'I am Mod' Surge for Water
22 July 2025
Build your dreams
Each year, Surge for Water brings together the region’s architecture and design community to champion sustainability through creativity. For the 2024 edition of 'Design, Dine, and Make a Difference', participants were invited to explore the theme 'Build your Dreams!" —a call to reconnect with the magic of childhood imagination and transform those early moments of wonder into tangible, inspiring design.
This year’s challenge urged us to pause, reflect, and remember: What did we dream of before the world asked us to grow up?
Return to Wonder
For our designers, this theme struck a deeply personal chord. As children, they crafted character heads and costumes from cardboard, fabric scraps, and everyday leftovers, breathing life into simple objects and transforming them into fantastical creatures. These humble beginnings became the foundation of lifelong creativity. One that continues to shape their work today.
Now, that spirit of play and invention returns through an immersive installation that dares visitors to dream again.
A Creature of Imagination
At the heart of this installation is Mod—a fantastical character who personifies the creativity that lives within us all. Mod is both guide and reminder: that our most powerful ideas often begin with play. The voice of childhood calls softly, inviting you to let go, loosen your tie, slip off your heels, and re-enter the worlds you once created so freely.
Through vivid storytelling, colorful form, and immersive design, this space becomes a cocoon of nostalgia and possibility. It doesn’t just reference childhood—it invites you to step back into it.
Dare to Dream
The focal point of the installation is a sculptural pod chair, whimsical yet refined, playful yet striking. Crafted from plywood and wrapped in vivid, tactile textiles, the chair is a bold expression of imagination. Its curved backrest is upholstered in vibrant fabrics, while bright acrylic “eyes” bring it to life with a spark of personality, symbolizing daring dreams and limitless creativity.
More than just a piece of furniture, this chair is a gateway to wonder. Visitors are invited to sit, play, and reflect. To momentarily step away from the ordinary and reconnect with the joy of uninhibited imagination.
