Titled There in the middleness, this installation(artwork) probes how as a progressive society, we need to re-evaluate the effects of our modernisation in a post-pandemic world. Humanity’s irresponsible encroachment into nature has led to one of the most destructive pandemics recorded in modern history. Set monolithically within the vast greenery of The Padang, and distanced peripherally by the city's modern skyline, the installation draws the viewer to its peaceful inner sanctum. It aims to lift the spirits of the viewer to then collectively as a society reimagine new possibilities for the future. It symbolises hope and empowerment in facing the impending challenges with newfound values. Commissioned by National Gallery Singapore Read more: ksyofficial.com |
The 10 new works provides a taster of Yong's ongoing collaboration with manufacturers to create thought-provoking design through engagement with innovative materials and production methods
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This retrospective show aims to share the success and creativity of Nathan Yong’s work with the public and the media, students and young designers, in Singapore and farther afield. The ideas and inception of each design can be viewed up-close and intimately in a gallery-like display. |
The pieces are not just a piece of furniture per se, they also act as “covers” for the air-con ducting and also a “lightings” for the walkways during evening. The design has to function for sure, easy for repairs and maintenance, soft edging for safety, comfort for the old, structural stability, visual lightness, material understanding and manipulating.
Client: Jewel Changi Airport
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The language of turntables and entertainment units from the 1960s and ’70s is readily apparent in the Line Collection. The grilles that were such prominent features on those modern appliances inspired a stylised machine-like character for this timber cabinet. Here, the grilles of thin walnut or oak battens not only allow the passing of sound from inside to outside in the tradition of the earlier hi-fis; they also allow the transmission of remote control signals to the appliances within. The conglomeration of today’s multiple living room media appliances can be neatly stored out of sight within the console, without the loss of remote control functionality. The visual effect of the horizontal lines is maximised by concealing the supporting structure internally. Shelves and drawers are accessed by folding down the front louvred doors. Now available in bedside table Client: Design Within Reach |
The language of turntables and entertainment units from the 1960s and ’70s is readily apparent in the Line Collection. The grilles that were such prominent features on those modern appliances inspired a stylised machine-like character for this timber cabinet. Here, the grilles of thin walnut or oak battens not only allow the passing of sound from inside to outside in the tradition of the earlier hi-fis; they also allow the transmission of remote control signals to the appliances within. The conglomeration of today’s multiple living room media appliances can be neatly stored out of sight within the console, without the loss of remote control functionality. The visual effect of the horizontal lines is maximised by concealing the supporting structure internally. Shelves and drawers are accessed by folding down the front louvred doors. Now available in a dresser. Client: Design Within Reach |
Eschewing super fluity, the poetry of products are captured through rigorous research and engineering in his effort to emphasize freshness and functionality. "Most of my projects start with an operation of stripping, due to the need to make the function,the material,the method and the result as comprehensible as possible, retaining its authenticity." In the works of "silent engineering,it will allow the form to express itself, based on technical considerations,not just as a graphic scheme. Client: Ipse Ipsa Ipsum |
Commissioned by LASALLE College of the Arts, the SCAPE sofa are designed to be modular and capable of providing different seating heights for the user. SCAPE could be used as a lounger, normal sitting position, also at a bar table height. With bright orange as its main background color, it conveys feelings of enthusiasm, vibrancy and warmth not only for the room it is placed but also to the daily life of the student. Client: LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore |
P.O.P.U.P, as the name suggested is a system that is flexible to custom, assembling and transport just like a pop up store. It is also how the pieces are assembled and disassembled without nails and screws and just by using hand to pop it in or out. P.O.P.U.P is a reaction of Singapore scarcity of land, labours and materials for small transitional "space". P.O.P.U.P are created in collaboration with SUPERSTRUCTURE, an unconventional build lab that explores new digital fabrication techniques and material systems management. Seamless integration of the design and manufacturing process allows the furniture to be flat-packed when shipped and assembled into a designer piece easily by its user. The modularity of the design allows P.O.P.U.P to adapt into different spaces. Made with forescolour, a high-density MDF board impregnated with organic dyes. The water resistant MDF is then machined into a collection of furniture ideal for offices and shops.
