Support Schemes and Other Help for Singapore's Design Community
Whatever size your architecture or design firm, there's help to see you through the economic crisis of Covid-19
In March, Houzz spoke with Rice, Collective Designs, Mudian Crafted and Thye Hoe Renovation Work about how Covid-19 is affecting Singapore’s home renovation market. A month later, and the pandemic has spread dramatically among the foreign workers who actually build our homes. #StayHome is becoming our new normal.
The National Design Centre, as many other public places, may have shuttered during this season, but DesignSingapore Council (Dsg) continues working to ensure that professionals in the design industry will have the support they need to weather the economic crisis brought on by Covid-19.
“Many design freelancers and design businesses are in a vulnerable state, due to project cancellations, postponements and impact from retail slowdown”, says Mark Wee, Dsg executive director. In addition to the Singapore government’s relief measures such as the Ministry of Manpower (MOM)’s Self-Employed Relief Scheme and the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS)’s Job Support Scheme, Dsg offers specific support for the design community.
There is also, of course, the Solidarity Payment, which applies to all adult Singaporeans. Obtaining assistance from these other government agencies will not exclude designers/design enterprises from receiving support from Dsg’s initiatives.
“Many design freelancers and design businesses are in a vulnerable state, due to project cancellations, postponements and impact from retail slowdown”, says Mark Wee, Dsg executive director. In addition to the Singapore government’s relief measures such as the Ministry of Manpower (MOM)’s Self-Employed Relief Scheme and the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS)’s Job Support Scheme, Dsg offers specific support for the design community.
There is also, of course, the Solidarity Payment, which applies to all adult Singaporeans. Obtaining assistance from these other government agencies will not exclude designers/design enterprises from receiving support from Dsg’s initiatives.
In his letter to the design community, Mr Wee explained Dsg’s initiatives:
Good Design Research “helps designers and design enterprises in Singapore find their unique value propositions through research and experimentation, and a network of knowledge partners”. Dsg will sponsor up to 70 per cent of the cost of exploratory projects. For more information, visit Dsg’s Good Design Research programme.
Skills Future Study Award for Design “will support designers who want to take this time to deepen their technical skills or pick up new skills in adjacent domains in business, tech and innovation”. The monetary award of $5,000 is on top of existing government course fee subsidies. Online courses are also available – check Dsg’s Skills Future page.
Shared Services for Design will help design professionals navigate their accounting, human resources, corporate secretariat and public relations needs at rates that are 20-50 per cent lower than market rates. Check the list of companies offering these shared services.
Design for Business: User Journey Mapping is a joint initiative with Enterprise Singapore for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). It will help a design company conduct and understand their customer research, and identify how they can improve. To see if your SME is eligible, read Dsg’s Design for Business: User Journey Mapping page.
Good Design Research “helps designers and design enterprises in Singapore find their unique value propositions through research and experimentation, and a network of knowledge partners”. Dsg will sponsor up to 70 per cent of the cost of exploratory projects. For more information, visit Dsg’s Good Design Research programme.
Skills Future Study Award for Design “will support designers who want to take this time to deepen their technical skills or pick up new skills in adjacent domains in business, tech and innovation”. The monetary award of $5,000 is on top of existing government course fee subsidies. Online courses are also available – check Dsg’s Skills Future page.
Shared Services for Design will help design professionals navigate their accounting, human resources, corporate secretariat and public relations needs at rates that are 20-50 per cent lower than market rates. Check the list of companies offering these shared services.
Design for Business: User Journey Mapping is a joint initiative with Enterprise Singapore for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). It will help a design company conduct and understand their customer research, and identify how they can improve. To see if your SME is eligible, read Dsg’s Design for Business: User Journey Mapping page.
Past pandemics, such as the 1900s’ tuberculosis, spurred designers to come up with innovative solutions. Modernist architecture’s clean lines, large windows and more open spaces were shaped as a response to tuberculosis. Today, architects in Spain and Italy are proposing that multi-functional, modular spaces and outdoor features such as balconies and roof decks will be the way forward in response to Covid-19.
Mr Wee acknowledges that “designers are shining a bright light to make things better”, citing innovations such as the hygienehook and other devices that will help us deal with Covid-19. “With agility, grit and creativity, the design community will pull through this difficult time”, Mr Wee says.
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Mr Wee acknowledges that “designers are shining a bright light to make things better”, citing innovations such as the hygienehook and other devices that will help us deal with Covid-19. “With agility, grit and creativity, the design community will pull through this difficult time”, Mr Wee says.
Tell us
If you found this story helpful, like it, save it, save the photos and share your thoughts below. Join the conversation.