Joints: A conjunction of poetical design and creative writing

Designer Hans Tan set his students a seemingly straightforward task: join two objects. This radically simple act opened up surprising vistas for new meanings, connections and even disruptions. In Joints: A conjunction of poetical design and creative writing, 8 writers take this further by responding to the 8 conjoined design objects. The resulting adventures provoke, pleasure and perplex, as flexuous joints of design and writing.

—

Published by In Plain Words
Designs curated by Hans Tan
Writings curated and edited by Daryl Lim Wei Jie
Editorial coordination by Justin Zhuang

Creative writings by Ang Kia Yee, Daryl Lim Wei Jie, Daryl Qilin Yam, Shawn Hoo, Tse Hao Guang, Wahidah Tambee, Wen-yi Lee, Yeow Kai Chai.

Designs by Department of Design, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore students: Chew Tong Yun and Tan Yie Xuan, Fern; Joni Lim and Lim Yan Kai, Benjamin; Judith Chin and Madeline See; Lim Ke Er and Augustine Elliott En Yong; Nor Nadia Diyana Binte Mohd Norzaidi and Stefan Lim Yi Zhao; Ng Yixuan and Muhammad Khairul Bin Ramli; Ruth Yong Jing Jing and Toh Yan, Joan; Tee Jia Yu and Sorfina Roslan.

Photographed by Matthew Wong
Book designed by Studio Vanessa Ban
Printed by First Printers

215 x 155 x 12 mm
91pp, 285g
Hardcover
Published in 2026

ISBN 978-981-94-7054-9