Client: Self-Produced
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Four marble pieces has been released, each modelled after iconic characters Sandcrawler, Millennium Falcon, TIE-Fighter and AT-AT. The Millennium Falcon and TIE-Fighter represents the duality of Light and Dark, while the AT-AT and Sandcrawler have strong visual and architectural elements.
Client: Disney |
Exolounge uses high grade steel as the skeleton frame, laser cut and stamped to shape. Calf leather is digitally mapped out to get the most yield, then cut to shape and padded with fibre fill. Its dual function from upright seating to a cradling position, allows one to read the papers or have a light snooze within a tight space. The amount of material used is cut to minimum but uncompromising comfort. Award: FDA 2016 Finalist |
The White House served as the event’s curated zone. It featured suspended strips of white paper in varying lengths that both concealed and revealed the space. Each object revolved around the concept of ‘white’, which are associated with design values such as purity and honesty. Client: International Furniture Fair Singapore |
"At first instance, I was thinking shoes, how? And then I thought, why not? It could be fun and I see several of my peers in the design field also game to do this and it turned out to be a really fun project," This pair of white Mexico 66 shoes are dipped partially in an oil-based grey paint to seal the seams in preparation for rainy days. "The shoes look like they have been through a grey, wet day, like any shoes would, after a while," The soles were painted a neon pink to act as reflectors. Client: Onitsuka Tiger |
The meaning of connections, relationships and links in the local design scene are presented in this furniture collection.The shapes and materials (of Constellation) are still very reductionist but at the same time it is moving forward – not in a very aggressive, cold manner but in a romantic way. By keeping the shapes and the construction simple, it is still very efficient in production, yet the pieces don’t look cold or brutal. Constrictions have pushed the work to a new place.Client: Ipse Ipsa Ipsum | Grafunkt |
Majordomo is a refined multi-functional piece which showcases Yong’s personal style, a minimal design with Eastern vibes. Designed for the bedroom, but also suitable in refined contract spaces, Majordomo, as its name which translates as ‘the Butler’ suggests, is entirely at your service. It is a coat hanger which doubles as a handy clothes and footwear stand, but not only that: for maximum comfort, one can even sit on it to put shoes on more easily. Client: GEBRÜDER THONNET VIENNA |
The Lightness is a six-metre-long feather sculpture perched on the scaffolding structure that symbolises the coming of age of creatives in Singapore, and how they have taken flight with newfound confidence. It is a part of the Singapore: Inside Out exhibition that was on its tour around the global creative capitals of Beijing, London and New York City. Exhibition: Singapore: Inside Out |
Playful elements and nostalgic elements are added into a pen holder, redefining office supplies in contemporary contexts. Sputnik is a modern take on the pen holder. Iinspired by the spinning top the design is represented through a cylindrical volume of marble with a conic end and four simple indentations. Due to physical qualities, Sputnik always reclines on a circular circumference when it’s at rest. The use of marble as the main material adds a subtle and texturised pattern, as well as negates the complex process of producing form as a singular object, to brighten up the usually ordinary workspace. While the concept of work-and-play has been made accessible in many creative offices, its scale has always been grand with a dedicated space. Therefore, Sputnik is the response to transforming the mind through smaller matters and staying elegant while doing so. Client: DesignerBox
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The quest to make an affordable
lampshade led to experimentation with a material that is perhaps unexpected in
the context of lighting. Calicot is made with inexpensive moulded polystyrene –
the material usually used as a shock absorber in the packaging of goods. While
the form-making potential of this material is evident, its potential to
generate light effects has been less broadly explored. Shell has a smooth
interior surface but a ribbed exterior – a means of increasing the
stiffness and strength of the thin shell form. When lit from within, the ribbed
structure of the polystyrene lampshade creates a soft coloured glow that
emanates through the thinner sections of the shell while the ribs remain more
opaque. Client: Ligne Roset |
An elemental aesthetic can be
detected in the sweeping curves and ‘stacked’ joints of Noah, but its
structural integrity also displays a technical feat. A composition of four
curving ‘beams’ and four angled legs, this glass-topped table looks
structurally impossible but is in fact very stable. The structure contains only
two screws. It otherwise relies on mortise and tenon joints as well as dowel
connections. Where the curved beams overlap with the legs, all the structural
members interlock to create a rigid structural frame. The curving pieces are each
composed of three parts, and the long beams have been thickened for additional
strength and to prevent warping. Noah was named for the ship-like proportions
of its two main beams. The glass top allows the unusual frame to be viewed from
above. Client: FOLKS Furniture |
The design resembles a life-sized bird cage, a sanctuary in which the "king" can nest his dreams, set it free to take flight across the universe. It is inspired by PHUNK's Daydream Nation series of original artworks and their shared influences and love for art, design, vintage furniture, rock music, and comic books.
