Singapore’s Next Great Third Space In The Science Centre Singapore

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧? The next frontier to audience engagement could be in “third spaces”.

Not the home (first space), not the office (second space), but the "in-between" locales like cafés where people can come as they are. Vincent Phan explains this beautifully in his 1000 Libraries Magazine’s article — https://shorturl.at/sIupO

It inspired me to wonder: What if Singapore’s next great third space isn’t a lifestyle hub but the Science Centre Singapore? I'll explain why.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫

At our very core, we long for a sense of belonging and places where we can be ourselves, without the pressure to perform.

Neutral physical grounds where community forms organically and serendipity sparks connection.

Brands often try to engineer engagement through TikTok-worthy gimmicks and events, but loyalty built (if any) is fleeting.

When I was a precinct manager for Orchard Road at the STB many years ago, I gained an important insight about Place Management: the best third spaces can’t be forced.

Design the space and trust people to create their own memories.

𝐀𝐧 O𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 F𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐞

The Science Centre is a popular destination among families. With its relocation in 2027, it has the perfect opportunity to redefine itself as a commons of science, curiosity, and playfulness.

Some ideas:

- Imagine coffee raves where energy-harvesting dance floors power spectacular digital displays. Suddenly, science becomes embodied fun, and kinetic energy is not just abstract theory.

- Invite design students to reimagine cafes where the ritual of coffee brewing becomes lessons in thermodynamics. Blur the lines between the classroom and social hangout.

- Just as Centre Pompidou redefines cultural engagement in Paris, Science Centre Singapore can encapsulate science in its architecture and green spaces, allowing for meetups with no agenda.

That said, creating third spaces is walking a tightrope to balance business sustainability and inclusivity. The challenge remains in designing scalable engagement formats (both free and payable) so that communities from diverse backgrounds feel welcome to co-create.

𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞

When people feel ownership over a space, they return, and they bring others. For mission-driven institutions like the Science Centre, this means renewed relevance, stronger education outcomes, and deeper cultural value.

Because when you allow people to come as they are, the engagement leaves a lasting impression.

Which places in your life feel like true third spaces?

Storytelling Is a Responsibility

During my younger days as a marketer, I was told “selling ice to an Eskimo” is the highest level of marketing and storytelling. That’s unseemly, and a narrative to be wary of.

Stories are powerful forces, more powerful than facts and statistics, that must be used responsibly.

People want/tend to believe narratives that give the illusion of control.

An invitation that promises the power to change our circumstances is hard to resist — to earn more, lose weight, become more attractive, have the life we desire, and so on.

Stories can be the catalyst to rouse people to act or to hold back from their potential. And we can and must choose to change lives for the better.

The stories we create as marketers have a greater, far-reaching impact than we realize. So please use it with care.

To My Fellow Marketers: AI Has Been Our Secret Weapon Long Before ChatGPT

It was a lovely morning in Little India, Singapore. And between mouthfuls of dosa, chutney, and chai, I had a rousing discussion with my old friend, Gosia, a veteran documentary producer, about how marketers have been early adopters of AI quietly for decades.

If you’re a marketer who is wondering if you’re falling behind in this “new” world of AI, this article is for you.

Remember lingos like “machine learning”, “predictive analytics”, and “programmatic marketing”? We’ve been using subsets of AI to connect with our audiences, make better ad spend decisions, and boost ROI for years.

Now, opportunities have multiplied with GenAI, such as the ability to synthesize data and generate insights faster, build audience personas, and shorten customer service response times, among other benefits.

But marketers have been experimenting with subsets of AI all along, and we'll continue to do so:

1. Segment audiences using algorithms that predict behavior

Many of us have been using tools like Google Analytics’ predictive audiences or Facebook’s Lookalike Audiences, powered by machine learning, to analyze past user behavior and find prospects most likely to convert.

This has helped me stretch my marketing dollar and target audiences most likely to convert; double-digit conversions were already doable. I anticipate more consistent results with the use of GenAI.

2. Personalize content at scale

We know Netflix, Amazon, and Sephora are the trailblazers. Netflix with their content recommendations, Amazon's use of predictive analytics to anticipate customer needs, and Sephora create a personalized beauty shopping experience with AI-powered AR.

The good news is we can create more immersive experiences for our audiences with GenAI. That said, the fundamentals of marketing don’t change. We still have to define our audience personas, map the customer journey, collect the data, and integrate the AI platform into our marketing operations. Some time ago, I encountered a product manager who innocently made a bubblegum remark that digital marketing is simply clicking a few buttons. Perhaps one day, but for now, we can’t escape the groundwork.

3. Automate repetitive tasks

Applying automation with tools like Hootsuite was already common eons ago. I remember being so thrilled to introduce simple auto-replies on social media and websites to ease the load on the digital and customer service teams.

Fast forward to today, chatbots driven by Natural Language Processing (NLP) can answer queries faster than we can say, “Wait, haven’t I answered this question like a hundred times today?”

If you are like me, compiling FAQs for internal and external use was a time-consuming task, but now, it is so much faster with GenAI.

4. Tailor value propositions for different market segments

Did you know it was the application of a machine-learning algorithm that led Unilever to uncover the cultural phenomenon, ‘breakfast for dessert’? They went on to introduce sweet breakfast offerings in the market.

In 2017, Nutella deployed an algorithm to design 7 million one-of-a-kind Nutella jars, and they were sold out within a month in Italy.

When I was a digital product owner in the 2010s, UI/UX developers and I were cracking our heads to figure out how best to customize our landing pages dynamically for different audiences. The good news is that this has gotten easier with AI-driven analytics/tools.

The list goes on.

Let’s continue to do our best work responsibly with GenAI. Stay curious.