3 Singapore Design Duos You Should Know
We can't wait for the rest of the world to know these design duos who made waves at Singapore Design Week 2016
Singapore was named a UNESCO creative city of design in December 2015, and it’s not just iconic international architecture like the Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay projects that have brought the cool little country this recognition. Singaporean designers are on the global radar now too, for their innovative work in furniture and accessible products. At Singapore Design Week (8-20 March) this year, they shone at design fairs Maison&Objet Asia and International Furniture Fair Singapore. Here are three designing duos whose names you will hear more of throughout the year, in Singapore and elsewhere.
Photo by Davide Farabegoli
These walking canes integrated into furniture are part of Lanzavecchia + Wai’s No Country for Old Men mobility products launched at SaloneSatellite during the Milan Furniture Fair in 2012. This was the year that the duo made their international splash, and caught the attention of furniture manufacturers for their thoughtful, disability-sensitive design approach.
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These walking canes integrated into furniture are part of Lanzavecchia + Wai’s No Country for Old Men mobility products launched at SaloneSatellite during the Milan Furniture Fair in 2012. This was the year that the duo made their international splash, and caught the attention of furniture manufacturers for their thoughtful, disability-sensitive design approach.
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Since their Milan debut, Lanzavecchia + Wai have worked on unique commissions, such as the Taco side table for Cappellini, which the Italian brand launched at the international fair in 2015. Other projects include porcelain and stoneware tile collections for Mirage, rugs for Nodus and Mercedes Benz, and ceramic sculptures for Bosa.
Their biggest project, for which they designed the branding as well, is the PLAYplay collection for Singapore furniture retailer Journey East. “It’s a unique commission,” says Wai. “Usually, we design for a manufacturer that has an established brand identity. Journey East was always a retailer, and this was their first time to manufacture a collection for their own brand. They allowed us to shape this collection from its conception to its promotional images.”
Over the two-year creative process, Lanzavecchia and Wai also travelled to Indonesia several times to source the appropriate sustainable timber. While there, they also worked with craftsmen on prototypes – “We rarely get to do factory work with our European clients,” Lanzavecchia says – and did quality checks before the launch.
Lanzavecchia + Wai, as part of their work on this collection, have been demonstrating the dual-purpose pieces – which were designed for Singapore’s small spaces (Pong is a dining table that transforms into a proper ping pong table, for example) – and explaining the Southeast Asian-inspired colour palette, at various international design shows.
They are launching PLAYplay internationally during Milan Design Week at Palazzo Litta.
Over the two-year creative process, Lanzavecchia and Wai also travelled to Indonesia several times to source the appropriate sustainable timber. While there, they also worked with craftsmen on prototypes – “We rarely get to do factory work with our European clients,” Lanzavecchia says – and did quality checks before the launch.
Lanzavecchia + Wai, as part of their work on this collection, have been demonstrating the dual-purpose pieces – which were designed for Singapore’s small spaces (Pong is a dining table that transforms into a proper ping pong table, for example) – and explaining the Southeast Asian-inspired colour palette, at various international design shows.
They are launching PLAYplay internationally during Milan Design Week at Palazzo Litta.
Lekker Architects
Ong Ker-Shing and Joshua Comaroff met as classmates at Harvard Design School; they established design consultancy Lekker Design in Singapore in 2002 as husband and wife. Lekker Architects was formed later, in 2014.
Ong Ker-Shing and Joshua Comaroff met as classmates at Harvard Design School; they established design consultancy Lekker Design in Singapore in 2002 as husband and wife. Lekker Architects was formed later, in 2014.
Primarily working on architectural commissions and installations, Lekker Architects were named as one of Maison&Objet Asia’s 2016 Rising Asian Talents (they represented Singapore).
Photo by Jansen Teo
Although they have yet to launch designed-for-retail pieces, prototypes of this design duo’s furniture for the National Gallery Singapore filled the public lounge space at Maison&Objet Asia’s exhibit halls.
Although they have yet to launch designed-for-retail pieces, prototypes of this design duo’s furniture for the National Gallery Singapore filled the public lounge space at Maison&Objet Asia’s exhibit halls.