Client: In Collaboration with PHUNK Studio Link: http://www.phunkstudio.com/Phunk_Newspaper.pdf
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A bold, fluid outline and a fine composition of ribs translate the regal air of the traditional wing-back chair into a lighter, more dynamic composition for modern environments. Elizabeth replicates the feeling of being cocooned by a high back and side wings without the blocky effect of the traditional solid, padded chair. The exposed structure reduces the bulk of the chair, making the sense of enclosure more notional than literal. The thinness is amplified by the fact that the backrest cushion sits below the top of the frame, allowing one to see through the chair on all sides. Elizabeth was also inspired by the details of the historic Louis style armchair, and celebrates both the round and square profiles that compose it. Elizabeth’s inclined back and ribs create a sense of movement that challenges the static grandeur of the chairs that inspired it. Client: Ligne Roset |
Flak collection consists of tables, stools and benches. A sturdy structure of solid wood gives them noticeable Scandinavian style. Top of textured MDF, 45-mm thick, in different colours.
Client: PUNT Mobles Product Link: http://www.puntmobles.com/en/product/flak-mesa-baja/
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Judd is an angular table that could work next to a bed or at the end of a sofa, while just as easily fitting into the corner of a room. The table has two sides that make it fit snuggly into a corner but it can also work out in the open. There are different variations depending on how many shelves you want and if you want more hidden storage. You can get Judd in various woods or a ton of lacquered colors.
Client: PUNT Mobles
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The chair front view reminds to the fan the black mask of Darth Vader. The powder coating has a matte finish, available in white, black, red, dark grey, curry yellow and copper brown. It also comes in polished chrome. The seat is equipped with a fabric or leather thin pillow. The pillow cover is removable for outdoor use.
Client: SpHaus
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Vapour is a range of tea canisters, bowls, and vases that expresses the brand’s characteristic timelessness, but also introduces a more urbane and industrial character to the Royal Selangor catalogue. The featured linear motif of parallel lines was inspired by the effect of water vapour condensing and running down an object. On the Vapour range of pewter ware (particularly the tea canister), this motif also aids with gripping. The engineered flavour of the decorative aesthetic is deceiving. Rather than being milled, these forms were cast in rubber moulds. This production method allowed the achievement of details at a 0.5mm scale. The design was pushed in a direction that would intentionally draw out the potential of pewter to be finely shaped. Client: Royal Selangor |
The wire frames that give shape to
lampshades are typically not seen, being covered by fabric or other materials
such as paper. In Bloom, the lampshade frame undergoes a flowering – a
transformation of shape and function that sees it become an adjustable pendant
light. Bloom incorporates skeletal wire ‘lampshades’ of three different shapes,
which can be hung in various numbers and configurations over (and above) a bare
bulb. The user is able to direct the form of the light, and arrange the shapes
in ways that call to mind flowers in bloom. The 2mm-diameter steel wire is
powder coated in a single colour, establishing a crisp formal outline. Bloom casts
fine shadows on nearby surfaces, creating a ‘delicate’ atmospheric effect. Client: Ligne Roset |
The former Singapore National Stadium
was a brutalist-inspired sheath of concrete steps on an exposed concrete
frame. It was opened in 1973 and demolished in 2010–11 to make way for a
new stadium and sports hub. A design competition (‘Bench’) was initiated to
celebrate the building, with participants asked to create an outdoor bench with
the weather-beaten timber planks that once formed the stadium’s seating.
