Company Name

Company Founded in

Michelle Au, & Jenny Widjaja (2011-2019), Michelle Au (2019-present)

Names of Founders

Founders' Birth Year (Michelle)

B.FA Communication Studies (Hons), Nanyang Technological University (2000)

Education (Education)

Previous Job (Michelle)

Founded & Designed Apartmentofu, Avid cook and plate collector

Other Pursuits (Michelle)

1st Office

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3rd Office

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77 Robinsons, co-shared with WE Communications, Singapore

4th Office

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5th Office

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Co-founded Tofu with Jenny Widjaja & Started in Michelle’s study with team of 4

2011

First piece of work appeared in Design Society magazine

2012

Showcased in Tiong Bahru Design Studios Trail alongside Bureau and Foreign Design Policy

Founded Temporium a shop, diner and gallery on Dunlop Street, Little India, Singapore

2013

Curated Karafuru's branding from visual identity, interior design, flood plating to an instore brand collaboration experience with New York fashion brand Alice & Olivia 

2014

Part of K+, a curatorial lifestyle space and design store at Scotts Square

2015

Co-founder Jenny passed on the end of 2019

2019

Created Franklin Templeton’s “See A Different Blue” campaign celebrating 30th Anniversary, which was shortlisted for the MARKies Award in 2021

2020

Founded and designed Apartmentofu, a co-creation and collaborative space

2021

Created and produced a Christmas Live Show at Apartmentofu with LITO Labs and Super Farmers featuring local artiste duo, The Freshmen

Michelle Au is a creative and designer who constantly endeavours to turn her creative dreams into reality at Tofu. With her love for film, product and interior design, her works range from ad campaigns, to brand experiences, to multi-purpose spaces. Significant projects include Franklin Templeton’s “See A Different Blue” 30th Anniversary campaign, the Mid-Autumn “Over the Moon” Collection for Shangri-La Hotel, and Apartmentofu. Apart from these diverse works, Michelle is also an avid cook and plate collector. Join us as we explore Tofu’s philosophy and learn more about its talented co-founder, Michelle.

A Blank Canvas for Endless Possibilities

Company Founded In

Name of Founder

Founder's Birth Year

Bachelor of Architecture Cum Laude, Graduating Senior Award, University of Arizona (1999), USA, Licensed Architect, Singapore, Board of Architects (2013)

Education

Photographer, Fashion & Architecture (1994)

1st Job

Architectural Intern, OMA, Rotterdam (1998)

2nd Job

Architectural Intern, Studio Libeskind, Berlin (1998)

3rd Job

Architect, R L Binder Architects & Planners, L.A. (2000)

4th Job

Founder & Director of Design, Ministry of Design Pte Ltd (2004)

4th Job (Current)

Senior Tutor, Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore (2000)

5th Job

Other Pursuits

2004

Winner, Design of the Year at President’s Design Award, Singapore

2006

Winner, Interior Design of the Year, International Design Awards, USA

2007

Winner, 40 Under 40 Awards, Perspective Awards, Hong Kong

2008

Grand Winner, Saporiti Italia Design Award, Italy for Saporiti Luxury Tower

2009

Winner, Best Office Modern Decoration Awards, China for Leo Burnett Office

2010

Keynote Speaker, Australian Design Conference DesignEx, Melbourne

Winner, Interior Architecture Category, Singapore Institute of Architecture Design Awards

Outstanding Chinese Designer of the Year, IAI Awards (Interior Design Confederation), Shanghai

Speaker, Datum 2014, KL, (Organized by Malaysian Institute of Architects) 

Keynote Speaker, Hong Kong Interior Design Association’s Master Talk, Hong Kong 

2016

Interior Designer of the Year, Build Interior Design Awards, UK 

2017

Keynote Speaker, Shanghai Hotel Plus Conference, Shanghai, China 

2018

Speaker, Project Boomerang, Council for International Accreditation of Architecture & Design

Global Advisor for leading surfaces manufacturer, Cosentino

Professional Practice Committee, Asia-Pacific Space Designers Association, Malaysia

2022

2023

Colin Seah is an architect and artist who seeks to Question, Disturb, and Redefine convention in Ministry of Design – a multi-award-winning architectural, interior design and branding firm. From winning Singapore’s President Design Award twice to being named “Designer of the Year” by International Design Awards USA, Ministry of Design’s timeless projects transcend national boundaries. Notable works include the Citi Wealth Hub in Singapore, Macalister Mansion Hotel in Penang, VUE Hotel Hou Hai in Beijing, and “Code”, a leather wearable collection made in collaboration with Bynd Artisan. Besides these remarkable projects, Colin is a familiar face at both local and international forums and competitions, as a guest speaker and judge. He is also an adjunct tutor in the National University of Singapore’s Department of Architecture, and an accomplished home chef. Come along with us as we uncover the impetus for Ministry of Design’s groundbreaking projects, and also get to know its founder, Colin, a little better.

