FIND – Design Fair Asia 2024: A Thriving Hub for Southeast Asian Design

Building on the success of 2023, FIND – Design Fair Asia returns to Singapore Design Week from September 26-28, 2024.  This key marketplace for furniture, interiors, and design objects promises an even bigger and better experience, attracting an estimated 15,000 visitors and showcasing 350 brands at the iconic Marina Bay Sands venue.

FIND serves as the premier meeting point for Southeast Asia’s vibrant furniture and interiors sector.  Occupying a sprawling 17,000 sqm of exhibition space, the event brings together leading manufacturers, top suppliers, and key industry players.  This includes prime property developers, architects, hospitality and retail professionals, and esteemed interior designers.  FIND, a joint venture between dmg events (global leaders in design, construction, and hospitality trade shows) and Fiera Milano (a leading Italian exhibition and congress organizer), is strategically positioned to unite the region’s design industry and capitalize on promising market trends.

“FIND testifies to the international vocation of our Group,” says Roberto Foresti, Deputy General Manager of Fiera Milano. “It exemplifies our commitment to the organization of trade events abroad and in sectors which have particular geographical or market significance. Singapore reaffirms its position as a key hub for Asian design and provides the ideal setting for this event, which we have been organizing in collaboration with an excellent partner like dmg events. This edition, with a 15% growth compared to 2023, is also thanks to the support of ITA Agency who are adding value to Italian companies in foreign contexts by promoting the uniqueness of Italian creativity and design.”

FIND – Design Fair Asia 2024 boasts strong industry partnerships across the region. Collaborations include the DesignSingapore Council, the Society of Interior Designers, Singapore (celebrating their 30th anniversary), and leading associations like the Asia Pacific Space Designers Association and the Thai Furniture Association. This broad industry endorsement ensures FIND remains a platform truly “by the industry, for the industry.”

While global headwinds exist, Southeast Asia’s economies offer a beacon of hope.  As Carl Press, Director of FIND, highlights, “The broad endorsement from leading manufacturers and industry groups, ensures that FIND – Design Fair Asia is a platform by the industry, for the industry in the region. Headwinds such as interest rates fluctuations, China’s liquidity and property downturn slowed the post-covid recovery, but by contrast, the economies of Southeast Asia show resilience and are poised to be the world’s fastest growing region in 2024, offering intriguing opportunities.” 

Positive market trends present exciting opportunities for Southeast Asia’s design industry. The furniture sector is expected to generate a revenue of US$14.58 billion in 2024, with a projected annual growth rate of 7.11% (CAGR 2024-2028).  Living room furniture alone is estimated to reach US$4.96 billion this year.

The hospitality sector’s robust growth is expected to benefit interior design as well. According to Colliers International, the total hotel construction pipeline in APAC (excluding China) increased 4% year-on-year, with 1,977 projects and 402,156 rooms as of Q4 2023.

FIND – Design Fair Asia is strategically positioned to capitalize on these trends, drawing substantial visitors from across the region and building upon last year’s impressive 22% international visitor turnout. To enhance the visitor experience and business opportunities, FIND is introducing an improved business matching service. This service will connect pre-qualified buyers directly with suppliers through dedicated meetings, extended networking events, and even exclusive showroom visits, fostering a tailored and efficient approach to making connections and collaborations.

FIND Global Summit returns with industry leaders for thought-provoking discussions. Content Chair Yoko Choy, editor of Wallpaper* Magazine China, curates exciting sessions focused on innovative design strategies across disciplines like architecture, hospitality, and consumer design. The summit aims to spark discussions on actionable solutions and inspire attendees to navigate upcoming opportunities.

The EMERGE Showcase, presented by DesignSingapore Council and curated by Suzy Annetta, returns for its third edition in its largest space yet. Featuring over 50 emerging and established designers from Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam), the showcase presents new works responding to the theme “These Precious Things.”  This platform fosters connections and commercialization opportunities for these talented designers.

B2B delegates at FIND will have the opportunity to discover prominent global and regional design brands from Italy, Portugal, Czech Republic, Indonesia (including a collective from Contemporary Art & Design), Netherlands, Germany, and Japan.  The Italian Trade Agency also returns with over 30 iconic Italian exhibitors showcasing “Design Made in Italy.”

FIND 2024 demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainability. Beyond being held at the sustainable Marina Bay Sands venue, FIND implements several initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint.These include minimizing waste by removing unnecessary carpets, offering digital visitor passes to eliminate the need for physical badges, and providing modular booth construction options made from upcycled materials. These efforts translate to a 45% lower carbon footprint compared to conventional booth construction.

FIND serves as a springboard to explore Singapore’s vibrant design scene beyond the exhibition itself.  Exclusive evening showroom tours via dedicated shuttle buses offer attendees the opportunity to discover a curated selection of furniture, lighting, decoration, design, fine crafts, and lifestyle stores.

The city comes alive during Singapore Design Week, Asia’s premier design festival, returning from September 26th to October 6th.  This week-long celebration features a wide array of events, night installations, and special experiences. Design aficionados can explore unique city districts, meet local artists, and experience innovative design initiatives.

Despite regional challenges, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is poised for significant growth, projected to be the world’s fastest-growing economy in 2024 (Mordor Intelligence). Anticipated regional interest rate cuts in mid-2024 are expected to further strengthen investor sentiments.  The commercial real estate market already shows a positive trend, with Singapore emerging as a major source of investment in Asia Pacific real estate (Knight Frank). The city-state surpassed the US for the first time as investors injected nearly US$8.5 billion into the region (Knight Frank).

The outlook for the hotel industry is equally positive as inflation abates.  Airline capacity is expected to fully recover to 2019 levels by the end of the year (CBRE; IATA), with regional hotel occupancy rates already normalizing (CBRE).  According to Colliers International, upscale and luxury developments are experiencing notable growth, constituting 54% of the region’s construction pipeline.  In 2024, there are projected to be 381 new hotels with 74,341 rooms opening, followed by an additional 379 new hotels with 76,422 rooms to open in 2025.

Singapore’s commercial real estate market also reflects optimism, experiencing a significant growth in the 4th quarter of 2023, clocking in US$4.1 billion (US$5.5 billion) in transactions, which reflects a 110% YOY increase compared to the same period in 2022 (Knight Frank). The SEA office real estate market is booming as well, with nearly 6.5 million sqm of Grade A space due to come online in 2024, pushing up vacancies in almost two-thirds of markets (CBRE).

FIND – Design Fair Asia, a joint venture between dmg events (organizers of INDEX, HiDesign, etc.) and Fiera Milano (leader in Italy and one of the main integrated operators worldwide in the exhibition and congress industry), is a combination trade show and design fair. It offers a carefully curated selection of furniture, interiors, and design brands.

The anchor event of the Singapore Design Week (organized by DesignSingapore Council), FIND serves as a stimulating marketplace connecting leading suppliers across furniture, lighting, décor, textiles, design technology, home K&B and surface materials with retail buyers, residential and commercial property developers, architects, hospitality professionals, interior designers, high-net-worth individuals, and Asia-based FF&E contractors.

With key stakeholders such as DesignSingapore Council, numerous regional partner associations, and supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), FIND is to return to the iconic Marina Bay Sands with extended event offerings on over 17,000 sqm, 350 international brands, a VIP buyer program, and exciting on-site initiatives.

FIND 2024 promises to be a comprehensive and dynamic experience.  It offers attendees the opportunity to not only discover the latest design trends and connect with industry leaders, but also to explore the vibrant design scene in Singapore.  This combination makes FIND 2024 a must-attend event for design professionals and enthusiasts alike.