Architectural Short Film ‘Summer Island’ Premiere: Three DPA Projects Featured

As part of the Singapore-Japan Diplomatic Relations 60^th Anniversary (SJ60) commemorative events, the short documentary Summer Island premiered at the Asian Civilisations Museum on 11^th April 2026, featuring three DPA projects, Singapore Pavilion, Expo 2025, Osaka, House of Tan Yeok Nee and Plantation Village, which formed the backdrop of the film’s narrative progression and exploration of culture, memory and place. In attendance were DP Architects CEO Ar. Seah Chee Huang and DP Green director LAr. Yvonne Tan.

Ar. Shawn Teo and IDr. Drishti Kulshreshtha represented House of Tan Yeok Nee and Singapore Pavilion, Expo 2025, Osaka respectively at the thematic panel discussion. Moderated by Calvin Chua of Spatial Anatomy, the panel brought together a multidisciplinary group of architectural and art practitioners, which included mural artist Yip Yew Chong and film director Kevin Siyuan of Shiya Creative Studio.

Through the theme of ‘Crossing Cultures Through Art and Architecture’, the panellists reflected on creative practices that translate identity across borders. From murals and pavilions to heritage conservation and architectural filmmaking, the discussion highlighted how stories and spaces bridge cultures, creating moments of connection, familiarity and lasting impact.

Shawn anchored his reflections in conservation, drawing from his experience with House of Tan Yeok Nee. When asked how heritage spaces can balance authenticity with contemporary relevance, he distinguished between preservation and conservation, noting that conservation is a more generative approach that allows cultural memory to remain alive and adaptive rather than being frozen in time. He further highlighted how small details can carry a building’s story across generations. Singling out a downpipe masquerading as a lively Chinese parasol tree wall detailing, he described this as “one of the most beautiful rainwater downpipes”, and credited craftsmen who had laboured to ensure such detailing was possible.

On her work with Singapore Pavilion, Expo 2025, Osaka, Drishti discussed the challenges of designing across cultures and geographies, and how this experience had shifted both her design approach and perspective to embrace more acute observations and an openness to interpretation. Reflecting on the transience of the pavilion, which had been dismantled by the time the panel discussion was held, she shared that its memory lingered, affirming that while the physical space had been temporary, the feeling its existence evoked continues to persist.
Through such engagement and dialogue with the broader community, DPA continues to commit to cross-cultural understanding and collective aspirations towards design excellence and a better-than-sustainable urban future.