Yes, There's a Minister for Design

Edmund Seet, Yeo Gee Khuy, Yasser Bin Suratman

Founders' Birth Year (Edmund)

Founders' Birth Year (Kai)

Founders' Birth Year (Yasser)

B.FA, Design, Swinburne School of Design (1999)

Education (Edmund)

M.FA, Central Saint Martins (Dropped Out, 2003)

Education (Kai)

M.FA, Graphic Design, Yale University (2009)

Education (Yasser)

Previous Job (Edmund)

Previous Job (Kai)

Previous Job (Yasser)

LASALLE College of the Arts (2009-present)

Other Pursuits (All)

Other Pursuits (Kai)

Launched Pyggy Bank for Sinagpore Art Museum and showcased in Shanghai World Expo

Launched MOE Chairs; MOE Chair Series received a bronze award for Furniture Design, Gong Show Awards 2012

Launched the first edition of the Hpaper Series for HPL Hotels and Resorts

Partnership with RJ Paper to create their Maple Series sampler booklet

Showcased Fibonacci Bench for SFIC and produced Iskandar Jalil: Images of My Pottery Travels book

Launched Packaging for Tribe Nation, Beijing. Kai starts his own label, Hutan Tropical 

Launched brand identity and visual collaterals for The Maples Niseko, Hokkaido

Presented HHH: Anniversary Book for RDA Singapore and facilitated installation support with Anonymous for Uniqlo Singapore's Flagship Store. Created packaging for Adidas EQT Limited Edition Design for T-Mall launch in Shanghai

Created branding and visual identity for Niometrics and launched branding for boutique hotel, The Boathouse Phuket

Launched Phase 1 of Community Foundation of Singapore

Developed and directed Wonderlit's brand identity design and spearheaded GoAirBorne Macau's marketing launch

Created branding and visual collaterals for Tembusu Grand's property launch for CDL and MCL

Started back in 2009 by Edmund Seet, Yeo Gee Khuy (Kai) and Yasser Bin Suratman, Bureau is a design studio that has been making its creative mark on brand identities, product, editorial and spacial design. Originally called Bureau for Advancement of Lifestyle and Longevity and Success, or more affectionately, B.A.L.L.S. Having worked on countless projects from Pyggy Bank for Singapore Art Museum curated by FARM, Fibonacci Bench for SFIC in 2015 and more recently, branding for Wonderlit. We explore Bureau’s changing rhythms of their artistic direction over the years and how to navigate relationships in the design industry,

Nobody Dies From Bad Design

Founders' Birth Year (Both)

Diploma in Industrial Design, Temasek Polytechnic (2002)

Education (Both)

Masters in Contextual Design, DesignAcademy Eindhoven (2007-2008)

Part-time teaching at LASALLE, NAFA, and Nanyang Polytechnic

Other Pursuits (Both)

7th Office (Current)

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Alvin and Clara founded Atelier HOKO in Älmhult, Sweden

2002

Exhibited Index Ring for Global Identity by "chi ha paura...?" in Milan, Italy. Acquired as permanent collection of Stedelijk Museum's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands

Ongoing Series “Science of the Secondary”

2013 - Present

Participated in "THE FAB MIND: Hints of the Future in a Shifting World" for Design Sight 21_21, Tokyo

Exhibited "Café CUP – a drinking laboratory" at Singapore:InsideOut, Bank Gallery, Tokyo

Exhibited "A Dozen Eggs", "Plates Please" & "Café CUP" at Pon-Ding, Taipei

"Science of the Secondary" Acquired in Permanent Collection of MAK Museum, Vienna

Exhibited in "R for Repair" at the National Design Centre, Singapore

Directed "PEEL HERE" Exhibition at the Lim Hak Tai Gallery, NAFA, Singapore

Exhibited "Put On / Take Off", Singapore Art Week

Alvin Ho and Clara Koh are designers and artists, but also researchers who study the increasing disengagement between people, objects, and space in Atelier HOKO. The duo – who are both business and life partners – have worked on projects all around the world. From having their wearable “INDEX RING” enter the permanent collection of Stedelijk Museum’s Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, to exhibiting “Café CUP”, a drinking laboratory which serves cups rather than drinks at Singapore:InsideOut Bank Gallery in Tokyo, to having their ongoing research publication “Science of the Secondary” join the DESIGN LAB collection at the MAK Museum, Vienna, their projects seek to defamiliarise common phenomena, helping people view them in a new and more curious light. Apart from engaging in projects, Alvin and Clara are also active part-time teachers, giving back to society by developing workshops and curriculum for Singaporean design and art schools like LASALLE, NAFA, and Nanyang Polytechnic. We dive deeper into the motivations behind Atelier HOKO’s unique projects, and also get to know their founders a little better.

