Project Info
For the first time, Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebrations 2012 Street Light-Up from 1 January to 6 February 2012 will feature a refreshing and innovative dragon theme design conceptualised by students from Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), which will provide visitors with an interactive experience and abundant photo opportunities.
Ms Melissa Lim, one of the students from SUTD who designed the Festive Light-up said, “The design concept seeks to demonstrate that technology and design can be well-integrated into cultural settings, so we are excited to have this opportunity to showcase our ideas in the Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebrations 2012 Street Light-Up, hence, bringing to life SUTD’s vision to create a better world by design.”
The six students of Singapore University of Technology and Design decided on the theme for the light-up ─ Reunion (团圆), after months of intensive design process guided by the faculty, which includes speaking to residents and tourists at Chinatown, researching into Chinese culture and latest lighting technologies, brainstorming for ideas and fusing them innovatively with “Water Dragon”, the zodiac sign for year 2012. It seeks to engage History, Heritage and Hearts of the Chinese people celebrating Chinese New Year in Chinatown.
To symbolise the Water Dragon, a 50-meter long dragon will weave through the centre divider between Eu Tong Sen Street and New Bridge Road, which was formerly an open canal, making the location of the Water Dragon very appropriate. This dragon not only unifies Chinatown as a single family unit, it also creates for the first time, a 3-D effect of this highly revered Chinese mythological creature. Arches will have images of families to remind all of family ties. The weaving of dragons connecting the three generations of family, signify the strong bonds that a family should have.
The design concept will include interactive elements such as having series of Chinese surnames, showing the roots of a family, on the pillars, arches or bridges along the street. In addition, SUTD will design and build the technology enabling the combined pedalling of the family on the trishaw to light up Chinese greetings or water droplets from dragon’s mouth, to reinforce family unity.
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