designing cultures studio

part of singapore culture & design research project

This publication not only captures with tenderness the texture of decorative elements of traditional Chinese temples in glorious black and white, but also the scent of temples. In collaboration with scent company Jay Cee Global, the scent production process takes three months to complete. The essence of the scent is then sent to the printing company and mixed into the black printing ink of the Heidelberg printing machine. Thus, this book is printed with special scented ink that resembles the smell of temples.

Through the visual lens, the forgotten, the ordinary and the archaic are given stature in this book. It delivers a blast of nostalgia and familiarity for the over the fifties and a shot of discovery for younger readers. Through sight and smell, memories are evoked, new possibilities are imagined, and personal connections are explored. Most of all, this book invites readers to take a second look at the overlooked and participate in a cultural exchange dialogue. Have these century-old architectural decorations of Singapore that originated from Fujian, China, remained the same or have they adapted with time and different geographic factors?