‘Planet or Plastic?’ was ArtScience Museum’s first exhibition since the institution reopened its doors after Singapore’s ‘circuit-breaker’ measures. Designed to raise awareness of society’s dependence on plastic, the exhibition depicted the issue and those working on solutions in more than 70 powerful photographs and videos.
Pico was appointed to provide design and build services for all exhibition’s zones, comprising a total area of almost 900 sq. m. Featuring the work of researchers, scientists and artists, the exhibition traced the history of plastics, explored the plastic pollution of oceans, and revealed how countless marine animals die each year from ingesting microplastics.
Pico closely followed the Museum’s creative concept for the exhibition’s design. Artwork from National Geographic was used to define the general spatial layout, with variations in the photo displays adding diversity and depth to the visitor experience.
The team also worked closely with the client to deliver an interactive educational space about disposable facemasks. The displays offered practical advice on improving day-to-day living while still remaining safe. Safety was also an important factor in the exhibition’s various interactive features, which the team ensured were as hands-free as possible. For example, to initiate their journey, visitors used their feet to hit a ‘start’ button and activate various sounds and lights. At the end of the exhibition area, visitors were presented with National Geographic’s pledge to reduce plastic usage and live sustainably.
Sustainability
Fulfilling a key client requirement, the Pico team used a high proportion of sustainable materials. Rather than standard plastic exhibition components, direct-to-substrate printing on aluminium composite panels was used for most of the artwork, a measure which also minimised plastic material wastage during artwork production.
About ‘Planet or Plastic?’ exhibition: https://www.marinabaysands.com/museum/exhibitions/planet-or-plastic.html