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Singapore Celebrates 60 Years of Independence with an Enticing Multisensory Pavilion ‘RASA-TABULA-SINGAPURA’ at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025
- Celebrate Singapore’s Superdiversity by experiencing a thousand worlds in one Singapore
- RASA-TABULA-SINGAPURA brings superdiversity to the table, through a dynamic exhibition that reimagines city-making through food, culture, and collective design
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 6 May 2025 – In celebration of Singapore’s 60th year of independence (SG60), the Singapore Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 invites visitors to take a seat at the Table of Superdiversity—an enticing reimagination of city-making and nation-building through the universal act of dining.
Titled RASA-TABULA-SINGAPURA, the Pavilion reinterprets the Latin notion of tabula rasa (a blank slate) as a multisensory experience. Here, RASA (taste in Malay), TABULA (table in Latin), and SINGAPURA (Lion City in Sanskrit) converge as a metaphor for Singapore’s distinctive identity, shaped by centuries of movement, exchange, and reinvention. Commissioned by the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore (URA) and the DesignSingapore Council (Dsg), the Singapore Pavilion is organised by the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), and is curated by a multidisciplinary team from SUTD: Prof. Tai Lee Siang, Prof. Khoo Peng Beng, Prof. Dr. Erwin Viray, Dr. Jason Lim, Asst. Prof. Dr. Immanuel Koh, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sam Conrad Joyce.
The Pavilion uses dining—one of Singapore’s beloved national pastimes—as a curatorial lens to explore how architecture, policy, and participatory design intersect in the everyday lives of Singaporeans. Through a curated menu of architectural and urban planning projects, RASA-TABULA-SINGAPURA offers visitors a ‘taste’ of Singapore, by engaging with the key ingredients that shape its built environment. ‘Main courses’ highlight key developments and districts such as Pinnacle@Duxton, an iconic public housing development in Singapore, that reflects Singapore’s innovative approach to urban growth and transformation; while ‘side dishes’ showcase innovations in design, policy, and community-building, which contribute to Singapore’s strength as a multicultural society.
The Pavilion’s tablescape reflects and applies the theme of Biennale curator Carlo Ratti—Intelligens: Natural. Artificial. Collective.—to Singapore’s context. Building on the word ‘intelligence’ and the Latin word ‘gens’, which means ‘people’, the Pavilion seeks to express Singapore’s superdiversity by illustrating how the convergence of global and local influences, complex data, as well as myriad flows of people, goods, ideas and innovations, collectively shapes Singapore’s unique identity and the way we rethink the built environment.
“Illustrating Singapore’s superdiversity, we are highlighting seven ‘main courses’ at RASA-TABULA-SINGAPURA—each offering a taste of how Singapore plans for life at every scale. At Pinnacle@Duxton, we explored vertical living as a framework for superdiversity—where density, design, and innovation come together in the sky. Moving from single developments to district-scale planning, projects like Tengah and Changi Airport demonstrate how Singapore applies the same design sensibility to shaping entire ecosystems of liveability and movement. These ideas continue through our research and teaching at SUTD, where planning for the future means designing for complexity. It’s one expression of a city always planning ahead, always becoming,” said Prof. Khoo Peng Beng, Co-Curator for the Singapore Pavilion, head of the Architecture and Sustainable Design Pillar at SUTD and a recipient of the President’s Design Award.
Another key example on display on the dining table is CapitaSpring, a 280-metre-tall tropical high-rise in the heart of Singapore’s Central Business District that exemplifies the city’s progressive planning. The biophilic spectacle is a showcase of Singapore’s Landscaping for Urban Spaces and High-Rises (LUSH) policy—requiring developers to replace greenery lost on the ground with vertical landscapes. Over 80,000 plants are woven into the tower’s fabric, including a soaring four-storey Green Oasis 100 metres above ground, one of Singapore’s highest that is publicly accessible in commercial buildings.
Through the exhibition’s interactive installations and vibrant dining-inspired setting, RASA-TABULA-SINGAPURA brings this urban feast to life, inviting visitors to consider how collective views on natural, artificial, and social aspects can shape spaces that reflect shared needs, values, and aspirations. The Pavilion becomes a living forum where visitors can discover how design, data, and diversity converge to craft Singapore’s evolving cityscape and its underpinning interconnected systems.
