The winners of the prestigious D’STAR Design Award 2017 were announced on 10 November 2017 at the National Design Centre of Singapore.
Organised by local furniture retailer Star Living, the awards were into its third run this year. The previous two runs in 2013 and 2015 targeted at student designers. This year, it expanded its scope to include designers or enthusiasts with a passion for furniture design. The aim of the awards is to help designers materialise their ideas from mind to the market.
This year’s theme was on “Local Space”. Participants were tasked to design a commercially viable piece of furniture that was influenced by Singapore’s culture and one that was ultimately suited for the local environment.
The awards received 42 entries this year, where six designs were shortlisted and tasked to create prototypes from their design ideas. These were:
1. Breeze Lounge Chair by Anthony Yu Wei Tong
Inspired by old-school chairs in Singapore, Breeze was designed to be breathable in order to counter the humidity and hot weather in Singapore. Visually, it is low opacity to reduce the visual clutter in today’s homes.
2. Canary Side Table by Chiam Yong Sheng Kevin
The Canary celebrates the nostalgic essence of bird singing corners in Singapore with a modern twist. An abstract cage rests on a raised platform to house a modern song bird – a wireless speaker or radio. It also functions as a stylish ornament or a functional tray.
3. GIL Partition by Kim Junwon
The design of the GIL room divider is reminiscent of old-school grilles and partitions. Made from three panels and unified together with hinges.
4. JIA by Chum Jia Xin
This multifunctional furniture evokes the liveliness of our HDB corridors in yesteryear. Put together by a series of different components, it can turn into a plant pedestal, shoe rack or even an umbrella stand.
5. Peranakan Screen by Yong Xin Hui
Sleek and minimalist yet sturdy, this room divider cum changing screen was inspired by the windows of the NUS Baba House. With louvre-like panels that can be opened, it allows its users to decide between privacy and openness.
6. Rak by Chia Yong Qing
Rak pays tribute to the local custom of hanging out clothing to dry. This clothes rack leans against the wall like a shelf furniture and features several customisable shelves hung between poles.
Results were based on the public online votes as well as responses from the four judges, who were represented by the Design Council of Singapore, Singapore Furniture Industries Council, A Balcony LLP and Star Furniture. Judges commented on the strong showing in this year’s entries, and were impressed by the tribute paid to Singapore’s local culture in the finalists’ works.
After a final review of the design prototypes by the judges, Yong Xin Hui’s Peranakan Screen emerged as the Grand Winner. She walked away with $3,000 cash as well as a trip to next year’s Milan Furniture Fair, the Salone del Mobile Milano 2018. Chiam Yong Sheng Kevin’s Canary Side Table and Chum Jia Xin’s JIA took home the first and second runner-up prizes respectively.
Kimming Yap, managing director of Creativeans and also one of the judges, commented on Xin Hui’s win: “The judges were taken by her inspiration to use a window typology and applying that into furniture design. We felt that it was very creative and liked that the screen was also very functional. Her choice of materials and colours for the screen also sealed the deal.”
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