Ministering Design

Mr Colin Seah of the Ministry of Design has won numerous awards, including the recent President’s Design Award in Singapore. As full-time practitioner and an active partaker in architectural pedagogy; he brings with him a significant whiff of fresh air to the academic studio. As another academic year begins at the National University of Singapore, where Colin teaches, we manage to pull him aside to share his thoughts on architectural education in the country, and the relationships between academia and professional practice.

FFW: MOD’s projects seek to disturb, question and redefine the fundamental elements of Space, Ritual and Perception. How is this relevant to Asian cities today?

CS: Extremely relevant because Asian cities are booming so rapidly. Bowing to these sometimes unrealistic time pressures, the designer’s tendency is to either inherit local cues myopically or to import foreign perspectives uncritically. However, in order to discover something relevant, we must be prepared to question, disturb and redefine.

Images above & below: Sho-U by the Ministry of Design

FFW: In an interview about the Majestic Hotel, you said that you “… wanted it to be a reflection of our times - at least from a particular point of view, that of the contemporary global nomad.” Is this how you see yourself? How does this affect your view of the world and the way you design?

CS: Yes, in a sense, I do feel the liberty to roam globally. Having worked, studied and lived on several continents, there is an inherent partiallity to being nomadic. However, at the same time, the tendency to roam is balanced by a sense of anchoredness here in Singapore. Having a distinct sense of place, whether in a temporary or permanent sense is very important in my life and in subsequently, in my work.

Above & following two images: M.O.D.’s design for the BBH Office.

FFW: You are involved in some teaching yourself. How do you bring the realities of professional practice to the academic studio?
CS: Its not overtly conscious or intentional – nothing overly technical for sure, I just don’t think that way. The distinction between practice and school is increasinlgy blurred for me. Sure there are differences between them, but I feel the differences aren’t overly fundamental. Not at least from a design point of view. The aspirations, objectives, opportunities are similar. In fact, its more interesting how I feel I bring the studio at school into the work studio!

FFW: How important is it that architecture students experience the rigors of professional practice?
CS: Terribly critical, especially if it happens in a highly design conscious and professionally run outfit. But whether it happens at a point during the school experience or only after, I’m not that concerned over. There are so many kinds of students and aveneues to learn the same thing. Timing is key. I think each student should make that choice himself.

FFW: You used to work at the Office for Metropolitan Architecture in Rotterdam as well as Daniel Libeskind’s office. What benefited you as a student most, being part of such internationally renowned practices?

CS: From these experiences, I took away the sobering realisation that from that point on, I had to benchmark myself, my work, my perspectives and my standards against the highest international levels; never just the local ones. That’s what I do now with MOD, that’s why we pit ourselves at the international award level. Its not just for the recognition alone, it forces us to stretch ourselves, it initiates growth.

Questioning and Redefining Living: A design for a House in Singapore.

FFW: Being the only architecture school is tough. Within a short span of 5 years, it must produce competent architects ready for the industry upon graduation; while at the same time using the pseudo-real environment of the academic studio to push design thinking. What is your opinion of the state of architectural education in Singapore?

CS: The NUS program faces heavy practical demands placed on it by the industry and it needs to be responsive to them. Beyond these however, it must also continue to acknowledge the critical role it can play regionally and internationally. The role it plays shaping the perspectives of the increasing number of foreign students studying here, most of whom are from the Asian region. Also, the constant questioning and redefining it needs to engender in order to establish itself as a regional and international design hub. Neglecting any of these roles may be a missed opportunity as it aims towards creating a stellar design school.

[ Images from MOD’s entry for the *scape Competition organized by the Singapore Youth Council ]

FFW: How important is the culture of discourse and agitation within the local design and architectural fraternity in the development of Singapore’s architecture?
CS: Discourse and agitation, I like the sounds of that. Its important, not just within the local community, but also the regional and international one. Its also challenging for a bunch of reasons - to maintain healthy discourse, there must first be a healthy intellectual context or environment. Then, there must be the delicate balance of openess with resolve, as opposed to unwavering insistence. I’m sure that there can be more formal platforms for this to occur, but in my opinion, perhaps the best place to start is within one’s own practice or firm.

FFW: If you could give one piece of advice to the Freshmen enrolling this semester, what would that be?
CS: hmmm, to question, disturb and redefine… but with humility and openess.

FFW: If I were a piece of Architecture, I would be…
CS: … a concrete silo sitting in vast open country…at dawn.

Above, Villa by the Sea.

[ All Images Courtesy of Ministry of Design Pte Ltd]

JJ is the co-founder of 5ft Creatives and he is now a legal alien in the USA