Singapore, City of Design!

In conjunction with Singapore Design Week 2018, I was presented with the opportunity to collaborate with IBM’s iX (interactive experience) department where I was tasked with an UI/UX project to design an interactive experiential digital kiosk that allows users to learn and find out more about the Gardens by the Bay’s Supertrees’ design story.

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Gardens by the Bay — Supertree Grove

As the most prominent feature at the Gardens, the design of the Supertrees has a significant story to tell; and that story was not well articulated at the Grove itself. As I further explored the location and conducted casual interviews with some friendly visitors, my findings and studies concluded that most of the visitors were clueless about the (design) story of the Supertrees, and were just appreciative of the visual aesthetic of the structures.

Printed diagrams of the Supertrees on the concrete benches around them just consisted of scientific processes the Supertrees could achieve – in which were overlooked by most visitors. Upon observation, the place was often made as an area to sit, relax, and enjoy the surrounding view. However, as the Garden Rhapsody light show took place in the evening, the demand for sitting space increased significantly as there were bigger crowds.

Kiosk Development

As Gardens by the Bay embodies the concept of a futuristic sustainable green city, I wanted to complement the space and structures of the Grove with the kiosk. Hence, deciding for it to be made up of wood as it would well fit the environment. The curve inter-joining the digital kiosk and bench was inspired from the shape of the Supertree structure – where the canopy of the Supertree branches out.

The organic shape makes for the kiosk to be less rigid and more inviting, attracting users to sit and or interact with it. A wide-angle camera lens would also be installed at the top of the screen of the kiosk, allowing visitors to take a picture of themselves with the Supertrees in the background.

User Interface

A kiosk showcasing the design story of the Supertrees, whilst also incorporating a bench for added seating space. As I wanted to draw more visitors to the kiosk to read up on the Supertrees’ design story, I approached the concept by adding a couple more features to create a more interactive kiosk. I had also wanted to make the user interface of the digital kiosk to be more kid-friendly, hence collectively deciding that the Supertrees should be characterised for their design story such that it would make for a more interesting narrative. The design story of the Supertrees would touch on the construction of the structure, its ecological elements, as well as its sustainability efforts.

Wanting a more kid-friendly interface such that visitors with children could interact with the kiosk, I also made sure that the length of the screen & height of the interface could also accommodate to them.

Additionally, the user interface’s background would change with the time of day; showcasing day, dusk, and night screen displays. Various language options would also be available to allow tourists to better navigate the kiosk.

Digital Kiosk In Actual Space

Upon examining the area of the Supertree Grove, I decided on placing the digital kiosk in front of a plantation patch next to the Supertrees, facing the biggest Supertree. It is placed in a position that gives a good view of the structures – especially when the light show is taking place. It is also a centralised area where visitors often walk through while exploring the Grove – thus making it a prime spot to place the kiosk.

Hero Video

The video features the perspective of the kiosk with visitors sharing their moments at the Supertree Grove. The documentation of their experiences at Gardens by the Bay makes up the emotive of how the Supertree Grove is a warm, relaxed space that visitors are able to enjoy. Footage of the structures and green are also included to show viewers the surrounding environment, setting the scene. Displays of the Garden Rhapsody happening in the evening are also featured to showcase the light performance the Supertrees put on.