The nation's design scene has come a long way since its independence 50 years ago. Singapore Tatler Homes honours the men and women who paved the way and continue to push beyond the boundaries of excellence in interior, architecture and product design.
Singapore's design sector has grown to become a force to be reckoned with, within the international scene. In honour of our outstanding homegrown and locally-based talents, we pick 50 award-winning designers and recognise them as our 'Beacons of Inspiration', 'The Headliners' and 'The Noteworthy'. We move on to our 'Headliners', influencers and newsmakers of the design world.
Simon Cheong
SC Global Developments
Cheong is chairman and CEO of SC Global Design. Under his direction, his team collaborated with architects and professionals on several award-winning residential projects and lifestyle concepts. SC Global launched a number of landmark projects over the years, including The Lincoln Modern in 2002, The Marq on Paterson Hill in 2010 and the upcoming Sculptura Ardmore in late 2015.
Hanson Ho
H55
Founder of H55, Ho is a two-time winner of the President’s Design Award and mastermind behind many publications and visual identities representing Singapore on an international level. He garnered the New York One Show Silver and Gold Pencils awards. Ho is curator for the Singapore Land Transport Authority Art-in-Transit Programme for Downtown Line stations and Head of Design Jury for Creative Circle Awards 2014.
Nikki Hunt
Design Intervention
Nikki Hunt started Design Intervention with Andrea Savage in 2004. With her work featured in the Andrew Martin Interior Design Review, Hunt is the only Singapore-based designer to have been selected for this distinction for three years in a row. A winner of the International Property Award 2014 for Best Interior Design (Residence), Hunt helped launch the Young Designer of the Year Award in 2015.
Nirmal Kishnani
School of Design and Environment, NUS; FuturArc
Educator, Green advocate and strategist, Kishnani helped shape curriculum at NUS, where he is Assistant Dean (School of Design and Environment). His book Greening Asia eschews Green checklists and develops a design vocabulary for sustainability. He is editor-in-chief of FuturArc, a bimonthly magazine offering a glimpse of green architecture in and around Asia.
Evelina Hu
The Plush
Evelina Hu specialises in modern and classical designs in commercial and residential sectors. Her work has attracted attention from both commercial and residential clients, as well as property developments and international businesses. Hu’s well-rounded approach to design reflects the clients’ lifestyles and encompasses interior design and bespoke furniture appointments handcrafted by artisans from around the world. Working with established craftsmen is part of her signature style and what sets her projects apart from others in the industry. Hu is a recipient of the SME Prestige Award 2015 for her outstanding work.
Edmund Ng
Suying Metropolitan Studio
Ng represented Singapore with his work featured in the 2014 edition of Venice Architecture Biennale at the Time Space Existence exhibition. Edmund Ng is a director of Suying Metropolitan Studio, an established interior design firm with projects across three continents, founded in 1999. Always trying to find new grounds for interior design, Ng recently completed a number of high-profile works, including his condominium project - One Rosyth, which was showcased at the Venice Architecture Biennale.
Angela Lim
Sumisura
Lim conceived the design consultancy and interior planning firm in 2009. Known for her couture-style show flats, her other notable projects include One Shenton Sky Suite, a project that garnered silver award at the Hospitality Design Furniture Luxurious Projects Asia Summit Awards 2013 under Top Luxury Residential Design, and The Esta Project that received an Asia Pacific Property Award 2013.
Jarrod Lim
Jarrod Lim Design; Hinika; Design Avant
Lim has worked for international design houses, including the studio of Patricia Urquiola in Milan and the furniture brand SCP in London. He operates Jarrod Lim Design in Singapore and has an in-house brand of designer furniture and accessories, Hinika. Lim has collaborated with Patricia Urquiola and WOHA Architects on the interior design for the upcoming PS100/Oasia Hotel.
Yung Ong
Proof Living Group
As executive director, he has brought to Singapore the best of designer furnishings, transforming Proof Living from a furniture supplier to a renowned lifestyle group. With lifestyle and design events, like the Dream Tent sale at its affiliate store, and exclusive brand launches, Proof Living Group has become one of the leading lifestyle groups, providing access to exclusive collections of home accessories and furniture.
