Memories In Motion - Whampoa Intergenerational Tangible Storytelling
Name of Event/Lecture
Memories In Motion - Whampoa Intergenerational Tangible Storytelling
What stories can everyday objects tell us about the places we call home?
Memories in Motion 2 brings together 10 students from Holy Innocents' High School, 5 senior residents of Whampoa, and 15 students from the NUS College of Design and Engineering's BA (Arch) Year 4 and M Arch Year 1 & 2 programmes, in collaboration with Tsao Foundation, to preserve the neighbourhood's living memory through tangible object storytelling.
As young archivists, the secondary school students spend time with their senior partners over a series of sessions, listening to the stories behind meaningful everyday objects and documenting them in their field journals. These personal stories become the foundation for a series of portable suitcase archives, tangible keepsakes that honour lived experiences and celebrate Whampoa's heritage.
STUDENTS LISTENING INTENTLY TO SENIOR RESIDENTS DURING THE WORKSHOP
Last week, our students joined Session 3 of the intergenerational workshops at Whampoa Community Club, meeting the seniors they will be designing for, observing the storytelling sessions, and gaining a deeper understanding of the people behind each story ahead of the design sprint.
“Learning about the stories behind the objects that the seniors shared has made me realise how much history, especially those once lived by these seniors, is at severe risk of being erased in our collective memories as a young generation. It is ever more important that we conserve and preserve these lived artefacts, so that these memories can continue for all.”
- Justin Quek Bing (M. Arch Year 2)
Next, from 8–10 December 2026, these talented students will take part in a three-day design sprint at NUS, where each team will transform these conversations into thoughtful archive concepts and full-scale prototypes.
The journey will culminate in the Final Showcase on 18 January 2027, where the completed suitcase archives will be presented to the seniors and the wider programme community, bringing together months of listening, designing, and storytelling in a shared celebration of Whampoa's living memories.
A SHARED MOMENT, BRIDGING GENERATIONS
Through listening, making, and sharing, we hope to create new ways for Whampoa's memories to be carried forward across generations.
Learn more about The Social Design Lab (SoDL) and its work here(opens in new tab).
This story is adapted from SoDL's Instagram post @nus.sodl(opens in new tab)
