Celebrating SG60: 20 designers on craftsmanship in Singapore

“Instead, it is very much a studio-like environment, in which designers are encouraged to dream up ideas for internal discussions and even crits. This ensures our minds and the spaces we produce stay fresh and flexible, with cross‑pollination learning in between.”

This ethos is especially apparent in the studio’s residential oeuvre, in which every project offers an opportunity for innovation, from clever layouts and passive cooling to 3D printing.

Read more: Architect Lim Koon Park on building Singapore’s first 3D-printed house in Bukit Timah

To Keat Ong, founder of Keat Ong Design, this is the defining quality. “Singapore is an amalgamation at the crossroads of the world, and what makes us unique is the fusion of East and West. This fusion gives us an open book to interpret without shame, because we carry no historical baggage.” He points to his Wayfarer furniture collection for Filipino brand Genteelhome.

Part of a Bigkis showcase launched at Maison&Objet in September, which comprises works by pan‑Asean designers, Wayfarer takes the archetype of campaign furniture, a very Western idea, and re‑crafts it with Asian craftsmanship. To Ong, this embodies Singapore design, a fusion that draws from the past not to repeat it, but to create for the present and the future.

To many, what feels Singaporean lies not in a direct continuation of tradition, but in the way heritage is reimagined and remade. Atelier V&A co-founder Venetia Gu extends this ethos into the present.

“As a second-generation designer in a family of makers, what feels distinctly Singaporean to me is the sensibility of blending tradition with modernity. I grew up surrounded by carpentry workshops where resourcefulness and craft were second nature. That habit of balancing heritage with innovation is at the heart of how we work today. It is Singapore’s spirit of pragmatism and creativity combined, respecting where we come from while continually evolving our practice.”

In case you missed it: Singaporean fashion designer Gin Lee on how she tells stories through the use of fabric

Her partner, Aisha Hillary-Morgan, finds her compass in wood. “Wood has always been central to my practice, not just for its warmth and tactility, but for the way it connects to Singapore’s heritage of carpentry and craftsmanship.” With the studio’s furniture line Atelier One’s debut collection, they pay homage to history by weaving in details inspired by Peranakan tiles. “These motifs act as quiet anchors to place, honouring the hands that have sculpted here for generations.”

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Jeremy Tay of Prestige Global Designs also finds resonance in Peranakan tiles as motifs that endure. “They are famed for their vibrant colours and auspicious motifs, offering both historical intrigue as well as a rich decorative appeal to design enthusiasts and heritage hunters,” he says.

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In this equatorial city, design is also shaped by light, shadow and climate. Architect Goy Zhenru of Goy Architects explains: “Singapore’s unique geographical context enables us to draw on regional production methods and materials that have long adapted to our equatorial climate, and creatively reinterpret them within our practice.” 

In one of her projects, Goy worked with artisans to create sand tiles with a marbled effect in Yogyakarta, a traditional technique executed in a modern manner.

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To architect Razvan Ghilic-Micu, senior associate at Hassell, the answer lies in shadow. “Our light is unforgiving; bright, humid, equatorial, and it demands architecture that tempers and filters it rather than resists it. To me, shadows give depth and texture to any well-edited building volume. They transform a restrained palette of forms into something animated and porous, an expression that changes hourly with the sun,” he says. Layering reveals and contrasts allow spaces to breathe, turning simple moves into moments of richness. 

At curtains brand Coesa, soft forms and flexible partitions provide comfort. Co‑founder Faith Goh has noticed how curves have become a distinctly Singaporean way of shaping spaces with flow and connection. “They soften rigid lines and respond to the way we live, balancing social gatherings, family time and quiet moments,” she says. “They encourage interaction and bring a natural rhythm and harmony, making our living spaces feel inviting, comfortable and distinctly Singaporean.”

Her partner, Jason Teo, points to the adaptability of curtains. “Rather than rigid partition walls, we’ve embraced curtains as sophisticated spatial solutions. Curtains offer the flexibility our dynamic lifestyles require: providing privacy and sound absorption when needed, while allowing spaces to flow completely open for gatherings and entertaining. This inherent adaptability feels very much aligned with how Singaporeans live.”

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Pragmatism, too, is deeply embedded in the way Singaporeans build and furnish their homes. The preference for what is durable, versatile and adaptable runs deep, shaping choices from materials to storage solutions.