“Through thoughtful urban planning and design, we create environments that inspire and support how we live, work, play, and connect. In a land-scarce city like Singapore, we need to balance density, diversity, and design. Planning policies, cultural values, environmental priorities, and community needs are considered and integrated to create and shape spaces that are inclusive, resilient and adaptable. RASA-TABULA-SINGAPURA offers a sensory map of that approach, inviting visitors to experience the thoughtful processes that have shaped our nation’s transformation in the last 60 years. It is not just a showcase of what we have built, but also a reflection of how we imagine—and continue to reimagine—our future,” said Yap Lay Bee, Co-Commissioner of the Singapore Pavilion and Group Director (Architecture & Urban Design) of URA.
“As a nation by design, Singapore’s socio-economic needs, demographics, policies, and spatial negotiations have guided our urban planning. Such intelligence not only reflects our design-led development for the last 60 years, but will continue to chart the course for our future. Centring on the concept of superdiversity, this year’s Singapore Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale showcases how the convergence of unique multicultural differences, collective histories, design and new technology offers opportunities for more inclusive, adaptive urban futures,” said Dawn Lim, Co-Commissioner of the Singapore Pavilion and Executive Director of Dsg.
The Singapore Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 will be held from 9 May 2025 to 23 November 2025.
Visit https://singaporepavilion.sg/ for more information.
Hashtag: #SingaporePavilion #RASA-TABULA-SINGAPURA
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About Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) is Singapore’s land use planning and conservation agency. Our mission is “to make Singapore a great city to live, work and play”. We strive to create an endearing home and a vibrant city through long-term planning and innovation, in partnership with the community.
We have transformed Singapore into one of the most liveable cities in Asia through judicious land use planning and good urban design. Adopting a long-term and comprehensive planning approach, we formulate strategic plans such as the Long-Term Plan and the Master Plan to guide the physical development of Singapore in a sustainable manner. Developed to support economic growth, our plans and policies are focused on achieving a quality living environment for Singapore.
We take on a multi-faceted role to turn plans and visions into reality. As the main government land sales agent, we attract and channel private capital investments to develop sites that support planning, economic and social objectives. Through our regulatory function, we ensure that development works are aligned with our plans. As the conservation authority, we have an internationally recognised conservation programme, and have successfully conserved not just single buildings, but entire districts. We also partner the community to enliven our public spaces to create a car-lite, people-friendly and liveable city for all to enjoy.
In shaping a distinctive city, we promote architecture and urban design excellence, and innovate to build a resilient city of opportunity that fulfils the aspirations of our people.
Visit www.ura.gov.sg for more information.
About DesignSingapore Council (Dsg)
The DesignSingapore Council’s (Dsg’s) vision is for Singapore to be an innovation-driven economy and a loveable city by design. As the national agency that promotes design, our mission is to develop the design sector, help Singapore use design for innovation and growth, and make life better in this UNESCO Creative City of Design.
Our work focuses on three areas:
First, we help organisations and enterprises use design as a strategy for business growth, and for excellent delivery of public services. Second, we nurture industry-ready talents skilled in design and innovation, and engender a design-minded workforce for the future economy. Third, we advance the Singapore brand through raising design appreciation on home-ground, helping local design talents and firms go international, and making emotional connections with people across the world.
Dsg is a subsidiary of the Singapore Economic Development Board.
Singapore was designated a UNESCO Creative City of Design in December 2015. The designation supports Singapore’s development of a creative culture and ecosystem that integrates design and creativity with everyday life. It also expands Singapore’s opportunity to collaborate with cities from the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). The City of Design Office is sited with Dsg, which coordinates and implements programmes that respond to UCCN’s mission.
Visit designsingapore.org for more information
About Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)
The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) is the world’s first Design AI university. With Design AI, artificial intelligence is treated as a partner and a member of the team – not just a tool. As a result of this unique SUTD treatment, AI and humans brainstorm, spar and prototype together, resulting in solutions that are elevated several-fold. This human-AI team concept has been made possible because of SUTD’s unique cohort-based interdisciplinary pedagogy – which has been in place since the University’s formation in 2009.
