From first templates to public installation: seven weeks of fabrication, teamwork, electronics, problem-solving, and reflection.
The project developed from an early ambition to make cardboard sculptures feel alive into a coordinated family of endangered marine animals centred on an interactive eight-metre Whale.
Construction began in late April with mother-and-cub polar bears. The full exhibition would eventually include polar bears, a whale, dolphins, a turtle, a seal, and penguins across a 16 × 13-metre area at Marina Square from 26 May to 11 June 2023.
Sensors and actuators introduced movement, sound, and light. The Whale’s electronics drew directly from the Fab Academy electronics-design modules, while the full-scale shell demanded careful template preparation, flatbed cutting, assembly, painting, and logistics.
Acrylic colour initially dried darker than expected, so the team tested mixes with additional white paint to achieve a softer pastel palette. Alongside the large builds, 1,000 mini cardboard Whale kits had to be delivered by 22 May—adding a second production deadline.
The first two weeks established the production system: preparing templates, cutting the polar bears and Whale, assembling the internal structure, and building a working rhythm with the Fablab team.
Templates for the mother and cub polar bears were prepared and cut at the Fablab, then assembled for display within a week. The goal was already larger than static sculpture: visitors approaching the installation would trigger movement, sound, and possibly lighting through sensing and actuation.
Preparing and cutting the Whale templates—especially the internal structure—was time-consuming. Student assistants and colleagues helped maintain momentum, while project priorities shifted toward meeting the fixed exhibition deadline.
With the Whale’s form standing, work expanded into painting, hand-finishing, companion sculptures, and the sustained team effort needed to complete a public-scale installation.
The Whale’s low-poly surfaces created a natural map for colour. Testing showed that acrylic tones darkened as they dried on cardboard, so the palette was adjusted with carefully measured white paint.
At the same time, dolphins, turtles, seals, and penguins moved through their own cutting, assembly, and finishing stages.
Fabrication gave way to logistics: packing, transport, on-site assembly, instruction media, final positioning, and the first public interaction at Marina Square.
The normal-speed mini Whale instructions remain available at for.edu.sg/whale.
A Whale-shaped PCB, 3D-printed enclosure, PIR sensing, and servo actuation connected the physical sculpture to its interactive behaviour.
The exhibition closed on 11 June. The sculptures moved from the central atrium to new locations, while the mini Whale instructions and the FAB23 proposal advanced into their next stage.
“Taking Fab Academy 2023 was no longer only about reaching the finish line—it became about meeting the community in person and recognising everyone who made the work possible.”
An early ten-metre ambition was reduced to eight metres after discussing time and delivery constraints. The result remained visually powerful while becoming achievable.
Paint experiments solved the darker-than-expected colour problem by establishing repeatable mixes for a pastel finish.
When the original student-helper arrangement fell through, a new group was recruited quickly. The disruption reinforced the need for clearer reward, staffing, and communication processes.
The project confirmed that successful delivery depends on collaborative effort. The Fablab team’s commitment made it possible to meet a demanding revised deadline with care and precision.
A client enquiry in February led to meetings, budget confirmation, and project paperwork. Production began in late April and targeted a 26 May opening. When the client requested delivery one day earlier, additional resources were mobilised and the revised deadline was met.