Michael Ong of Prestige Global Designs sees it reflected in client briefs. “Many clients often come to us with one requirement, which is to maximise storage space. Therefore, our design approach is to creatively find space for storage without making the interior look crowded.”

Jennifer Ng, co-founder of Carera Bathroom, notices the same practical instinct in fittings. “The most popular PVD finish is stainless steel. It is a surface finish that is understated and relatively easier to maintain compared to other options. I feel that this resonates with our local culture. Many of our fellow Singaporeans are not flashy in dressing and styling, we go for an image that is unpretentious and hassle free. We are a down‑to‑earth and hardworking nation. Therefore, a surface finish that is both practical and durable rises to be a top choice.” She cites Gessi’s Habito collection as an example.

Derek Lim, general manager of Space Furniture, frames it as a balance between practicality and individuality. “Whether it’s a small apartment or a larger home, homeowners here are always looking for solutions that are highly functional, yet still express their personal style.” 

He cites the Flat C collection by Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia as an example. Its modular system can be configured in countless ways to suit different needs, and reconfigured again as lifestyles change. To him, that versatility captures a very Singaporean sensibility: a desire for practicality without compromising on uniqueness and self‑expression.

What also emerges is how Singaporeans shape their homes around lifestyle habits, renovation culture, and subconscious spatial instincts. Larry Lim of Summerhaus D’zign has observed it in the scope of work itself. “Most Singaporean clients who had bought resale properties embarked on either a complete revamp of the house or a major overhaul to revamp most of the bathrooms, kitchen and cabinetry. There is also a preference for built‑in cabinetry, especially those made of plywood,” he says. 

He contrasts this with many non-Singaporean homeowners, whose preferences tend to be more decoration‑focused, with fewer built‑ins, more loose furniture, and less extensive overhauls.

His partner, Jess Koh, notes how feng shui has shaped planning instincts. “As a practice, we have been subconsciously tuned to avoid things like beams across the bed, sharp 90‑degree corners facing the bed, or the bed head directly behind the water closet. These are somewhat influenced by basic feng shui, which we feel is relevant in creating a space that feels relaxed and comfortable. We have had so many requests from clients to avoid these elements over the years that they have become things we look out for by default.”

In case you missed it: An elegant and minimalist apartment by Summerhaus D’zign in Singapore’s District 10

To Architology Interiors, homes reflect a culture of hospitality. “Beyond looking good, they’re designed to feel warm and provide hosts with a quiet confidence. Reflecting Singapore’s mix‑and‑mingle culture, we plan for buffet spreads, easy circulation and layered seating—spaces where dining and conversation sit side by side,” say studio founders Terrence Quah and Bu Shukun. Quah’s latest project, an apartment at Grange Infinite, features a convivial dining space to accommodate this culture. 

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Santhi and Sari Tunas, co-founders of Binary Style, note that artisanship itself must be reinvented here. “In Singapore, artisanship is less about centuries‑old tradition and more about crafting identity in a young, multicultural nation. With dwindling inherited craft, makers here reinvent artisanship through design, storytelling, and innovation.”

Produced in small batches with a keen attention to detail, the brand’s scarves highlight familiar icons and local anecdotes in a contemporary idiom, illustrating how artisanship in Singapore continues to evolve at the intersection of creativity, technology, and narrative.

Florence Ng, founder of Synergraphic, sees the dialogue between past and present playing out in glass. “From the start, we sought to combine art and design in glass, balancing the functionality the material inherently offers with beauty and artistry, and uniting tradition with modernity,” she says.

This ethos is visible in Synergraphic’s projects, such as the feature wall designed by artist Sara Chong at the Cloud Forest, Gardens by the Bay. Nature is deeply woven into this collaborative piece: by capturing flora and organic forms in glass, it preserves fleeting beauty in lasting form.

Read more: Family-run studio Synergraphic Design creates glass art proudly made and designed in Singapore

Edwin Low of Supermama places an emphasis on curiosity. “I think Singaporean designers are very inquisitive. We always want to get to the bottom of things. If we want something, we really go deep into it: ‘How can I solve this?’ I’m very proud to see many Singapore designers taking this path,” he says, speaking at the Emerge showcase at the Find—Design Fair Asia, of which Low was one of the curators.

He cites Incinerated Ware by Sophia Chin as an example: Chin used ashes from incinerated rubbish to create a new ceramic glaze—a glaze made in Singapore, from waste. To Low, this reflects the probing, inventive spirit that feels distinctly Singaporean.

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