As a trailblazer in the field of design and technology education and research, SUTD has been pioneering innovative programmes and initiatives since our inception – including launching the world’s first Design and AI degree in 2020 – well before AI was even a buzzword. The success of that pioneering degree has set the stage for a new growth strategy called SUTD Leap, which was launched in March 2024. Here, SUTD aims to redesign higher education with an even greater focus on design and AI, whilst nurturing the next generation of human-centric design x tech innovators and innovator leaders.
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A First in the Asia-Pacific – Taiwan Leads the Launch of the Early Kidney Disease Annual Report, Opening a New Era in Advancing Kidney Care
- Yung-Ho Hsu, Secretary General of the Taiwan Society of Nephrology
- Shang-Jyh Hwang, Honorary President of the Taiwan Society of Nephrology
- Masaomi Nangaku, Immediate Past-President of the International Society of Nephrology
- Marcello Tonelli, President of the International Society of Nephrology
- Mai-Szu Wu, President of the Taiwan Society of Nephrology
- Chung-Liang Shih, Minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare
- Ching-Fen Shen, Director General of the Health Promotion Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare
- Chih-Cheng Hsu, Professor at the National Health Research Institutes
- Hyeong-Cheon Park, President Elect of the Asia Pacific Society of Nephrology
- Rajnish Mehrotra, President of the International Society of Peritoneal Dialysis
The complete and immediate analysis aids in reversing the past trend where most patients were diagnosed at late stages and required dialysis, ushering in a new era of early detection and treatment. Minister of Health and Welfare, Chung-Liang Shih, stated at a press conference that this annual report serves as a new engine for promoting precise care, integrating complete data and risk classification indicators for Early CKD P4P(Pay for Performance) and Pre-ESRD P4P. This fills the gap in early kidney disease data and strengthens the quantitative basis for policy and clinical decision-making, facilitating early intervention and delaying disease progression. The goal is to achieve the Healthy Taiwan Policy target of reducing the standardized mortality rate for chronic diseases by one-third by 2030, and for Taiwan’s care model to become an example in the Asia-Pacific, establishing a sustainable and precise new framework for kidney care.
The early kidney disease annual report reveals several key trends. According to KDIGO risk classification, the proportion of high-risk and very high-risk patients in the P4P program has gradually decreased in recent years, reflecting a shift in treatment strategies toward early intervention and prevention. This trend not only highlights the medical team’s emphasis on the care of early-stage chronic kidney disease patients but also helps delay disease progression and reduce the incidence of later-stage complications. In terms of controlling the “three highs” (hyperglycemia, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia), data shows that approximately 80% of patients meet lipid targets and nearly 60% maintain stable blood sugar levels. However, only about 30% meet the target for blood pressure below 130/80 mmHg, indicating significant challenges remain in blood pressure control. The “three highs” are important risk factors for the progression and deterioration of chronic kidney disease, making it crucial to further improve control rates. The implementation of the P4P program has already shown preliminary results, and there are expectations for more immediate, comprehensive, and rigorous data collection and tracking, which will more fully demonstrate the long-term benefits of this care model.
Data-Driven: Taiwan’s First Early Kidney Disease Annual Report Fills Care Gaps
Professor Chih-Cheng Hsu from the National Health Research Institutes pointed out that past domestic kidney disease care has primarily focused on dialysis and end-stage disease, with limited understanding of early stages and delayed updates on data. This annual report breaks through traditional reporting frameworks and represents the first integration of complete data and risk classification indicators for Early CKD P4P and Pre-ESRD P4P. Utilizing big data for in-depth analysis, it outlines the disease progression and comorbidity trends of patients at different risk levels, successfully filling the long-term gap in early kidney disease care. He noted that grasping information on early stages of disease helps clinicians intervene earlier and delay deterioration while providing quantitative evidence for health policies to promote proactive and timely kidney care strategies, enhancing Taiwan’s international competitiveness in precise health governance.
Early CKD P4P and Pre-ESRD P4P are two phased quality-based reimbursement programs promoted by the National Health Insurance Administration, addressing key care needs for early chronic kidney disease and pre-dialysis patients, respectively. Early CKD P4P primarily targets patients in CKD stages 1-3a, aiding healthcare institutions in early identification of kidney deterioration risks through disease tracking and integrated care models, providing personalized management. Pre-ESRD P4P focuses on patients in CKD stages 3b, 4-5, enhancing control of complications, medication, and nutritional management while utilizing data feedback to support treatment decisions, aiming to delay dialysis and improve care efficiency. Both programs link the complete processes from early prevention to pre-dialysis intervention, contributing to improved overall CKD care quality and patient long-term prognosis.