Community emerged from an invitation to take part as a guest designer. This modular
arc-shaped stool can be arranged in many formations – including a ring. In
that arrangement, it recalls the shape of the stadium while creating
opportunities for eye contact and encouraging communication. The sitting
posture encourages attentiveness and social assertiveness. A steel and timber
framework establishes the structure, and the existing patina of the timber is
exposed on the sitting surface. Community celebrates the camaraderie and
passion that once echoed around the stadium during National Day festivities. Client: Urban Redevelopment Authority |
Cut bookshelf is an angular living and dining room furniture. Client: Domicil |
The manufacture of timber furniture
produces a considerable volume of small pieces of off-cut wood that are simply
thrown away if they cannot be sold for the making of ornamental objects or
elements such as knobs. The Off Cut shelf was designed to make use of some of
this off-cut material. It is an assembly of interlocking laths of
square-section solid walnut or oak just 20mm thick. With a filigree-style
composition and glass shelves, the design plays up the boldness of creating a
load-bearing structure using short, thin splints. The strength, rigidity, and
stability of the structure are assured by its interlocking assembly of
pre-constructed modules in a mirrored formation. The varied shelf heights and
positioning of the vertical struts create framed volumes for the display of
objects of various sizes. Client: Living Divani |
The trophy is a modern take on the laurel wreath, a symbol of victory used since ancient Greek. Cast in pewter, the ring-shaped trophy exudes fluidity and dynamism, sculpted in relief with a diamond-shaped pattern derived from interweaving olive leaves. The circular form conveys connection, speed as well as unity, reflecting the unifying spirit of different nationalities coming together and driving home SingTel’s theme of ‘F1 for everyone’. The pewter laurel is mounted onto an acrylic base.
Client: Singapore F1 Grand Prix 2012 |
The A-frame structure of an industrial storage container in a Malaysian furniture factory was the initial spark that inspired Stack – a trio of three stacking tray-tables with distinctive A-shaped legs. Reinterpreting traditional nesting tables, the three trays of differing depths stack to a combined height of 410mm. They thus function most ideally as side tables for a sofa with the added benefit of discreet storage. The gaps between the trays in the stacked formation are created by the presence of two beams that connect the A-frame pairs and support each tray. The gaps break up the mass and allow glimpses of what is stored within. The protrusion of the A-frames above the sides of the trays creates convenient handles. Given their various depths, the trays are positioned at different heights on the A-frames such that when the trio is stacked, there is a regular distance between the tops of the handles. Client: Living Divani |
Resembling the framework of a bird cage, this chair was inspired by the loveable Looney-tunes cartoon character Tweety. Two questions were asked in this bird cage design. Does a cage protect its inhabitants from predators or does it protect what’s on the outside from what’s kept inside the cage? Designed to be used both indoors and outdoors, this cage-like chair has managed to seduce us with its exaggerated back rest and a bright, Tweety-coloured cushion cover that stands out against the dark metal frame.
