People of PDD

People of PDD Co-Creating an Inclusive Mural for the Punggol Digital District

conditional design,
participatory design,
interactive experiences

Project Lead: Aditi Neti
Partners: DF@SIT, JTC, NECDC

The Design Factory at the Singapore Institute of Technology (DF@SIT), situated in innoHub, is an applied innovation centre that provides innovation as a service to Singapore’s ecosystem. Working at the intersection of design, technology, and community, DF@SIT applies creative methods and experimental technologies to enable collaboration across sectors.

BACKGROUND When SIT moved to its new campus in the Punggol Digital District (PDD), it created a shared space where academia, industry, and the community could naturally interact. Developed jointly by JTC Corporation and SIT, PDD is Singapore’s first integrated district that brings together a university, a business park, and public community areas. With more than 45,000 people passing through each day, the district acts as a real-world testbed for new ideas, collaborations, and community-driven initiatives.

At the centre of this district is a 130-metre mural wall along the community promenade. Commissioned by JTC with support from the North East Community Development Council (NECDC), the mural was created to reflect inclusivity and a shared community identity. DF@SIT led the mural’s concept development and digital engagement plan, collaborating closely with artists with disabilities from Shaping Hearts, Singapore’s largest inclusive arts festival.

CONCEPT Two key artists, Simeon Tan Rui En and Ezra Chan Yi, contributed their distinct artistic styles to the project.

To support their collaboration, the DF@SIT team used conditional, instructional, and generative art methods. Through guided design exercises and participatory workshops, Simeon and Ezra (together with their caregivers) responded to prompts related to technology, community, and connection. These structured sessions provided accessible ways for the artists to express their ideas. Caregivers also took part as co-creators, using exercises that encouraged open dialogue and built mutual trust.

Together, the process produced more than 60 original artworks, which now serve as the visual foundation of the mural.

VISIT MICROSITE→

PEOPLE OF PDD To broaden participation beyond the studio, DF@SIT created a digital platform called People of PDD (peopleofpdd.sg). The site allows the public to design their own avatars using shapes and textures drawn from Simeon and Ezra’s original artworks. Each avatar is assigned traits connected to the same keyword prompts that guided the artists—capturing the values reflected in both the mural and the district.

Avatars created on the platform will be woven into the physical mural and later enhanced through AR. By scanning QR codes along the wall, visitors will be able to see community-made characters and animations layered onto the artwork, adding a digital dimension to the mural experience.

TRY THE WEBSITE YOURSELF→

Community Engagement The website was introduced during community engagement sessions, where participants could name their avatars, print them as postcards, and contribute them to a growing digital mural. Across its first two activations, more than 450 people took part—including residents, students, and corporate groups attending Heartland National Day events and community centre programmes.

The project was also showcased to Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, Minister of State Sun Xueling, and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey Yam Keng, who expressed strong support for its creative and inclusive approach.

ISEA 2025 The People of PDD case study was presented at ISEA 2025, the International Symposium on Electronic Art held in Korea in May 2025, under the Community Engagement track. The presentation highlighted how participatory design, inclusive art practices, and digital prototyping can sustain long-term social connection and co-creation across abilities. The positive reception underscored the project’s role as both a design research case and a model for inclusive placemaking.

READ PAPER→

Looking Forward The mural project continues to generate impact across creative, social, and academic dimensions. The participatory process has strengthened bonds between artists and caregivers, validated inclusive design methods, and demonstrated the power of technology to support creativity and connection.

As the Punggol Digital District grows into a vibrant hub of collaboration, People of PDD stands as a testament to how art, design, and technology can unite people to shape a shared story of innovation, inclusion, and creativity.