UNIT 12: Unrated

Graduating students from NYP’s School of Design marked their graduation in style with a public showcase of their works at the National Library Building.

The graduation showcase, entitled “UNIT 12: Unrated”, was held from 21 to 24 March and featured works from students studying Industrial Design, Space & Interior Design and Visual Communication. Various award-winning designs were featured as well. 

Also on display were works intended for industry partners like Yamaha, Billabong and Hewlett-Packard (HP).


The showcase gave graduands the opportunity to market themselves to potential employers. All graduands were given their own booths to display their works, with their photos and contact information displayed prominently on the backdrop.

Members of the public learn more about the designers and their works.

Graduands were given the leeway to showcase their best works, and they were on hand to explain their works to visitors. Most of them had business cards on hand so that they could network with potential employers or clients.

Industry-Driven Training For an Industry at a Crossroads
The event was opened by Mr Edward Ho, Deputy Principal/Development for NYP, on 21 March.

Mr Lee Youn Kay (extreme left) and Mr Edward Ho (extreme right) viewing the exhibits on display.

Mr Lee Youn Kay, Director for the School of Design, said that UNIT 12 allowed graduands to showcase the portfolio they developed as part of the studies in  NYP. UNIT 12 also gave graduands the opportunity to market  their designs, and to demonstrate their creative and innovative ideas to the industry,  their family members and the general public.

He also advised students to constantly keep an open mind as they venture forward, either in the working world or through further studies, so that they can continue to build upon their knowledge and skills and capitalise on the growing design industry.

“It’s a very exciting time to go into design, “he said, “Singapore is at the  crossroads where the East meets with the West, where Western design thinking could merge with the strong traditions and cultures of the East. There are many opportunities to synergize the two.”

Graduands of the Highest Calibre
Mr Christopher Lim, an Industrial Design Manager at Hewlett Packard Inkjet and Web Solution Group, spoke highly of the NYP graduands his team worked with.

NYP graduand and former intern at HP, Shawn Toh (left) explains his designs to Christopher Lim (right).

“At HP we groom only the best,” he said, “The students have performed very well and they have the right skill sets.”

He also commended their exemplary attitude and excellent work ethic. He said that he was impressed with the NYP students he received since the collaboration started in 2010.

“It’s one of the best polys,” he said, “They have a good grasp of design and can meet industry demands.” He added that the quality meets or exceeds the works produced in some undergraduate design programmes.

Great Education, Great Memories
Nora Fong was one of the lucky NYP students to serve an internship with HP. She will be graduating with a Diploma in Industrial Design in May and was grateful for the opportunities and training she received at NYP.

“The courses are industry-related and we learn a lot of practical stuff,” she said, “We are taught how to market our designs and it is very easy to apply what we have learnt. This makes it easy for companies to employ us.”

Nora with her award-winning design for Cebien, a leading provider of shower systems in Korea.

This award-winning graduand found the exhibition to be a bittersweet moment. Even though she feels proud to display the works she completed at NYP, she will miss her friends and lecturers.

“It was very tough at the beginning but after a while, things became easier. I feel like I don’t want to graduate. I have lots of friends here and we usually spend more time on campus than at home, so after a while they become like family,” she said.

For more photos, visit the gallery on facebook.