connect leading suppliers across furniture, lighting, décor, textiles and smart interiors technology with Asia’s burgeoning interior design, property development, retail and workspace sectors.
Asian markets have proven to be more resilient in the aftermath of Covid-19, and the growing demand for high-end and bespoke design within the construction, hospitality, commercial or residential sector is a testament to this.
The design market shows enormous promise for global furniture brands, with Southeast Asia alone projecting growth of 8.35% (2023-2027) to US$248.9 billion in this sector by 2027 alone. The Asia Pacific interior design services industry, worth an estimated US$35.3 billion by 2027, offers similarly impressive opportunities. In conjunction with rebounding travel demand, investment in Asia Pacific hotels rose to US$10.1 billion year-to-date – an increase of 17% year-over-year (CBRE) – and some 800 new hotels are expected to open by 2024 in Asia Pacific. The Asia Pacific hotel market already generated revenue of USD 18.4 billion by March 2023 and is poised to achieve further growth entering 2024 (Mordor Intelligence).
According to Colliers’ research and a development survey by Lodgings Econometrics, there were some 2,000 hospitality projects underway across Asia as of the end of 2022; excluding China which has a monumental 3,600 projects under development. Outside of China, supplyin India and Vietnam continues an aggressive upward trajectory with 383 and 240 projects in progress respectively, closely followed by Indonesia with 227. Whilst Thailand currently sits 4th in terms of the pipeline by country (167 projects), where the capital Bangkok has the highest number of projects with 66 sites currently underway, followed by Seoul with 63 projects and Jakarta with 49 developments.
“As projects and travel in the region are significantly upscaling, the confidence for the industry is growing. Likewise, the hospitality and retail industry is moving into a new era, catering to the next generation of consumers, with smarter supply chains, integration into local cultures, and addressing sustainability needs whilst going through a technological evolution. Design brands understand this, and we want to help suppliers to capitalise on Asia’s markets as we believe the positioning of FIND as a regional business platform is very compelling,” says Carl Press, Director of FIND – Design Fair Asia, dmg events.
FIND – Design Fair Asia is expanding its business matchmaking services through a regional hosted buyer program and value-driven networking initiatives for business visitors. This is supported by strong partnerships with key industry bodies including Society of Interior Designers Singapore (SIDS), Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA), Singapore Retail Association (SRA), Asia Pacific Space Designers Association (APSDA), Vietnam Design Association (VDAS) and several leading regional industry groups.
Key Event Highlights
The FIND – Global Summit, curated by Yoko Choy, China editor of Wallpaper* Magazine and Chair of Content for FIND – Design Fair Asia, in conjunction with a panel of leading industry insiders, brings together thought leaders, renowned craftspeople, and the creative community to discuss the exciting developments driving the industry today.
Over three days, across dozens of sessions, the FIND – Global Summit will present insightful seminars, including inspirational masterclasses by Italian interiors and contemporary design magazine INTERNI, along with sessions from leading property developers, regional architects, hospitality professionals, and change-making practitioners.
The summit will be focused on five pillars reflecting the issues of most concern to the design community today, including regenerative design, the Asian blueprint, the innovation era, creativity, commerce and communication and holistic hospitality with more details to be released in due time.
“With the resumption of traffic between the East and the West, it’s time to set our sights on the future. Following the resounding success of the inaugural FIND – Global Summit in 2022, our goal this year is to further establish Singapore as a hub for innovative and future-proof solutions in the creative industry. By collaborating closely with our local and regional partners, as well as creatives from diverse disciplines worldwide, including established figures and emerging talents, the summit will foster meaningful conversations around the pressing issues we currently face in the industry,” expresses Yoko Choy, China editor of Wallpaper* Magazine and Chair of Content for FIND – Design Fair Asia.
Made in Italy for Asia
Fiera Milano in collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency which supports the promotion abroad and the internationalisation of Italian companies will once again organise a collective participation of Italian companies at FIND – Design Fair Asia 2023.
The uniqueness of ‘Made in Italy’ design will be showcased at the “The Italian Design Futures Capsule”. The multidisciplinary studio Stefano Boeri Interiors, founded by the architect Stefano Boeri, with the architect Giorgio Donà, has planned an area entirely dedicated to Italian companies. Enthusiasts and buyers will find over 30 leading brands inside the capsule, demonstrating the creativity, excellence and craftsmanship that Italian companies are known for.
New to FIND 2023 is an exciting collaboration between the Italian Embassy in Singapore with the support of ICE and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which will host the unique installation ‘Italia Geniale’, a collection created by ADI – Association for Industrial Design. The famous exhibition showcases the most significant materials, objects and artefacts of Italian design icons that speak of imagination, work, well-being and relationships between people.
EMERGE @ FIND
The Southeast Asian design talent showcase will return after its successful debut last year. Presented by DesignSingapore Council, the second edition features the curatorial theme of “CRAFT + INDUSTRY : MAN + MACHINE” to showcase the spectrum of work produced across Southeast Asia, from the handmade and the crafted, to pure industrial and/or mass production, from over 50 emerging and established designers from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
“DesignSingapore Council is pleased to present the second edition of the Southeast Asian design talent showcase at EMERGE @ FIND. There is no other festival besides Singapore Design Week that uncovers the rich diversity of talent from this emerging region; and we look forward to showing the global design community why they are a rising force in the design world,” says Dawn Lim, executive director of DesignSingapore Council.
To give more prominence to Singapore’s furniture, lighting, decoration, design, fine crafts and lifestyle showrooms, FIND – Design Fair Asia also will feature an array of partner activations, expanding on the show’s purpose of curating a platform for business, exchange and discovery.
