Class is in session at the School of Tomorrow sustainability exhibition and it is holding its second term 17 October to 28 November 2024 at New Bahru at River Valley Road, which is a rather apt location since New Bahru was formerly a school.
The School of Tomorrow exhibition first made its debut in 2023 at the Selegie Arts Centre as part of Singapore Design Week. Once again, you can step inside and make your way through various “classrooms” while learning about sustainability. The exhibition innovatively presents various topics and will take you back to school for a brighter future.
School of Tomorrow Exhibition 2024 at New Bahru
The School of Tomorrow exhibition is a great way to learn about sustainability in an immersive manner. The exhibition is set up so that you feel as if you are stepping back into an old school environment as you make your way through various classes.
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What’s more, this year, a new topic has been added in partnership with social impact hub Temasek Shophouse – History Class.
School of Tomorrow is a thought-provoking exhibition and was first commissioned by DesignSingapore Council with the aim to nurture the next generation of changemakers for a brighter future.
It is a good way to learn about environmental issues and the steps and innovations that are being taken to develop more sustainable solutions for planet Earth.
Explore Sustainability Through the Lens of 11 School Subjects
Eleven familiar school subjects, from sciences to the humanities, are reimagined with a sustainability focus. Together, they present interesting lessons on sustainability issues like waste, pollution, food systems, energy, and climate change.
After you walk through the doors at Small Block at New Bahru, it feels like you have entered into a different world.
Flags lining either side of the hallway makes it almost feel like Hogwarts. The school crest of the School of Tomorrow is hung straight ahead along with two desks that makes for a great photo spot.
But before you take a “graduation photo”, it is time to head to class and get schooled.
Biology
Heading to the right, the first classroom is Biology. Step inside to learn about the pressing issue of plastic pollution and how its infiltration into the food chain. The issue is dramatically illustrated with anatomical models at the front of the classroom whose body cavities are filled with plastic. Yikes!
But all is not lost! As you make your way around the various desks within the biology class, you can also learn about sustainable alternatives like bio-plastics.
Science Lab
Just adjacent to the biology classroom is the science lab. Inside in the lab, you can continue your education by finding out about new materials such as mycelium bio-composites. Or if you are curious how to make your own bio-plastic at home, you can also do some research here.
Chemistry
Keeping to the science theme, there is also a chemistry classroom. However, no titration is required here. Instead, chemistry gets turned around with a new periodic table with a different set of elements from the usual.
The exhibits laid out in the chemistry classroom illustrates the need to find alternatives to non-environmentally friendly materials by providing a look at how waste can be transformed into something useful.
For example, the new elements in the new periodic table include new materials being developed in the lab such as Bn (Brewed Protein), and surprising materials upcycled from waste like Df (Dog Fur) and Rp (Rambutan Peel). This illustrates how a circular economy can close the loop between waste and resource.
Art Class
The art classroom is interactive and you are welcomed to pick up a brush and paint Nature in her own colours. There are fruits and plants serve as still life objects for visitors to paint.
In addition, the nature also supplies the ingredients used for painting in class. Botanical debris like fallen leaves, flowers, fruits and bark have been turned into paint pigments. This provides a way to learn about and to appreciate the creative and aesthetic potential of waste.
Geography
As you make your way down the corridor of classrooms, you will come across a room that looks like it has been flooded. This exhibit on climate change dramatically shows how rising temperatures and melting glaciers can raise sea levels and erode coastlines.
Look closely and you fill find maps and posters that provide more information on the causes of climate change. There is also information on the actions that we can take to help at both individual and grassroots levels.
Mathematics
While mathematics may not be everyone’s favourite subject, it becomes directly relevant to everyone in the mathematics classroom. At the various desks, you can learn more about how your habits and lifestyle add up.
There is also an interactive carbon footprint calculator that totals your score across six areas: food, commute, shopping, home, travel and recreation.
It may be a good chance for you to calculate what you need to add and subtract from your life to through simple, actionable changes in order to reduce your environmental impact.
Canteen of Tomorrow
Need to take a recess break? Take a seat at the Canteen of Tomorrow before considering various sustainable food options that may be available to all of us in the future.
How does mushroom jerky or roasted larvae sound to you? Find out more about sustainable foods that may soon be on the menu at this part of the School of Tomorrow.
Other Classes at School of Tomorrow at New Bahru
There are several other classrooms to explore at the School of Tomorrow at New Bahru. These include social studies and sports.
There is even a home economics class that tackles the topic of fast fashion.
Also be sure to pop into the school’s sick bay too!
History Class (New!)
One new class that has been added to the 2024 term of School of Tomorrow is the history class. This has been created in partnership with Temasek Shophouse and explores Singapore’s growth from its kampung roots to the present day. The curriculum inside this classroom explores sustainability-related themes such as energy efficiency, water management systems, and the electrification of vehicles.
As an extension of the History Class, Temasek Shophouse will organise two free fireside chats open to public that explore the interconnected topics of conservation and sustainability.
The first session on 24 October will be helmed by Ho Weng Hin, Co-Founder of Studio Lapis, and Jerome Lim, Author of The Long and Winding Road, discussing the preservation of Singapore’s heritage for future generations.
The second session on 7 November will address the sustainability challenges facing conserved shophouses, featuring Naree Phinyawatana, Director at Atelier Ten, and Jia Xin Chum, Associate Director of Architecture, Landscape & Urbanism at Henning Larsen.
Free Guided Tours
In addition to the classes, the school will be offering free guided tours led by ‘class monitors’ to provide visitors with a deeper understanding of the environmental issues.
Bookshop with Real Merch That You Can Buy
If you enjoyed going to the School of Tomorrow, you can also purchase themed merchandise from the school’s bookshop.
Available items at the bookshop include specially designed stationery and wares made from materials such as recycled plastic, eggshell, and sawdust. These merchandise are produced in collaboration with eco-innovators.
The selection includes exercise books and foolscap pads made from paper offcuts in partnership with Allegro Print.
The bookshop will also carry a range of limited-edition school bags jointly created by School of Tomorrow and textile studio YABAI YABAI. These are made from old school uniforms donated by the public. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the bookshop merchandise will go to the World Wildlife Fund-Singapore’s Eco-Schools Programme.
Get Schooled at School of Tomorrow, New Bahru
If you are looking to learn about sustainability in an interesting and innovative way, pay a visit to School of Tomorrow. It is an immersive exhibition that will make you feel as if have been transported back to school and you will leave learning something new.
When: 17 October to 28 November 2024, 12 pm to 8 pm daily
Where: New Bahru, Small Block (Level 1), 58 Kim Yam Road S(239359). The entrance to the exhibition is along Kim Yam Road.
Admission: Free
Website: School of Tomorrow on Instagram
