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Colin Seah
Architect and Designer
“Dekton Kraftizen captures the touch of the craftsman’s hand but balances it with materiality inspired by nature.”
Architecturally trained in the US and licensed in Singapore, Colin Seah honed his sensibilities working for the likes of Rem Koolhaas and Daniel Libeskind. He also spent 4 years at the National University of Singapore’s Department of Architecture researching design pedagogy and serving as design critic. As Ministry of Design’s (MOD) Founder and Director of Design, Colin has been named Designer of the Year by International Design Awards USA 2010 and is a two-time recipient of Singapore’s highest design accolade, the President’s Design Award. He is also a three-time Grand Prize Winner of the Gold Key Award, the highest international hospitality accolade, named Hong Kong Perspective’s ’40 under 40 architects’ and Marcus Corporation Foundation Prize 2007 ‘emerging architect with potential for greatness’ and recognized as “Rising Star in Architecture” by Monocle. Colin Seah has been a juror for the Inaugural Dezeen Awards, a Global Advisor for leading surfaces manufacturer Cosentino and invited by the Singapore Tourism Board to redefine Singapore as a destination for 2020 and beyond. Precisely for Cosentino, he has designed the striking “Garden Table”. His latest work is also for Cosentino, two incredible bathrooms for The Bathelier, the laboratory of ideas of C-Bath, the integral proposal for the bathroom of Cosentino.
Our philosophy
We love to question where the inherent potential in contemporary design lies, and then to disturb the ways they are created or perceived, redefining the world around us in relevant and innovative ways, project by project. This, we declare, is real change, not change for the sake of novelty. Fortified with these aspirations, we begin each distinct project anew by seeking to do 2 things: to draw deeply from the context surrounding each project, but also to dream freely so that we might transcend mere reality and convention. Each MOD project endeavours to be delightfully surprising but yet relevant, distinctly local but still globally appealing.
We love Singapore
Our city is a blend of the ultra-contemporary married together with our rich past. You can find this in and around the Boat Quay area! We love the ease by which we traverse both East and West, both intellectually and culturally.
My vision
As an architect and someone who used to do photography, I enjoy crafting scenes and experiences, not just spaces. To craft a holistic experience for each project.
My “Garden Table” recalls the carefree spirit of being outdoors on a summer’s day
Inspired by the gorgeous hand-hewn textures and warm earth tones of Kraftizen’s Umber material, the “Garden Table” provides a conceptual mise-en-scene: a backdrop to enjoy the restorative spirit of the outdoors and nature, whilst being indoors. Primarily conceived to create an environment for work or study, the central detail is the organic shaped cut-outs in the generous 2.4 x 1.2 m Umber tabletop, designed to house a large botanical that would rise from the ground and provide the ``visual center” for the Garden Table. To each his own, the opening allows for a wide array of generously sized botanicals to be placed, reflecting each owner’s unique taste whilst creating a variety of “garden settings``. The tabletop with its chamfered edged, sits atop three Balau Timber table legs, a nod to the region, and are capped with bronze-tinted metal.
I designed something which would evoke the sensation of being in the outdoors
The inspiration for the “Garden Table” was two-fold. The first was the quality and character of the Dekton Kraftizen material itself. The warmth and texture made me think of the outdoors, and being in a breezy, welcoming and green environment. It made me want to design something which would evoke the sensation of being in the outdoors and within nature. The second was a reaction to the global pandemic and how many of us have been feeling constrained, by working from home and not being able to travel or escape the bustle of the urban city. It made me want to design something which would help alleviate this in some way and I decided to design the table as a conceptual garden setting: to evoke the sense of the outdoors whilst still being indoors. Key to achieving this, was the ability to house large botanicals to create a sense of the garden. The organic shaped cut-outs allow for large pots to be placed “within” the table and lend the table a sense of uniqueness. The table has also been designed with 3 legs instead of 4, with the main leg playfully “emerging” through the table top. Although sturdy and well balanced, without the 4th leg, the table acquires a sense of lightness and even playfulness, unlike most tables.
Dekton Kraftizen exudes a sense of warmth and welcome
It captures the touch of the craftsman’s hand but balances it with materiality inspired by nature. As a spatial designer, the materials I choose play a significant role in shaping the experiences I create and the soothing earth tone hues of Umber readily provide a welcome sense of refuge and wellness, which I feel we all need in our current challenging times.
The Bathelier: THE COLLAGE
The Collage strikes a balance between a range of different and even contrasting colours to create a unique moment of holistic harmony. The inherent beauty and challenge of a collage is to achieve an ‘elusive balance’. In life, as in art, we seek balance and harmony when its complexities threaten to pull us in different directions.
My ideal bathroom
The bathroom is seen as more than a functional area, but a place for rejuvenation of both body and mind. I imagine a bathroom with a generous and well equipped shower space that is climatically controlled, preferably with plentiful natural light and even views to greenery. It is ideal if there could be a connection with the bathroom and the landscape beyond. Natural light and views will greatly enhance the bathroom experience. My preference is that the bathroom is not visually connected to the bedroom, but remain out of sight/sound but in close proximity.
My two designs for The Bathelier
Look at the 2 main things, the lifestyle of the user and also the context of the site, both cultural and physical. From these starting points, i try to draw surprising or unexpected design conclusions that redefine the typical bathroom experience.
The Bathelier: THE CAVE
In this design, rituals come to life through the creation of a dramatic bathroom, characterised by sloping walls in deep earth tones, integrated lighting and a huge window at the back. Personal hygiene and bathing habits are undeniably primitive and fundamental to human beings. A bathroom reminiscent of a cave, exploring the connection with a primitive way of relating to space.
My wish for the future
My birthday wish would be for Singaporeans to remember our roots as immigrants, and to accept and embrace the next wave of immigrants.
“We begin each project anew by seeking to draw deeply from the context surrounding it, but also to dream freely so that we might transcend mere reality and convention.”
Colin Seah
Architect and Designer