“We took inspiration – and parts! – from the benches and chairs of Singapore’s old Supreme Court, in keeping with the spirit of adaptive reuse that the Gallery’s architecture follows,” says Comaroff. From there, Lekker Architects mixed some glitzier-looking materials as well as more contemporary forms to create the unique seating.
10 upcycling projects for your home
10 upcycling projects for your home
Lekker Architects custom designs furniture for their architectural and interior projects when needed too, such as the child-size pieces at The Caterpillar’s Cove pre-school.
Comaroff says the firm has also just finished work on a school that integrates children with learning disabilities with normal-needs children. They created furniture for learning and play for that school, which the designer thinks could be scalable for home use.
“We’re talking to Lanzavecchia + Wai about something we can do together, as they had designed a collection for the elderly, and we now have experience with learning disabilities,” says Comaroff.
“We’re talking to Lanzavecchia + Wai about something we can do together, as they had designed a collection for the elderly, and we now have experience with learning disabilities,” says Comaroff.
A more high-profile client that Lekker Architects design for is the luxury fashion label Hermes. They’ve done window displays as well as a party setting for the brand.
Fashion trends to bring into your home
Fashion trends to bring into your home
Photo by Darren Soh
The Hermes Secret Garden was a ‘scenographic landscape’ set at the open-air atrium of LaSalle School of the Arts, for a one-night party that Hermes hosted.
The Hermes Secret Garden was a ‘scenographic landscape’ set at the open-air atrium of LaSalle School of the Arts, for a one-night party that Hermes hosted.
Scene Shang
Jessica Wong, a trained architect, and Pamela Ting, a former banker, make up the homeware and furniture design brand Scene Shang. The two met while living, and working in the industries they’ve since left to open up their company, in Shanghai. After moving home to Singapore, they decided to combine forces to become Scene Shang.
Jessica Wong, a trained architect, and Pamela Ting, a former banker, make up the homeware and furniture design brand Scene Shang. The two met while living, and working in the industries they’ve since left to open up their company, in Shanghai. After moving home to Singapore, they decided to combine forces to become Scene Shang.
“Our name, Scene Shang, is partially influenced by Shanghai,” Ting says. Since opening in 2012, the brand has become synonymous with a modernised Asian aesthetic.
“Our designs take cues from Singapore and Shanghai Art Deco, but we use contemporary materials and apply more clean-lined silhouettes,” says Wong.
In 2014, their Shang stacking system – a side table, drawers and tray – received a special commendation at the President’s Design Awards (Singapore’s top accolade for design), encouraging this design duo to create a bigger collection.
In 2014, their Shang stacking system – a side table, drawers and tray – received a special commendation at the President’s Design Awards (Singapore’s top accolade for design), encouraging this design duo to create a bigger collection.
As part of the International Furniture Fair Singapore’s special curation of up-and-coming designers – Design Stars 2016 – Scene Shang debuted Jia Ju, which includes a dining table (not photographed), rocking stool and chair.
Wong indicates the form and proportions of the Jia Ju chair, for example, as being inspired by the Ming Dynasty. “We’ve lightened it up in terms of colour and material, but you can tell from the shape that it’s Chinese,” she says. “Then we incorporated the plastic straw detail on the backrest, which is a material that will be very familiar and nostalgic for Singaporeans.”
Wong indicates the form and proportions of the Jia Ju chair, for example, as being inspired by the Ming Dynasty. “We’ve lightened it up in terms of colour and material, but you can tell from the shape that it’s Chinese,” she says. “Then we incorporated the plastic straw detail on the backrest, which is a material that will be very familiar and nostalgic for Singaporeans.”
With the country’s new tag as a UNESCO creative city of design, these three duos are proving that Singapore may have a younger design industry, but it’s ready for that world stage.
TELL US
Which designer duos’ work best suits your decorating style? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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TELL US
Which designer duos’ work best suits your decorating style? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
MORE
Inventive Small-Space Solutions On the Up in Singapore
This Just In: Glass Bedroom, Singapore
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This design duo met as graduate students at Design Academy Eindhoven in the Netherlands; Francesca Lanzavecchia studied product design in Milan, Italy, and Hunn Wai studied industrial design in Singapore. Since their initial collaboration during a Danish Art Workshops residency in 2009, they have run Lanzavecchia + Wai from both Italy and Singapore.