Space Makers: How family-owned firm Trace Design & Build is redefining residential design

Nathaniel and Ray, tell us more about how you got involved in the industry, and how you all play to your individual strengths to work together as a family.
We grew up immersed in the world of architecture, influenced by our father’s career and his passion for the building process. It was really what he enjoyed talking about most, and it was always a joy to see him excited about his work.

Deviating from the typical architect’s career path, he very quickly went ‘in-house’ as a developer and had the benefit of working with other illustrious architects, such as Mok Wei Wei and Rene Tan, involved in the building process end-to-end as a director. This gave him a multi-disciplinary lens through which to approach his projects, looking beyond just architectural design and appreciating cost feasibility and construction detailing from the onset. He eventually decided to bring this skillset to landed houses, a path that began with him just helping his friends design and build their homes.

To date, that multidisciplinary approach defines what defines our work at Trace Design & Build; everyone, from architects to quantity surveyors, is expected to think about their work holistically. This is how we develop practical designs for our clients. We leverage our individual strengths to further that vision, combining our father’s technical knowledge, Nathaniel’s drive to sustain the firm’s legacy, and Ray’s expansion into interior design to extend what we can offer to landed homeowners.

Is it ever tough working so closely with family? How do you make sure to separate work and family time?
We’re all passionate about what we do, so it’s unavoidable that we butt heads now and again. We try to draw clear boundaries and ensure there’s open communication. The most important part is respecting each other’s roles and expertise. It can be challenging, but we make a conscious effort to separate work and family life. Making sure that we spend quality family time together outside of work is something that’s important as well.

How do you define your firm’s design philosophy and what inspires you?
We believe in every individual working through a multi-disciplinary lens. A typical project involves bringing in specialised individuals from architecture, engineering, quantity surveying, and project management. At Trace Design & Build, we are looking to not only house as many of these specialists under the same roof but also for each individual to continually learn about other disciplines in order to deliver better projects.

For example, architects are trained to have an understanding of the cost implications of the design choices across a project, and quantity surveyors learn to understand the sequence of construction works to better forecast procurement and cash flow issues. We get inspired when we see a beautiful house being delivered on time and within the homeowner’s budget, especially so when our team believes in the mission and showcases joy in learning the intricacies of building.

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Edmund, what prompted the decision to focus on landed properties? What are some takeaways you can share from this niche?
It started when some of my old friends asked me to design their homes for them, inter or corner-terrace properties. We quickly realised how difficult it is to find reliable landed builders for these kinds of projects. Landed properties are already considered small or medium-sized construction projects, which makes it challenging to find reliable builders who can handle the complex detailing of a residential project. I decided to try my hand at being a main contractor myself, and that is how I started doing design and build projects.

It is a deep and fulfilling space, and we are still discovering how to do things better. The crux of landed properties is that homeowners tend to have high architectural and design requirements, but simultaneously require us to explain things to them in non-technical language. This makes communication such an important element in this process, aside from the complexities of running the project.

Your firm covers architecture, construction and interior design. Can you share more about these different arms and how they function in symbiosis?
Our goal is to have these different arms work together as an integrated offering. As we mentioned earlier, our professionals are expected to respect and learn about other disciplines, regardless of which specialisation they are in. This allows for a more seamless collaboration, which has allowed us to deliver projects in shorter time frames, be more accurate in budget control, and deliver practical designs for our homeowners.

We aim to provide landed homeowners with a seamless, holistic home design journey, and maintain consistency and quality throughout the project.

You quote “A room should start a conversation before people start exchanging words” on your website. How do you achieve this in your projects?
For a space to inspire conversation, it begins with the initial space planning process. Understanding the homeowner’s lifestyle and vision is of utmost importance, and it is our responsibility to convey their story in the design plans.

As architects, we are looking to epitomise this not only in the individual rooms we design but in the architectural façade of each home as well, which captures people’s attention from the onset.

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What are some of your favourite and proudest projects you have had the opportunity to work on?
One recent project to highlight is the Viridian House, a Good Class Bungalow in Bukit Timah, which was an extensive addition and alteration (A&A) project. We were tasked to modernise the façade while creating meaningful living spaces with an intuitive flow.

The original building was a Balinese-style bungalow, which allowed us to borrow key structural and architectural elements for our proposed design. We opted to retain over 80% of the original building’s structure and 50% of its architectural finishes, transforming the property into a tropical minimalist abode rooted in conservation and climate-responsive architecture.

We also enjoyed working on a semi-detached house on Sennett Avenue this year, which involved building a multi-generational home on a unique triangular plot. This house adopts a modern take on art deco, while the interior seeks to provide a warm canvas for the family’s collection of rosewood furniture and treasured memorabilia. We also enjoyed crafting more bespoke areas for this house, namely a miniature onsen bath and a tatami attic space. These areas speak to the time when the couple lived in Japan together.

The last one we want to highlight is a semi-detached house in the Upper East Coast area. This house adjoins a busy main road and required us to introduce sufficient privacy in the home while retaining a sense of openness. We adopted a modern contemporary architectural style, which carried over into the interiors as well.

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Edmund—having worked in this industry for many years, what is one piece of advice you wish to pass down to the next generation of architects and designers?
Intellectual curiosity. Even with so many years of experience in this industry, there are things to learn every day about architecture and evolving construction technologies. A great part of my holidays is dedicated to seeing what is being innovated in countries such as China. I believe that only by continually learning can we deliver the best advice and service to our clients.

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