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SINGAPORE: Four outstanding designers and seven projects have won this year's President's Design Awards.
Singapore's President S R Nathan gave out the annual awards – aimed at encouraging the local design industry to raise the bar in areas such as architecture and product design – at the Istana on Thursday evening.
The four winners of the Designer of the Year award are Koichiro Ikebuchi, director of Atelier Ikebuchi; Chris Lee, founder and creative director of Asylum Creative; Look Boon Gee, managing director of LOOK Architects; and Tham Khai Meng, worldwide creative director of Ogilvy and Mather.
The seven project and product designs, which received the Design of the Year awards for their national significance and creative value are the Genexis Theatre at Fusionopolis by Arup and WOHA; Paper Fold by Exit Design; Republic Polytechnic by DP Architects and Maki & Associates; The Met in Bangkok by WOHA; Urband Origami by Nanyang Optical; the X-halo Breath Thermometer by Philips Design; and the Henderson Waves by RSP Architects Planners & Engineers and IJP Corporation.
The Henderson Waves bridge, which weaves seamlessly in and out of a canopy, brings park users closer to nature. Its eye-catching curves, spanning some 300 metres, connect Mount Faber and Telok Blangah Hill Park.
The design team behind this urban sculpture said it was inspired by a mathematical formula.
Liu Thai-Ker, director of RSP Architects Planners & Engineers, said: "The mathematical formula is something very scientific, very technological. Nature is very organic, very primordial. The happy combination of these two things to this bridge, in my mind, tickles the minds of people.
"In the last decade, you can see the flair of a more varied, diverse environment – day and night, city and countryside – is now starting to emerge, including the creation of this bridge."
Also making waves in the local and international design circles is 39-year-old Chris Lee. The founder of homegrown creative company Asylum has made his mark with novel takes on a myriad of projects, from interior design, branding to managing a music record label.
"The majority of design work is not really exciting. I think it's where we find our niche client that's important. When I first started Asylum, I just thought there would be opportunities out there that do not fit into the typical design mould. So all our projects are very different, but I think it's great that way," said Mr Lee.
The DesignSingapore Council said this year's winners reflect an increased vibrancy in the design sector.
- CNA/so
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