Neal Potter ditches Singapore project

Neal Potter Design Associates has pulled out of a 7m (Singapore$16m) project in South East Asia, weeks after beating Met Studio and 3D Concepts in a credentials pitch to win the work.

Organisers of the project, to design Singapore’s 6000m2 National Education Exhibition at Sun Tech City, are now in talks with 3D Concepts, Met Studio and US group Ralph Applebaum Associates about replacing Neal Potter.

The brief for the initial pitch sought a design company to “break the mould” previously used for the exhibition. But Neal Potter says that when appointed the consultancy discovered it would be working for Pico Art, the contractor which had designed the “moulds” in the first place. The UK consultancy then pulled out of the project.

Martin Pyant, design director of 3D Concepts, confirms that the group is back in the running for the job. “I understand we are not the only people,” he says. Met Studio confirms it is still involved.

A spokeswoman for Pico Art in Singapore confirms that a director from the group is “overseas” in talks with designers about the project, but refused to comment on the cause of Neal Potter Design Associates’ departure.

Neal Potter Design Associates has been appointed to two major exhibition projects in Europe. The consultancy will design the Genetik exhibition at the National Art and Exhibition Centre in Bonn. It is also working for oil company Shell Portugal, on an exhibition with science writer Miranda McQuitty and with the Natural History Museum for Expo ’98 in Lisbon.