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Parachute - Ligne Roset
1/4
2020
FA.01
Forma Acoustica
Created as an intrinsic connection to the sense of sight, sound and touch. The smooth granular exterior gently renders daylight with its curves, and its supple surface absorbs sound to reshape the acoustic experience
1/10
2019
In the Scheme of Things
DesignSingapore
This retrospective show aims to share the success and creativity of Nathan Yong’s work with the public and the media, students and young designers, in Singapore and farther afield. The ideas and inception of each design can be viewed up-close and intimately in a gallery-like display.
The scenography, also designed by Nathan Yong, evokes an almost futurist, cocoon-like art gallery. The white walls made of Tyvek fabric hint to the story told through the objects; diaphanous yet obvious, light but indestructible, this unusual backdrop highlights the products displayed turning them into lifelike paintings. Immersed in the works, visitors are prompted to read the story, deciphering new meanings, identifying a continuous pattern or a new finding at every turn.
1/4
2018
President's Design Award Tropy
DesignSingapore & URA
President’s Design Award 2018, organised by the DesignSingapore Council and the Urban Redevelopment Authority, unveiled a new trophy for this prestigious award.
1/2
2015
Mexico 66
Onitsuka Tiger
"At first instance, I was thinking shoes, how? And then I thought, why not? It could be fun and I see several of my peers in the design field also game to do this and it turned out to be a really fun project,"
This pair of white Mexico 66 shoes are dipped partially in an oil-based grey paint to seal the seams in preparation for rainy days. "The shoes look like they have been through a grey, wet day, like any shoes would, after a while," The soles were painted a neon pink to act as reflectors.
1/4
2015
Golden Jubilee Trophy
DesignSingapore
Golden Jubilee trophy design for SG50
1/7
2014
Sputnik
DesignerBox
Playful elements and nostalgic elements are added into a pen holder, redefining office supplies in contemporary contexts. Sputnik is a modern take on the pen holder. Iinspired by the spinning top the design is represented through a cylindrical volume of marble with a conic end and four simple indentations.
Due to physical qualities, Sputnik always reclines on a circular circumference when it’s at rest. The use of marble as the main material adds a subtle and texturised pattern, as well as negates the complex process of producing form as a singular object, to brighten up the usually ordinary workspace. While the concept of work-and-play has been made accessible in many creative offices, its scale has always been grand with a dedicated space. Therefore, Sputnik is the response to transforming the mind through smaller matters and staying elegant while doing so.
1/2
2014
Blink Wall Lamp Shade
NYD
Blink Wall Lamp Shade
1/4
2012
Parachute
Ligne Roset
The wire frames that give shape to lampshades are typically not seen, being covered by fabric or other materials such as paper. In Bloom, the lampshade frame undergoes a flowering – a transformation of shape and function that sees it become an adjustable pendant light. Bloom incorporates skeletal wire ‘lampshades’ of three different shapes, which can be hung in various numbers and configurations over (and above) a bare bulb. The user is able to direct the form of the light, and arrange the shapes in ways that call to mind flowers in bloom. The 2mm-diameter steel wire is powder coated in a single colour, establishing a crisp formal outline. Bloom casts fine shadows on nearby surfaces, creating a ‘delicate’ atmospheric effect.
1/10
2012
Vapour
Royal Selangor
Vapour is a range of tea canisters, bowls, and vases that expresses the brand’s characteristic timelessness, but also introduces a more urbane and industrial character to the Royal Selangor catalogue. The featured linear motif of parallel lines was inspired by the effect of water vapour condensing and running down an object. On the Vapour range of pewter ware (particularly the tea canister), this motif also aids with gripping. The engineered flavour of the decorative aesthetic is deceiving. Rather than being milled, these forms were cast in rubber moulds. This production method allowed the achievement of details at a 0.5mm scale. The design was pushed in a direction that would intentionally draw out the potential of pewter to be finely shaped.
1/5
2012
Calicot
Ligne Roset
The quest to make an affordable lampshade led to experimentation with a material that is perhaps unexpected in the context of lighting. Calicot is made with inexpensive moulded polystyrene – the material usually used as a shock absorber in the packaging of goods. While the form-making potential of this material is evident, its potential to generate light effects has been less broadly explored. Shell has a smooth interior surface but a ribbed exterior – a means of increasing the stiffness and strength of the thin shell form. When lit from within, the ribbed structure of the polystyrene lampshade creates a soft coloured glow that emanates through the thinner sections of the shell while the ribs remain more opaque.