Precise Kidney Care: Holistic and Continuous CKD Care as a Model for Chronic Disease
Taiwan centers its approach on “precise care,” continuously optimizing the integrated chronic kidney disease care system to implement policy blueprints in clinical practice. Director General of National Health Insurance Administration, Lian-Yu Chen, mentioned that Taiwan has progressively refined various measures, from educational programs for pre-end-stage renal disease patients to integrated care plans for early chronic kidney disease. The medical team can adjust personalized treatment strategies based on patient risk classification and clinical data, strengthening disease management and follow-up effectiveness for early-stage patients. She indicated that by integrating and providing feedback across units, care gaps could be minimized to ensure that patients receive consistent medical services across different levels of care. Director General of Health Promotion Administration, Ching-Fen Shen, remarked that grassroots health education and community health advocacy go hand in hand to enhance public awareness of kidney health. Years of efforts have significantly slowed the deterioration of early kidney disease progression, with patients participating in integrated care exhibiting a lower future risk of dialysis compared to those who do not participate, showing tangible effectiveness of the Taiwan model.
Policy Linkage and Sustainable Vision: Achieving the Healthy Taiwan Goals and Leading the New Landscape of Asia-Pacific
In response to the government’s “Healthy Taiwan” policy, Taiwan is implementing a preventive kidney care model based on the Early CKD P4P and Pre-ESRD P4P systems and the Early Kidney Disease Annual Report. President of the Taiwan Society of Nephrology, Mai-Szu Wu, stated that investing in early chronic kidney disease management not only contributes to health sustainability but also reduces waste of medical resources, achieving dual benefits of health outcomes and environmental sustainability, assisting the government in its goal to reduce chronic disease mortality by one-third by 2030.
During the Asia-Pacific Nephrology Conference (APCN) held in Taipei this year, the Asia-Pacific’s first Early Kidney Disease Annual Report was officially unveiled. President of the International Society of Nephrology, Marcello Tonelli, and Immediate Past-President , Masaomi Nangaku, along with the President Elect of the Asia Pacific Society of Nephrology Hyeong-Cheon Park and Honorary Secretary Sunita Bavanandan attended as witnesses, attracting experts from South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Additionally, various important domestic academic societies, including the Taiwan Academy of Family Medicine, Taiwan Society of Cardiology, the Diabetes Association of the Republic of China (Taiwan), the Taiwan Association of Clinical Diabetes, and the Taiwan Medical Clinics Association also participated and supported the event. Minister Chung-Liang Shih expressed gratitude for the collective efforts and emphasized that this kidney annual report showcases Taiwan’s leading position in medical data integration and clinical evidence, hoping that real-time and comprehensive data analysis will once again showcase Taiwan’s precision care model to the international community, working together with other countries to create a new global framework for chronic kidney disease prevention and treatment.
Hashtag: #TaiwanSocietyofNephrology
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The Government of Angola Launches an International Public Tender for the Management of the Namibe Corridor
The concession, with an initial duration of 30 years, extendable up to 50 years, covers the operation, management, maintenance and preservation of the Moçâmedes–Menongue Railway Line, including rolling stock, associated infrastructure, workshops and the training centre. It further encompasses the possibility of designing and constructing new sections, extensions and branch lines, as well as railway connections to the Republic of Namibia and, at a later stage, to the Republic of Zambia.
The Secretary of State for Land Transport, Jorge Bengue, noted at the launch event that the process constitutes a strategic opportunity for international operators with a proven track record in the railway sector. “The Namibe Corridor has the potential to strengthen Angola’s role as a regional logistics platform, enhance supply chains, foster new investments, and increase the competitiveness of exports. We anticipate a dynamic tender process with strong participation from established industry operators,” he stated.
Jorge Bengue further emphasised that Angola has carried out structural reforms in recent years that have strengthened legal certainty and created a more competitive business environment. The success of the concession of the Lobito Corridor has demonstrated the country’s capacity to implement partnership models that stimulate private investment and accelerate the modernization of transport infrastructure.
