As evidence of the positive growth in Singapore and amongst the furniture industries in Asia, this year’s International Furniture Fair Singapore 2011/28th ASEAN Furniture Show (IFFS/AFS 2011) went bigger both in size and numbers.

At 70,000 square metres, the fair had an additional 10,000 square metres of exhibition space compared to last year, as well as a 23 percent increase in the number of exhibitors – this included 536 participants from 24 countries, with some of the strongest showing coming from China, Hong Kong and Indonesia.

Importantly, the event saw an expanded Deco Asia and the launch of Hospitality Asia. Over 60 exhibitors participated in the new show against a backdrop of a growing hospitality and contract manufacturing sector in Singapore and the region.

There were also many new faces to watch for this year, with 44 percent of exhibitors being first-timers!

In Part 1 of our report, we pick out some of the familiar names, newcomers and work that caught our attention at D’Space, the show’s umbrella for design-led initiatives.

D’SPACE

Air Division

Air Division from Singapore debuted its 2011/2012 range of solid wood furniture, derived from different themes and ideas that come together to form a cohesive collection. It included this year’s Furniture Design Award (FDA) ’Grand Award Winner’, the Wind Screen/Shelf, designed by Jerry Low.

“I was fascinated by the exterior vertical louvre screen as seen in modern tropical architecture… The shape of the furniture took reference from a local context like the ’70s housing blocks in Tiong Bahru as well as the new Henderson Bridge,” says Jerry.

The Wind Screen/ Shelf

Jarrod Lim

Award-winning Singapore-based designer Jarrod Lim presented several new designs: Idle Chair, a comfortable piece with shapes that provide a sense of tradition mixed with a minimal modernism, and Interlock Coat Stand, which uses a simple system of interlocking three flat pieces to form a stable structure.

Interlock Coat Stand

Idle Chair

Cilicon Faytory

Cilicon Faytory is a Singapore design consultancy founded by industrial designer, Cici Chen and architect, Lui Honfay. The up-and-coming studio presented recent collections that they have done for clients such as Kian from Malaysia, as well as a new label Lost and Found, a fun but functional collection with a focus on material innovation.

Lost and Found collection

Cilicon Faytory worked on designs for Kian. Shown here: Kian’s booth

Foundry

Based in Singapore, Foundry is a new label led by Felix Low of Urban Foundry that works with up-and-coming designers from around the world. It seeks to explore craft and innovation in today’s context: the meld of old and new, and the creation of enduring designs. A small preview of Foundry’s 2011 collection set against the 2010 line was on display, with the complete range to be shown at this year’s Milan fair. 

PLATFORM

Located within D’Space, Platform is where new and emerging designers in Singapore and the region get to launch new prototypes and meet with potential manufacturers.

A Balcony

Jerry Low, recipient of this year’s FDA Grand Award for his Wind Screen/Shelf, has very recently launched a new label called ’a balcony’ – a name that for the designer, recalls his childhood days spent on his balcony. IFFS 2011 is his label’s first showcase!

Jotter Desk takes on the archetype of a workshop working bench; Day 1 Chair pays homage to Robin Day’s polypropylene stacking chair from the 1960s.

Oon

The young Singapore studio was set up in 2009 by 2 architects. Oon’s pieces exhibit an appetite for playfulness, and a child-like delight in shapes and images. It seeks to challenge traditional boundaries of design to include other contemporary issues of today.

Centipede

Kelvin Teo 

Recipient of the 2009 President’s Design Award (Design of the Year) in Singapore, Kelvin Teo covers various fields of design including the interiors of public and private spaces, furniture and product design. Colour was the theme of his IFFS showcase.

No Boundaries

No Boundaries is a new curated show conceived by PC Ee, founder of Singapore firm Exit Studio. It aims to highlight the inter-relationship between visual art and design by bringing together a careful selection of work from a wide variety of fields.

At No Boundaries: Hollow stool by Japanese designer Chicako Ibaraki

At No Boundaries: Drape coffee table and side table by Singapore designer Nathan Yong

Read the second instalment of Janice’s IFFS report here.

IFFS
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