NYP graduates showcase final year projects done in collaboration with industry partners

Nanyang Polytechnic’s School of Design & Media (SDM) launched its Graduation Show on Apr 4 to 5 at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre. 

The event had a multitude of booths that showcased the final-year projects of the graduating cohort of over 500 students. 

Here were some projects on display:

A total of 21 students from the diplomas in Spatial Design and Industrial Design collaborated to create a virtual space for their client Atelier & Co, a lifestyle retailer brand. The team’s objective was to showcase the client’s products and services to its customers in an immersive and interactive manner.

The spatial designers, led by overall team leader Joshua Liu, 20, were responsible for designing the various interiors, making the space functional, and creating an “all-rounded experience for the guests.”

Their industrial design counterparts worked on the app, its interface, and the products. 

“Our role was to complement the space with what we specialise in. We wanted to make sure the app and the products can bring value to the customer when they visit these spaces,” said Chew Yan Xin, the 20-year-old industrial design representative.

According to Joshua, managing a big team for three months for a major project was no easy feat.

“There was a lot of communication between the two diplomas so we know what each of us is doing and how we can better facilitate the activities happening within the space for Atelier & Co,” he said.

Asleep in the Deep is a 3D adventure game designed by six graduates from the Diplomas in Digital Game Art & Design and Game Development & Technology. 

The puzzle game surrounds a cuttlefish that has to solve puzzles with other sea creatures to progress from shallow water to the deep sea.

When asked about the ideation process, the team wanted to stand out by having a sea creature as the main character instead of a regular human protagonist. 

“I originally wanted to create something with a squid in it, which slowly turned into a cuttlefish as we developed the mechanics,” explained Pang Jiade Joel, 20, the lead developer, shader, and gameplay programmer.

Sammi Tan, 20, the producer, 3D and environment lead said that the team plans to get crowd funding to make more levels for the game if it gains popularity in the future.

The game is free to play and will be released in June 2023 on itch.io, an online marketplace for independent creators’ games and content.

This campaign included a series of videos that were created by 12 graduates from the Diploma in Motion Graphic Design for Nickelodeon’s social media platforms during the Chinese New Year festive season. 

These videos aimed to educate young viewers on Chinese New Year traditions and celebrations across Southeast Asia. 

“Nickelodeon wanted us to reach out to the Southeast Asian market, so the characters are of Southeast Asian ethnicities,” said 19-year-old Faith Cheng, the 3D design team leader. 

Separated into two smaller teams, the 2D team worked on character and asset animation while the 3D team worked on modelling, animation, texture mapping, and lighting.

The team did thorough research about the different New Year celebrations in Southeast Asia before embarking on this project. Through it, they learned a lot about the cultural differences between different countries. 

“It’s a very wholesome project and we are very grateful to be able to be part of it,” said 19-year-old 2D project lead, Sophie Marrett. 

Apart from the booths, a career event was held on Apr 4 that featured over 40 employers such as Tencent, Grandwork Interior, and H.A.M. Creations who offered more than 50 job opportunities. 

According to Nanyang Polytechnic, nearly 100 graduates from the School of Design and Media are expected to secure employment prior to their graduation ceremony in May.