1/2
2011
F1 Trophy
Formula One
The trophy is a modern take on the laurel wreath, a symbol of victory used since ancient Greek. Cast in pewter, the ring-shaped trophy exudes fluidity and dynamism, sculpted in relief with a diamond-shaped pattern derived from interweaving olive leaves. The circular form conveys connection, speed as well as unity, reflecting the unifying spirit of different nationalities coming together and driving home SingTel’s theme of ‘F1 for everyone’. The pewter laurel is mounted onto an acrylic base. F1 Grand Prix 2012.
1/2
2010
Creep
NYD
The benefits of modular carpet (such as custom sizing and the ability to replace worn or damaged sections) are often outweighed by the disadvantages – rigidly geometric designs and a harsh, awkward edge line. Creep explores the potential of an organic shape. Developed from sketches of hair, this bold and highly graphic design produces a meandering, creeping floor covering. Designed in four sizes with varied curvature, the modules can be placed side-by-side without emphasis on the join line. An additional function is offered by this intertwining design; Creep can be used as a form of directional signage, encouraging the flow of human traffic from a lobby entrance to an elevator, for example.
1/2
2010
Enlightenment
NYD
Contemplation of the idea of the on-off switch was the starting point for the development of Enlightenment Lamp. This bedside light is turned on when an oak sleeve is slid out from an open Corian box. A hidden switch is activated by the movement of the sleeve, which automatically turns the light on. A traditional filament bulb hangs sparsely and poetically within, beside which a metal plate serves as both a stand and a page marker for one’s bedtime reading material. The book is accommodated in a manner that emphasises display, encouraging a reverential attitude toward one’s chosen piece of literature. The bulb symbolises the wisdom that can be gleaned from casting light on the pages. While it celebrates knowledge, Enlightenment Lamp also encourages the use of intuition. Two grooves are the only indicators of the sliding function when the lamp is closed.
1/2
2009
Paperplane
NYD
Paperplane Lighting
1/2
2008
Papersheet
NYD
Papersheet Lighting
1/2
2006
Coal
NYD
Coal was originally designed as a portable room heater, its shape referencing the living heritage of the material that has for centuries been used as an energy resource. Designed with a cast iron tube and an internal wire filament for heat transmission, this conceptual object could also serve as a clothes heater for drying damp garments during winter. The multi-directional branches were positioned to enhance the radiant heat effect, directing warmth in all directions. A dial at the tip of the lowest branch provided the means of temperature control. The design won a ‘red dot award: design concept’ in 2007. It was later developed for production in a simpler form as a non-heating coat stand. It is produced with welded steel in two colours – black and white. The latter references snow on branches, while the former references coal.
1/3
2006
Dieter
NYD
A love for the work of German industrial designer Dieter Rams prompted the unabashed celebration of his style with the Dieter Table Fan. The goal was to overhaul a product that is rarely tackled by designers, using the impeccable simplicity for which Rams is known. A simple motor and fan blades dominate the internal components. The form of the housing was optimised as a pristine steel box with a geometrically disciplined grille and a simple stainless steel handle. The portable fan was styled for suitability to any environment – from residential to corporate. The design joins a stable of products by other designers that were heavily inspired by the work of the influential German master.
1/2
2006
Biopod
NYD
After disastrous events on the scale of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the need for the efficient burial of a large number of victims invariably highlights the shortcomings of the traditional coffin. Coffin production typically involves the milling and assembly of planks of timber – a laborious and time-consuming process. The shipping of these heavy boxes of air is similarly inefficient. If burials are to be undertaken on a mass scale in a timely and hygienic manner, then a reconsideration of the coffin itself is necessary. Biopod Coffin can be rapidly produced through the stamp moulding of a woodchip and resin mixture. It has been designed in two slide-together halves, which can be nested and stacked for efficient shipping. While the lightweight material makes handling easier, the moulded rib structure strengthens the form to prevent warping. Biopod Coffin won a ‘red dot award: design concept’ in 2006.
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