Individual companies or consortiums of competitors with proven experience in the management of railway infrastructure and freight operations are eligible to apply. The detailed technical and financial requirements are set out in the tender documents, which are available for a fee of USD 20,000, or the equivalent in kwanzas at the exchange rate of the National Bank of Angola at the time of the transaction.
The Namibe Corridor encompasses the Moçâmedes Railway, with a total length of 855 km, and the Port of Namibe, forming a strategic logistics axis for the export of minerals, ornamental stones, agricultural products, and other goods. The infrastructure allows for a theoretical capacity of up to 5 million tonnes per year, serving as a connection point for landlocked countries in the region, in coordination with the Lobito and Walvis Bay corridors.
This corridor also contributes to tourism development and regional integration, strengthening Angola’s position in Atlantic–Indian trade routes and consolidating the country as a significant commercial hub within the African context.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Transport of Angola.
Download Image: https://apo-opa.co/48GQeet
Caption: The official launch of the Public Tender, presided over by the Secretary of State for Land Transport, Jorge Bengue
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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VinFast VF 8 – Crafted for high-expectation markets in the GCC
Premium design meets industry-leading warranty and long-term support
DUBAI, UAE – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 December 2025 – The Middle East’s electric vehicle market is still developing but advancing quickly. In the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, EV sales penetration doubled from about 2 per cent to roughly 4 per cent in just one year, placing the region among the fastest-growing EV markets globally. 91% of battery-electric vehicle owners here say they plan to buy another EV, above the global average of 87%.
Amid that backdrop, buyers are seeking vehicles that match or exceed the space, performance, and refinement expected from premium SUVs. VinFast VF 8 arrives as a direct response to these elevated expectations, combining sophisticated design, robust capability, and a comprehensive ownership framework built around long-term confidence.
The VF 8 is shaped by VinFast’s “Dynamic Balance” design philosophy, a deliberate interplay between flowing curves and precise, angular lines that creates a sense of energy and visual structure without sacrificing harmony. This design language feels both contemporary and enduring. The result is a vehicle that projects presence without aggression, offering an aesthetic that balances boldness with sophistication, qualities that resonate with Middle Eastern consumers who view their vehicles as reflections of personal standards.
Under the sculpted exterior lies engineering tuned for high-demand regional driving. The VF 8 Plus variant delivers all-wheel drive with up to 402 horsepower and 620 Nm of torque, accelerating from 0 to 100 kph in under 5.5 seconds. This translates to confident overtaking on high-speed highways, assured merging in dense urban traffic, and the capability to handle extended cruising. Range reaches up to 493 km (NEDC) in the Eco configuration, a practical threshold aligned with intercity travel patterns across the region.
The 15.6-inch infotainment display provides intuitive access to navigation and vehicle settings. Crucially for the region, dual-zone climate control paired with ventilated seats are essential features designed to maintain cabin comfort even during peak heat.
The VF 8 integrates a comprehensive suite of smart systems designed to reduce driver workload. Traffic Jam Assist manages stop-and-go driving in congested environments, easing the fatigue of gridlock. Highway Assist supports sustained motorway cruising, helping drivers maintain lane position during long-distance travel. These systems work together to create a driving experience that feels more secure and less demanding.
Where the VF 8 truly distinguishes itself is in VinFast’s approach to long-term ownership. Addressing anxieties around battery longevity and service maturity, VinFast offers what may be the industry’s most comprehensive warranty structure. The VF 8 comes with a 10-year/200,000-km vehicle warranty and a 10-year unlimited-kilometer battery warranty, and 5-year/100,000-km of free service, eliminating one of the primary concerns of electric vehicle ownership. It’s also supported by practical service infrastructure: mobile service capabilities bring maintenance to customers’ locations, while 24/7 roadside assistance ensures support is available whenever needed.
The VF 8 represents VinFast’s understanding that success in sophisticated markets like the GCC requires vehicles that genuinely align with how people live, drive, and make long-term decisions. For Middle Eastern buyers navigating the transition to electric mobility, the VF 8 offers confidence in all aspects: design, performance, comfort, and warranty support. From the first drive to years down the road, it’s an electric vehicle crafted to deliver peace of mind alongside capability.
Hashtag: #VinFast
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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