With Easter on its way, over 20 pastel-coloured eggs and 14 intricately hand-painted rabbits adorn Changi Airport’s terminals in anticipation of the holiday.
With the eggs’ vibrant hues and immaculate finish, it may be hard to believe that most of them are nearly a decade old. They first made their appearance in 2015 and have graced the airport every year since.
Crafted from durable reinforced Styrofoam and embellished with printed designs atop a meticulously painted base, CAG’s horticulture team ensures the longevity and reusability of the eggs each year by diversifying colour palettes and incorporating new elements into the surrounding displays, including various plants, blooming flowers and props such as ribbons.
“There is no hard and fast rule during the conceptualisation phase. Instead, our focus is on keeping costs low without compromising on design. So, we leverage our creativity to breathe new life into the eggs each year through refreshing and transformative presentations,” says Tamilselvi Thangavelu, Assistant Manager of CAG’s horticulture team.
Let’s hop down memory lane as we revisit some of the delightful evolution of these iconic Easter displays over the years.
2015 Easter Display at Terminal 1's Departure Immigration East
Easter Display at Terminal 3's Departure Hall North in 2019
Easter Display at Terminal 3 Departure Hall North in 2023
What’s Egg-citing This Year
2024 Easter Display at Terminal 2 Departure Hall North
To keep things fresh, two of this year’s Easter displays will showcase a charming scene - a group of rabbits gathered around a rustic, wooden-like basket overflowing with eggs. The underlying narrative suggests that rabbits from distant lands have come together for a festive Easter picnic with their community. Notably, this marks the first time where the horticulture team has incorporated more than two rabbits into a single display.
“We felt that the theme of togetherness resonated well in an airport setting as many families reunite with their loved ones here,” explained Christian Sih, Senior Associate of CAG’s horticulture team.
As Easter is synonymous with spring, the surrounding flora and fauna play an integral part in creating a whimsical and joyful atmosphere. Vibrant clusters of assorted phalaenopsis flowers are carefully interspersed throughout the display, enhancing the spring theme, and complementing the colour palette of the eggs.
Upon closer look, keen observers may notice something familiar about the arrangement below.
Close up look of the display at Terminal 2 Departure Hall North
The lush foliage flanking the woven basket is none other than the cherry blossoms which were previously featured in the Chinese New Year display. With their verdant green leaves, the plants resemble trees sprouting new growth after winter, encapsulating the spirit of Easter’s arrival in spring. Repurposing the cherry blossoms in this manner further exemplifies the horticulture team’s dedication to maximising existing resources rather than discarding and acquiring new additions.
While CAG’s horticulture team does their best to upcycle or reuse materials, sometimes, there is a need to produce new ones. For instance, the cracked-open brown egg below had to be fabricated from scratch.
2024 Easter Display at Terminal 3 B1 Garden (besides St3ps)
The horticulture team considered the possibility of cracking open one of their larger existing egg structures from previous years. However, this option was dropped due to concerns about compromising the egg’s structural integrity. As a result, the team opted to commission a new egg specifically for this year’s Easter displays, marking the newest addition to CAG’s Easter egg collection.
Wrapping Up
The horticulture team’s unwavering dedication to reusing and upcycling materials is just a microcosm of Changi Airport’s broader commitment to sustainability. Starting with practices close to home, such as repurposing previous holiday installations into fresh vibrant creations, the team demonstrates that sustainability does not mean sacrificing excitement. Instead, keeping the thrill alive comes from breathing new life into existing materials, all in a bid to leave a lasting positive impact not only on the airport environment but also on the world beyond our terminals.
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