Cover Interior designer Joyce Wang
Interior designer Joyce Wang
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Award-winning interior designer Joyce Wang discusses hospitality design, sustainability, making inroads in innovation and her keynote speech at FIND – Design Fair Asia
“You eat with your eyes first”—so goes the old adage about the dining experience. But if you zoom out from the plating of the food, you’ll find the design of the space itself plays an equally crucial role in shaping that experience. Interior designer Joyce Wang understands this dynamic better than most. A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s architecture and materials science programme, Wang is renowned for her innovative approach to materiality and her ability to fuse luxury with unconventional design elements.
She is also celebrated for her distinctive, narrative-driven interiors in the hospitality and F&B sectors, with standout projects such as Ammo at the Asia Society and Belon in Hong Kong. Recently in Singapore as a keynote speaker at FIND – Design Fair Asia, where she discussed material experiences, Wang spoke to Tatler Homes about her approach to materials and her vision for the future of interior design.
Above The dining area of Club Batard, where members can enjoy wine from its cellar without restaurant mark-up prices
The dining area of Club Batard, where members can enjoy wine from its cellar without restaurant mark-up prices
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What do you hope the audience at FIND took away from your keynote?
I want to broaden the conversation beyond selecting sustainable materials. There are many ways to approach sustainability. For instance, designing interiors that can last 20 years rather than five, or ensuring that the business we’re designing for is sustainable in its operations. It’s not just about materials, but also about creating spaces that contribute to long-term success.
Of course, materials are a key starting point for us as a studio. We don’t just select them as an afterthought; they play an essential role right from the beginning when we’re thinking about a space. We choose materials that inherently feel right and that align with the space’s overall narrative.
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Above At Club Batard, Wang also revitalised the beaux-arts architecture of its colonial-era Pedder Building
At Club Batard, Wang also revitalised the beaux-arts architecture of its colonial-era Pedder Building
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How has your background in materials science influenced your practice over the years?
My father is in manufacturing, and I studied materials science thinking I could help him in some way. He always talked about the magic of materials—how, for example, you pass an electrical current through metal, and it creates motion because of the material’s inherent structure. Although we don’t do anything on the nanoscale in the studio, this mindset of understanding materials at a fundamental level also influences our work.
We’re always looking for inventive ways to showcase materials. For example, in one project, we worked with a studio in Berlin that was salt-treating timber veneers, which gave the wood a unique, eroded surface. It’s about collaborating with people willing to push the boundaries of what materials can do.
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Located in a heritage building in Hong Kong, Club Batard boasts the city’s largest walk-in wine cellar
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Could you provide another example of how the choice of material played a critical role in the design outcome?
We’re currently working on a series of rugs with a French tapestry and carpet maker in Aubusson. They’ve worked with incredible artists such as Alexander Calder in the past.
Now, we’re collaborating with them to develop rugs using mohair, which gives the pieces an ethereal effect, almost like a layer of fog or moss over an existing pattern. The inspiration comes from the landscape and architecture of Aubusson, where we noticed the organic growth of foliage on limestone buildings. We wanted to capture that natural layering in the rug design.
Designing rugs is an interesting challenge because it’s typically a “colour-by-numbers” process—you select different yarns and colours, and the final image can feel very pixelated. With mohair, however, we’re able to blur the edges and create a softer, more organic effect. It’s as if the mohair adds a layer of fog or dew over the design, making it feel alive and connected to nature. The first of these rugs will be launching at Maison & Objet, and we’re excited to see the response to this more tactile, layered approach to rug design.
Above The grand arrival space at Carna features stained-glass art referencing ancient wall frescoes from Roman times
The grand arrival space at Carna features stained-glass art referencing ancient wall frescoes from Roman times
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How do you define luxury today?
For me, luxury is about the ability to combine work and play, especially as someone with a family. I find it important that hotels or spaces allow you to live out your best life, both professionally and personally. I think that’s becoming more critical in how we define luxury. It’s not just about opulence anymore; it’s about how spaces make you feel and function in your daily life.
What role does AI play in your design process?
We’ve used AI to explore ideas, but it’s never been a direct translation to fabrication. For us, AI is just one part of the process—it helps us brainstorm, but we always go back to hand sketches, which feel more intuitive and reflective. I think AI will continue to evolve as a tool, but it will still need a human driver to determine its purpose and direction.
What trends do you think will shape the future of hospitality and F&B interiors?
I find it fascinating that new hotel brands keep emerging, from ultra-luxury to more affordable options. It’s a concerted effort to attract diverse demographics, which I think is a significant trend. Even if you don’t initially fit the target audience, you get drawn in by the experience. Brands are evolving to meet the needs of these varied groups.
Above The refined interior of the Carna steakhouse by Dario Cecchini at the Mondrian Hong Kong
The refined interior of the Carna steakhouse by Dario Cecchini at the Mondrian Hong Kong
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Can you give us an update on your studio?
We have two studios, one in Hong Kong and one in London, with about ten people in each. We’ve found that this size allows us to focus on projects we’re truly passionate about without needing to take on work just to keep the studio running. Right now, we’re working on a mix of hospitality and select residential projects.
How does your experience in hospitality and F&B translate into residential projects?
Clients come to us because of our hospitality experience. They want to see how we interpret residential spaces with that background in mind. It’s exciting because they expect us to bring that expertise into a new context.
Do you think Singapore will ever catch up to Hong Kong’s level in F&B and hospitality design?
They’re different—Singapore has this wonderful botanical aspect that Hong Kong doesn’t emphasise as much. It’s the Garden City, and that gives it a unique identity. Both cities have their strengths, and they appeal to different kinds of experiences. I see a lot of synergy between Hong Kong, London and other global cities like Dubai, but Singapore definitely holds its own with its distinctive style.
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Above In the restaurant’s dining area, arched columns frame diners and the vista of Hong Kong’s skyline
In the restaurant’s dining area, arched columns frame diners and the vista of Hong Kong’s skyline
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Credits
Images: Courtesy of Joyce Wang Studio
Jakarta-born, Bandung-raised and Singapore-based, Asih Jenie trained in Visual Communication Design at Bandung Institute of Technology and Architecture at Parahyangan Catholic University. She brings both rigour and heart to design journalism, infused with a distinct Southeast Asian voice.
As a child, she doodled on the edges of her schoolbooks and never outgrew her fascination with all things well-made and well-told. Her 15-year career spans editorial roles and bylines in Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Australia, across spatial design titles such as Dwell Asia, Cubes, Design Anthology, Habitus Living, and Home & Decor.
After a brief stint in public relations, she returned to publishing in 2023 to lead Tatler Homes Singapore, where she continues to tell stories about how we shape the spaces that shape us.