Client: Grafunkt
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In January 2013, The Little Thoughts
Group (a Singapore-based collective of product designers) presented the
exhibition Makan Time! Their goal was
to investigate and celebrate Singapore’s food culture through specially
designed products. $1.50, $2.50, $3.00 is a lamp developed for the show. It
evolved from a personal reflection on the meaning of Singaporean food, and
recalls humble childhood meals forged from luncheon meat and instant noodles,
condiments of various types, and tinned biscuits – all imported from other
countries but instantly recognisable to many Singaporeans. It is perhaps an
unusual definition of beloved cuisine, but it is one that very much represents
staple foods for Singaporeans and reflects our multicultural society. Client: The Little Thoughts Group |
The fun and suspense of a performance
by a circus plate spinner is captured in the three-legged steel stand Circus /
3 Plates. The impression of imminent collapse is thwarted by the presence of
six supporting struts, which zigzag between the legs and establish structural
rigidity. The chaos and intentional naivety expressed by their irregular
placement and assembly method (of simple welding) reinforces the childlike
state of wonder experienced at the circus along with a sense of speed and
movement. Circus / 3 Plates can be used as a display stand for small objects,
and offers a secondary function as a place to hang one’s scarf or hat. This
compact structure occupies a floor area of just 400mm square, and can thus
inject a hint of fun into tight spaces. Client: SpHaus |
The benefits of modular carpet (such
as custom sizing and the ability to replace worn or damaged sections) are often
outweighed by the disadvantages – rigidly geometric designs and a harsh, awkward
edge line. Creep explores the potential of an organic shape. Developed from
sketches of hair, this bold and highly graphic design produces a meandering,
creeping floor covering. Designed in four sizes with varied curvature, the
modules can be placed side-by-side without emphasis on the join line. An
additional function is offered by this intertwining design; Creep can be used
as a form of directional signage, encouraging the flow of human traffic from a
lobby entrance to an elevator, for example. Client: Self-Produced |
The looping legs and frame of Drapery
allude to the luscious drapes of a stage curtain. However, the idea for this
occasional table initially came from the arched spans and tracery of old iron
bridges. The desire was not to create a direct visual reference to the
optimised geometry of a precisely engineered bridge. Rather it was to produce a
form that exuded the ‘effortlessness’ of this type of structure, as well as the
softness of draped fabric. Welding was applied to build up a rigid structural
network of overlapping loops. The stability of this network allowed the
reduction of the steel rod diameter to just 8mm. The result is an extremely
delicate-looking form that is nonetheless strong and rigid. Client: SpHaus |
A Sixties-inspired chair in solid walnut or ash. Client: Ligne Roset |
Contemplation of the idea of the on-off switch was the starting point for the development of Enlightenment Lamp. This bedside light is turned on when an oak sleeve is slid out from an open Corian box. A hidden switch is activated by the movement of the sleeve, which automatically turns the light on. A traditional filament bulb hangs sparsely and poetically within, beside which a metal plate serves as both a stand and a page marker for one’s bedtime reading material. The book is accommodated in a manner that emphasises display, encouraging a reverential attitude toward one’s chosen piece of literature. The bulb symbolises the wisdom that can be gleaned from casting light on the pages. While it celebrates knowledge, Enlightenment Lamp also encourages the use of intuition. Two grooves are the only indicators of the sliding function when the lamp is closed. Client: Self-produced
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Foxhole is – quite literally – a sofa
(and armchair) made with cushions. It is a counter response to people’s
tendency to fill up even the most minimal of sofas with a collage of cushions
collected through the years. An exposed geometric steel rod structure supports
the cushions and establishes the bones of this family of seats. The removable
cushions are connected to the frame with simple straps. The high back surrounds
the occupant in a protective manner; indeed the name of the sofa is a reference
to the army serviceman’s experience of hiding below ground behind piles of
sandbags. The main challenges of the design process involved the achievement of
a high-back sofa that is comfortable, does not look bulky or blocky, and is
stylistically in tune with the times. The exposed lightweight structure
resolved all three matters. Client: SpHaus |
Paper Table was designed with an
understanding that situations can be chaotic and people can be messy. It is a
coffee table-cum-magazine rack that responds to people’s tendency not to stack
their magazines neatly after reading them. Its form is not prescriptive; the
user can decide how they wish to use it. However, it does exert a controlling
force within its 700mm circumference. Its twelve lacquered steel support trays
(which are reminiscent of sheets of A4 paper) pivot around a central stem and
can be ‘stacked’ neatly in a pile or arranged in a way that suggests the pile
is being blown away. The slight upturning of the corners of the upper trays
plays up the flyaway illusion. It offers a dynamic state of balance between
chaos and control. Client: Self-Produced |
There is a degree of randomness in the act of collecting objects throughout one’s life. Almost certainly, one’s collection will contain objects of varying shapes, sizes, and proportions. Corner Block is a pair of interlocking display cabinets that were designed to consolidate the ‘mess’ of a varied collection into an ‘organised chaos’ of overlapping volumes. Individual objects can be framed in specific volumes, independent of the overall composition. Corner Shelf deconstructs the traditional format of shelving, blurring one’s perception of line, plane, and volume. It also allows for the use of corners, which can be difficult to inhabit – particularly in small living environments. As the two units simply slide together in order to interlock, they can be used in a convex or concave arrangement. Client: Grafunkt |
The language of turntables and
entertainment units from the 1960s and ’70s is readily apparent in the Line TV console.