Ed Ong
Dwell Interior Design
Creative director and founder of Dwell Interior Design, Ed Ong creates bespoke interiors for private residences, retail and showroom environments. Since its establishment in 2005, Dwell grew into a full service interior design house, building a portfolio of prominent projects including bespoke residences at The Sail @ Marina Bay and businesses like The Cheongsum Shoppe and the Blum showrooms.
Colin Seah
Ministry of Design
Colin Seah worked for architects Rem Koolhaas and Daniel Libeskind before founding Ministry of Design in Singapore. Seah has been named Designer of the Year by International Design Awards (USA) and is a two-time recipient of the President’s Design Award (Design of the Year). Recently, Seah has been invited by the Singapore Tourism Board to redefine Singapore as a destination for 2020 and beyond.
Hans Tan
Hans Tan Studio; Division of Industrial Design, NUS
Hans Tan is a designer and an educator, who maintains a keen interest in developing materials and processes, while exploring ideas concerning identity, heritage, and consumption. He was the recipient of the President’s Design Award 2012 (Designer of the Year) and was named as one of Perspective’s 40 under 40, celebrating design talent in the Asia-Pacific region.
Jeremy Tay & Michael Ong
Prestige Global Designs
Tay (left) formed the design firm with Ong (right), a London-trained award winning interior designer, in 1998. Together Tay and Ong have built a roster of notable projects that include the Marina Bay Residences and The Light @ Cairnhill and went on to receive numerous recognitions, such as Singapore’s Highly Commended Interior Design (Private Residence) 2014.
Roy Teo
The Mill Group - Design Consortium: Kri:eit Associates, The I.D. Dept, Splendor, XXII Century
Roy Teo is the founder of The Mill and leads Kri:eit Associates as the authority on bespoke residences, specialising in exclusive interiors for celebrity clients. With projects like the Billionaire Salon, Teo received numerous awards for
his work, including the Patron of The Arts Award from the National Arts Council.
Song Kee Hong
Division of Industrial Design, National University of Singapore
Song Kee Hong is a deputy head and an associate professor in the Industrial Design Division, National University of Singapore (NUS), having previously worked as a design director at Design Exchange. Song Kee Hong has received many design awards, including the Red Dot: Luminary prize, and served on the jury of the Singapore Good Design Mark 2015 and Red Dot Award 2015.
Sarah Tham
Cube Associate Design Pte Ltd.
After graduating from the Interior Design program at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1998, Sarah Tham established her design consultancy firm, Cube Associate Design, the same year. A recipient of prestigious awards, such as the Singapore Interior Design Society Nippon “Color My World” 2003 distinction award, Tham is currently working on her latest project – a revamp of a former client’s hair salon that Tham herself designed 10 years ago.
David Tham
StudioNorm Design Consultants
As a creative director David Tham has represented Singapore’s design talents at Asia Talents in Bangkok, and International Furniture Fair Singapore. He served on a judging panel at the IFFS and is involved with NAFA as an adjunct lecturer. His company received an outstanding placement distinction at the Singapore Top SME Achievers Awards 2014/2015.
Hunn Wai
Lanzavecchia +
Wai Design Studio
Hunn Wai (left) established Lanzavecchia + Wai Design Studio with Francesca Lanzavecchia in 2009. Lanzavecchia + Wai was named by Newsweek magazine as one of the Designers of the Future in 2012 and received multiple awards including the Young Design Talent Award at the Elle Deco International Design Awards 2014.
Mark Yong
Singapore Furniture Industries Council; Ewins; UberGARD
Yong is chairman of the Green and Standards Committee at the Singapore Furniture Industries Council and the newly initiated chairman of the Design Development Committee and SingaPlural. Yong is also on the Board of Directors for the SFIC Institute and member of Singapore Furniture Industry Independent Expert Panel.
Tiah Nan Chyuan
FARM
Tiah worked in the Urban Redevelopment Authority, as an urban planner, before joining his schoolmates at Farm in 2009. This cross-disciplinary practice comprises an architectural atelier, a curatorial team and a community-centred arts organisation at once. Farm’s awards include 2013 URA Architectural Heritage and Art Connector Design for the National Gallery Singapore in 2014.