YWA Studio

For Tan Yue Wei, architecture is a way of telling the stories of the people who inhabit the spaces he creates. As the founder of YWA Studio, Tan approaches each project as a personal response to its client, drawing on their aspirations, lifestyles and memories rather than imposing a predetermined design language.

“Every individual and every family is uniquely different,” he says. “I take pride in creating bespoke spaces that celebrate these differences.” This philosophy has resulted in a portfolio that ranges widely in architectural expression, from the sculptural Piegare and the fortress-like Maison Forteresse to the classical references of Casa Neoclassica and the pared-back warmth of Breeze Block House. The common thread is not a recognisable aesthetic, but an attentiveness to the people each home is designed for.

Tan’s instinct for creativity began early. He was drawn to sketching and drawing from a young age, using lines and forms as a way to express himself and understand the world around him. Architecture eventually emerged as the discipline that offered the broadest canvas for that curiosity. Today, his approach extends beyond visual composition. Practicality is equally important: a well-designed space should feel intuitive and effortless to inhabit, with every decision contributing to the rituals and routines of everyday life.

A second-generation figure in the built industry, Tan graduated with a master’s degree in Australia and is a registered architect and accredited interior designer in Singapore. His experience spans luxury landed houses, residential developments, lifestyle resorts and marinas, mixed-use, commercial and industrial projects, alongside interior projects covering residential, retail, F&B, offices, bars, wellness and clubs.

This breadth of experience informs YWA Studio’s multidisciplinary approach. Established in 2021, the practice brings together architecture, structure and interior design, supported by a structural team whose roots in the built industry date back to 1969. For Tan, founding the studio was as much about creating a particular design culture as it was about establishing a business. He wanted the entire client journey, from the first conversation to the completion of a home, to be handled with the same care as the design itself.

His work has earned recognition including multiple Gold and Silver wins at the 2022 Muse Design Awards, a Singapore Good Design Award in 2024, and finalist recognition at the Singapore Young Architects Award 2024. In 2025, Tan was named among Singapore’s 30 Most Influential Spatial / Interior Designers. He also serves as co-chair of the Singapore Institute of Architects’ Young Architects League.

For Tan, however, the measure of a successful project goes beyond accolades. It is whether a space feels unmistakably its owner’s, supports the way they live and accumulates meaning over time. Architecture, in his view, should ultimately turn a client’s aspirations into somewhere they can build a life.