The grilles that were such prominent features on those modern appliances
inspired a stylised machine-like character for this timber cabinet. Here, the
grilles of thin walnut or oak battens not only allow the passing of sound from
inside to outside in the tradition of the earlier hi-fis; they also allow the
transmission of remote control signals to the appliances within. The
conglomeration of today’s multiple living room media appliances can be neatly
stored out of sight within the console, without the loss of remote control
functionality. The visual effect of the horizontal lines is maximised by concealing
the supporting structure internally. Shelves and drawers are accessed by
folding down the front louvred doors. Client: Design Within Reach |
Primary Desk blurs the line between
eras. While it references mid-century furniture and the largely forgotten
practice of letter writing and paperwork, it also speaks of the future with its
dynamic angular form and suitability to laptop use. It was designed not as a
worktable, but as a small desk for emailing, processing domestic bills, and so
on. Its composition of two overlapping forms forgoes the typical desk format of
four legs and a tabletop. A beam runs from side to side at the point where the
two forms cross, establishing structural stability. The fronts of the drawers
each feature a tab reminiscent of a diary or perhaps an internet browser
window. With the placement of labels on these tabs, the desk could function as
a filing system. Clieng: Design Within Reach |
Humour emanates from Break, but so too does the simple rationality of a direct resolution to a technical problem. The design plays with the archetypal stool shape. Rather than an assembly of multiple flat elements, Break is composed with a single sheet of cut and bent plywood. The desire to create a curved siting surface for enhanced comfort presented a problem: the sheet could not be curved in two directions using the simple moulding techniques that were available. A slit on each side provided the solution. The slicing and bending of the seat along a secondary axis gives the impression that the stool is in flux – in the process of breaking apart. The sense of movement is of course an illusion. The outward splaying of the legs in fact increases the stability of the chair. Client: Self-Produced
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A flawless and fluid look
characterises Pebble. This low table with a rounded solid walnut top portrays
the smooth, gentle contours of a stone eroded by a flowing river. It is
produced in two versions and heights, tapering either downward or upward along
its edge to create a convex (260mm high) or concave (200mm high) profile. Solid
wood furniture with such an organic shape is rarely seen on the market, and a
common response to Pebble is to question how it was made. One may wonder
whether natural processes or human intervention create this form. The shapes
emerged from the exploration of how a CNC machine could be used to create an organic
surface terrain on a 50mm-thick plank of wood. The air of mystique is played up
by the discrete base, above which the top seems to levitate. The different
heights allow two tables to be overlapped with a narrow 60mm gap between them. Client: Ligne Roset |
The function of the typical bed frame is to raise one’s mattress. 70cm High Bed emerged from an investigation into what more the bed frame could achieve. It raises the mattress to the familiar height of a dining table, but introduces an unfamiliar means of going to bed: climbing up steps. This emphasises the ritual of going to sleep – of leaving the day behind and entering another state. The disjunction of states is played up by the splaying of two of the bed’s legs and their repurposing as stair stringers. This creates a seemingly impossible angle. Concealed steel brackets reinforce the structure and prevent the bed from collapsing. The frame is otherwise intentionally simple and reductionist in design – a composition of unadorned oak components. 70cm High Bed translates the performance of a ritual (going to bed) into furniture design. Client: Self-produced
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Opposing conditions collide in Bolle – randomness and precision, the singular and the systematic, and the two- and three-dimensional. Bolle (which is the Italian word for bubbles) was inspired by the transient beauty of a natural phenomenon: raindrops falling on puddles and carving circular patterns on the water’s surface. This family of coffee tables and stools plays with the circle while alluding to the sphere. It was first imagined as a coffee table composed of a cluster of small circular steel plates (four or six in number), welded together on their underside in an apparently random fashion. A single leg stands beneath each plate, splayed at an angle and giving the impression that structural stability depends on the integrity of the cluster. Developed into a three-legged stool with a rounded seat pad, Bolle takes a more bubble-like form. Client: Living Divani