Readjusting the Human Being

Founder Birth Year

Senior Arch. Associate, MKPL Architects, 2008-2013

Previous Job

Period of Occupancy

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Number of Staff

Graduated with M. Arch at National University of Spore

Started professional practice at MKPL  Architects in Dec 2008 

Left MKPL Architects in Dec after 5 years of practice and completion of 14 units of strata bungalow project in Crescent Road

Joined uncle's company to work on a feasibility project in Malaysia, resulting in the design of "A Series of Barns"

1st house project "The Living Grid House" in Singapore is an A&A to an existing Bungalow at Ocean Drive Sentosa, L Architects was formally incepted to accept the project

Started on "House of Trees", L Architects' 1st opportunity to do a new erection project

1st commercial commission to design a multi-label kitchen appliances shop 

Completion of "House of Trees" and "A Brick & Motor Shop"

"A Brick & Mortar Shop" was conferred the highest accolade "Design of the Year" and "House of Trees" won a Merit Award at at the SIA Architectural Design Awards 2022 

In 2021, a relatively unknown Chinese Indie filmmaker, Chloe Zhao, beat a stable of more established directors and films with mega budgets at the Oscars to win Best Director and Best Picture with the unassuming film “Nomadland” done on a modest budget. In 2022 Singapore, a relatively unknown young architect Lim Shing Hui of L Architects beat a shortlist of established architects and bigger projects to win one of the two “Design of the Year” awards at the Singapore Institute of Architects Architectural Design Awards 2022 with her modest entry of a kitchen appliance showroom. The world always root for the underdog and it is even more cause for celebration when women make it in the male dominated industries. And as Chloe went on to make the blockbuster “Eternals” after her epic win, we are delighted to know that Shing Hui’s phone has indeed been ringing quite a bit after her win as well. So as we are rooting for Shing Hui to create her masterpiece, Kelley Cheng manages to catch the newly crowned winner for a heart-to-heart talk about her journey, her thoughts, her inspirations, her work and her favourite pair of shoes. 


The Brick & Mortar Whisperer

Company Founded in 

Name of Founders

Founder Birth Year (Yah-Leng)

Founder Birth Year (Arthur)

Education (Yah-Leng)

Education (Arthur)

Previous Job 

Officially operating in an office space at Kallang Pudding

First hospitality branding project. The Waterhouse at South Bund, launched in Shanghai

Move to Yong Sia Street, Tiong Bahru office

Launch of The Swap Show – an exchange exhibition between studios of two cities

Launch of landmark project Gallery&Co – biggest, most comprehensive and complex project

Launch of The Working Capitol – first large scale wayfinding project

Launch of Brand Guide: Singapore Edition – a book documenting the most progressive and beautifully-executed brands in Singapore

Yah-Leng inducted as member of the prestigious AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale)

Launch of Design Diplomacy during the pandemic as a platform to unite designers with online dialogs and live talks

Yah-Leng named Asia's Most Influential by Tatler

Launch of official Foreign Policy Summer School with 2 parts: Internship program and Bootcamp

Since Yah-Leng Yu and Arthur Chin founded Foreign Policy in 2007, the globally-acclaimed design and branding agency has been behind some of the most recognisable projects around town in partnership with clients such as Figment and Singapore International Photography Festival. Narrative-making and storytelling defines their work, while a principled local sensitivity provides foundations for their community-minded initiatives such as Design Diplomacy and Brand Guide: Singapore Edition. Good design is intrinsic to good business in their work, creating projects that are not just form, but substance. We trace their local and international roots with the pair, who are partners not only in their creative practice, but in life as well.

 Looking Inwards and Out

Founder Birth Year (Jamie)

Founder Birth Year (Gideon)

B. Arts, Industrial Design, National University of Singapore, 2014

Education (Jamie)

M.Arts in Research, Nanyang Technological University, 2021

Education (Gideon)

Designer, Singapore Polytechnic (2014-2017)

Previous Job (Jamie)

Starting out from a partitioned space with a modest area of just 9m2, Gideon Kong and Jamie Yeo adapted constraints into an attitude towards graphic design, and adopted temporary measures as sustainable systems. Since beginning their collective practice as gideon-jamie in 2017, the duo has expanded into the realm of publishing (Temporary Press) and conceptualised their current studio (Temporary Unit) as a versatile space for connecting with communities through events. From their background in product design to their inclination towards economical DIY methods, we learn about what shapes their sensibilities and how they collaborate as partners in work, creative practice and life.