Cover This symmetrical composition creates a look that is both restful and elegant
This symmetrical composition creates a look that is both restful and elegant
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Anthracyte Studio crafts an elegant environment that exudes a sense of quiet majesty for a private equity firm in Singapore
Situated within the iconic CapitaGreen building designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito in Raffles Place, this stunning office looks out to spectacular sights of the Singapore skyline from the 36th storey. The 6,000 sq ft workspace has a beautiful interior befitting its location, as realised by local design practice Anthracyte Studio.
The Singapore-based firm benefited from a creative synergy with the client, as this is their second project together. “The right ambience was also paramount to the interior design of this private equity firm. It had to have the right formal elegance, without being too opulent or ‘stiff’. This resulted in a very careful curation of each finish and design detail,” says Adrian Ong, principal of Anthracyte Studio and the lead designer on the project.
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Above The office’s lobby rotunda offers a tasteful nod to classical architecture
The office’s lobby rotunda offers a tasteful nod to classical architecture
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Circle of Influence
The goal was to create an impressive and conducive working space for the client—a stylish venue in which they could comfortably host clients for meetings and private events, while featuring everyday amenities and entertainment facilities for their employees. The views, of course, were to be capitalised on. Key spaces such as the open-plan lobby lounge as well as the boardroom, dining area and directors’ rooms were planned to look outwards through floor-to-ceiling windows to the magnificent sights beyond.
As for the design concept, the team took inspiration from “classical notions of plan, space and details within a context of a modern and understated decorative style”, says Ong. “The idea of the lobby rotunda was the first key premise to the design which informed the plan. Everything literally revolved around it,” he explains.
Above Glass, marble and wood together create a sumptuous material palette
Above The precise detailing of the curved timber panels
Glass, marble and wood together create a sumptuous material palette
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Material Matters
Ong, who cites Italian architect Carlo Scarpa and French interior designer Jean-Michel Frank as his key influences, believes in curating decorative elements in an understated manner in his firm’s projects. This includes the use of contrasting finishes, such as adding brass inserts along the edges of the custom carpeting in this office. Granite tabletops come in an antiqued brushed finish, and the ceilings feature trowelled metallic decorative paint that reinforces the project’s classical influences.
Above Backlit shelves create a sense of drama in this handsome lounge area by highlighting the veins on the stone-clad wall
Above The backlit display shelves make for an elegant space partition
Backlit shelves create a sense of drama in this handsome lounge area by highlighting the veins on the stone-clad wall
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The team also matched the soft textures of silk-fabric wallcoverings from Jim Thompson with golden teak wood, selected crown-cut veneers and the luxurious use of natural stone, which include the Silver Mink marble rotunda flooring with white diamond-shaped Volakas marble inserts in the lobby and the aforementioned granite tabletops. The hardware chosen includes Japanese cast-iron door handles, and a deep bronze post-coated aluminium finish on the custom joinery.
Above This symmetrical composition creates a look that is both restful and elegant
Above Curved elements, a neutral scheme and the use of dark wood contribute to the cocooning atmosphere in this corner
This symmetrical composition creates a look that is both restful and elegant
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The use of light is carefully staged to create the right mood for various occasions; the team used the Lutron system, which features curated illumination settings to cast a beautiful glow in various spaces as well as highlight the private collection of art in the office.
Among these are works by notable local artists, emphasising the project’s cultural roots. “The paintings were a key part of the design considerations from the outset; we worked closely with the client and in collaboration with a local art consultant,” says Ong.
Above Herringbone-patterned flooring brings a tactile slant to the modern minimalist look of this meeting room
Herringbone-patterned flooring brings a tactile slant to the modern minimalist look of this meeting room
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The resulting interior was swiftly completed within three months and is as beautiful to behold as it is functional, showcasing the studio’s practised eye for detail in every corner of this stunning workspace, from the grand lobby to the stylish alcoves. The accomplished interior truly embodies the design firm’s creative philosophy: that good design should be “beautiful, magical and enchanting”.
Above The large kitchen island and bar counter turn the pantry into a social zone
The large kitchen island and bar counter turn the pantry into a social zone
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Founded in 2018, Anthracyte Studio firm aims to turn each of its projects into a work of art. “We admire designs that evoke the senses and emotions, that move the soul and lift the human spirit,” says Ong.
The design practice has undertaken remarkable transformations of luxury apartments in developments such as The Marq on Paterson Hill and 21 Angullia Park, as well as ongoing projects that include Good Class Bungalows at Cornwall Gardens and Chatsworth, and houses at Tudor Close and Watten Estate.
Above Adrian Ong, principal of Anthracyte Studio
Adrian Ong, principal of Anthracyte Studio
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Its commercial projects include an office at UOB Plaza, a 300- and 600-seat auditoriums for a church and a media company, respectively, and the private equity firm featured on these pages, which has been shortlisted for the Singapore Interior Design Awards 2023.
Anthracyte Studio, 151C Selegie Road, email: admin@anthracytestudio.com, anthracytestudio.com
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