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Coal was originally designed as a portable room heater, its shape referencing the living heritage of the material that has for centuries been used as an energy resource. Designed with a cast iron tube and an internal wire filament for heat transmission, this conceptual object could also serve as a clothes heater for drying damp garments during winter. The multi-directional branches were positioned to enhance the radiant heat effect, directing warmth in all directions. A dial at the tip of the lowest branch provided the means of temperature control. The design won a ‘red dot award: design concept’ in 2007. It was later developed for production in a simpler form as a non-heating coat stand. It is produced with welded steel in two colours – black and white. The latter references snow on branches, while the former references coal. Client: Self-produced
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A love for the work of German industrial designer Dieter Rams prompted the unabashed celebration of his style with the Dieter Table Fan. The goal was to overhaul a product that is rarely tackled by designers, using the impeccable simplicity for which Rams is known. A simple motor and fan blades dominate the internal components. The form of the housing was optimised as a pristine steel box with a geometrically disciplined grille and a simple stainless steel handle. The portable fan was styled for suitability to any environment – from residential to corporate. The design joins a stable of products by other designers that were heavily inspired by the work of the influential German master. Client: Self-produced
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An exhibition titled UseLess, staged at the Singapore Design Festival 2007, was the context for which this series of three investigative sculptures was produced. The work addresses the two meanings that could be read in the exhibition name: ‘use less’ and ‘useless’. Old disused car parts were collected from a mechanic’s garage, cleaned up, and uniformly powder coated white. The paint became a mask over the former mechanical functions of the parts, rendering them relatively anonymous and inviting the viewer to mentally investigate their identity and purpose. The notion being probed and promoted is that beauty exists not in form itself, but in one’s understanding of form through function. And if one views beauty with a functionalist view, it can be found anywhere. Client: Self-produced
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Section takes its name from the ‘sectional’ investigations that drove its design. It was imagined as a composition of very thin planes of steel sheet that would become almost invisible when filled with books. Section was initially designed as strata of increasingly narrow niches. The depth or ‘section’ of the shelves was minimised by angling the vertical supports. One’s magazines, books, office files, or vinyl records are thus stored at an angle. The design was later developed into smaller modules, each with a thickened base plate that supports the weight within. The three modules (with three different internal layouts) can be stacked, making it possible to tailor the shelving to the available space and storage needs. They offer the additional benefit of easy transportation. Client: Opinion Ciatti
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Humour emanates from Break, but so too does the simple rationality of a direct resolution to a technical problem. The design plays with the archetypal stool shape. Rather than an assembly of multiple flat elements, Break is composed with a single sheet of cut and bent plywood. The desire to create a curved siting surface for enhanced comfort presented a problem: the sheet could not be curved in two directions using the simple moulding techniques that were available. A slit on each side provided the solution. The slicing and bending of the seat along a secondary axis gives the impression that the stool is in flux – in the process of breaking apart. The sense of movement is of course an illusion. The outward splaying of the legs in fact increases the stability of the stool. Client: Ligne Roset
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After disastrous events on the scale of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the need for the efficient burial of a large number of victims invariably highlights the shortcomings of the traditional coffin. Coffin production typically involves the milling and assembly of planks of timber – a laborious and time-consuming process. The shipping of these heavy boxes of air is similarly inefficient. If burials are to be undertaken on a mass scale in a timely and hygienic manner, then a reconsideration of the coffin itself is necessary. Biopod Coffin can be rapidly produced through the stamp moulding of a woodchip and resin mixture. It has been designed in two slide-together halves, which can be nested and stacked for efficient shipping. While the lightweight material makes handling easier, the moulded rib structure strengthens the form to prevent warping. Biopod Coffin won a ‘red dot award: design concept’ in 2006. Awards: Red Dot Design Award: Design Concept
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