Student Designers Take Centre Stage at The Singapore Garden Festival 2026

- Team ‘Retro Reel Collective’ from the Institute of Technical Education (College East) clinched Gold at the Landscape Design Challenge with their landscape display titled “Echoes Reimagined - A Retroactive Reimagination of the Past with Modern-Day Themes”

- Awards were presented by Senior Minister of State Dr Janil Puthucheary on Sunday, 5 July at Singapore Garden Festival 2026

Singapore, 5 July 2026 – Team ‘Retro Reel Collective’ from the Institute of Technical Education (College East) clinched the Gold Award at the Landscape Design Challenge at the Singapore Garden Festival (SGF) 2026. A total of 39 students participated in the competition, including some recipients of the NParks-Peter Lim Scholarship^[1], which aims to nurture young talents in the landscape and animal sectors.

The Landscape Design Challenge is a competition that simulates real-world work environments, giving students from institutes of higher learning an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in designing and constructing landscaped areas, while applying their classroom knowledge and letting their creativity shine.

It also provides a platform for these students to showcase their landscape design and floral art abilities to local and international audiences at SGF, which is held at Gardens by the Bay from 4 to 12 July 2026.

This year, seven teams from the Institute of Technical Education (College East), Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, and Singapore Polytechnic were given four hours to implement their landscape displays inspired by the theme “Retro Reimagined”.

Teams were assessed on criteria including design and execution, variety and suitability of plants featured, and project management — all essential skills in the landscape sector. The Landscape Design Challenge is supported by the Garden City Fund, NParks’ registered charity and IPC.

At the Landscape Design Challenge Prize Presentation Ceremony today, Senior Minister of State for Education and Sustainability and the Environment Dr Janil Puthucheary presented the awards to the winners.

Team ‘Retro Reel Collective’ from the Institute of Technical Education (College East) triumphs in the Landscape Design Challenge

Team ‘Retro Reel Collective’ from the Institute of Technical Education (College East) clinched the Gold Award for their display titled ‘Echoes Reimagined - A Retroactive Reimagination of the Past with Modern-Day Themes’. Suspended air plants were featured alongside materials such as PET bottle caps, repurposed wires, and mushroom waste were upcycled into sculptural features to present a nostalgic landscape that connects past values with modern sustainability principles.

 

Gold Award goes to team “Retro Reel Collective” from the Institute of Technical Education (College East)

(Credit: Singapore Garden Festival)

The Silver Award went to the team ‘Urban Canopy Lab’ from the Institute of Technical Education (College East) for the display titled, ‘Synthwave Merlion’, while the Bronze Award went to the team ‘Ikan Bilis’ from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts for their display titled ‘Channels of Time’ and team ‘Kampong Kakis’ from Republic Polytechnic for their display titled ‘Heartlands’ Stories’.

Silver Award goes to team ‘Urban Canopy Lab’ from the Institute of Technical Education (College East) for their display titled ‘Synthwave Merlion’

(Credit: Singapore Garden Festival)

Bronze Award goes to team ‘Ikan Bilis’ from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (left) for their display titled ‘Channels of Time’ and team ‘Kampong Kakis’ from Republic Polytechnic (right) for their display titled ‘Heartlands’ Stories’

(Credit: Singapore Garden Festival)

The seven Landscape Design Challenge displays will be showcased at SGF until 12 July 2026. For more information on the displays, please refer to the Annex below.

Visitors can purchase tickets to SGF 2026 via https://sgf.nparks.gov.sg/tickets/.

 

^{[1] The scholarship programme empowers less privileged youths to pursue careers in landscaping, horticulture, ecology, veterinary, and animal science sectors by supporting their skills development. Set up in 2020, it is the first structured award that benefits students passionate in the landscape, veterinary, and animal science sectors.}

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