Palma Viva

The project explores what it means to live in a “city within a garden” – investigating the purity of Changi City Point’s underlying network of human and spatial relations by drawing reference from ‘DNA’.

DNA is the hereditary unit of life. The double helix depicts the structure of DNA and how life can be propagated through generations. Communities with different DNA coming together will result in environmental changes leading to the acquisition of good traits that will be transmitted through DNA replication. Hence, we will continue to progress through communities working collaboratively and harmoniously, leading to Utopia.

The art installation ‘PALMA VIVA’ (living palm) was created by 181 participants in the Changi precinct in collaboration with fine artist, Chloë Manasseh. The work is synonymous with Changi City Point’s architectural design. The symbiosis of Changi City Point and its surrounding communities resonates within the interactive elements of the art installation.

A total of 181 gold leaves revolve around ‘PALMA VIVA’ to form an intricate DNA structure. Each gold leaf is a DNA strand, embedded with wisdom, precious moments, and stories hand-drawn and embossed by the community. The gold leaves carry an interconnectedness forever interwoven into the core of the art installation.

Inspired by botanical Peranakan patterns and Singapore’s tropical landscape, ‘PALMA VIVA’ evokes a sense of exotic escapism. The art installation reflects how imagination converges with physical space, echoing the roots and diversity of the community through a living sculptural intervention. The chandelier has been created with lightweight aluminium, steel wire and brass sheeting (for the golden leaves) – a mixture of materials representing both modernity and tradition. Subtle lighting flowing through the art installation embodies the living element of ‘PALMA VIVA’, portraying how life is constantly refreshed and renewed.

‘PALMA VIVA’ has an interactive feature that allows the community to breathe new life into the art installation with an array of movement and colour!