Yulia Saksen

Co-Founder & Director – Creativeans

Session topic: The Realities of Design Entrepreneurship: More Than Passion

Join Yulia Saksen, an experienced international brand consultant and co-founder of Creativeans, as she explores her journey into design entrepreneurship. Through a blend of personal anecdotes and professional insights, Yulia will delve into what it takes to thrive in the design industry beyond mere passion. This 20-minute talk will provide a glimpse into the challenges and rewards of building a thriving design business, offering valuable inspiration and guidance for aspiring designers.  

Andy Fisher

Founder & Managing Director – AFW

Session topic: Sustaining Success Overseas 

COVID enlightened every industry to the fact that it is OK to work remotely, whether from each other or from our project of work. Accelerated advancements in technology provided us with the platforms and tools to make this more efficient but what it truly demonstrated to us (as a business) was that we had already been working remotely for 20 years – since the inception of our company – before digital communication and at a time when our drawing technology was at a much more nascent beginning.  

When I established our business in 2004, my aim was simple – to work on interesting projects, with interesting people in interesting places. Today our work is still, all overseas. It is not that we do not wish to take up commissions on our doorstep, but we seek and follow opportunities that ultimately will fulfil our founding ambitions.  

Today we will explore how we have succeeded in this, how we maintain that success and how we have had to continuously adapt to the markets in which we work. 

Darren Yio

Founder & Director – Archetype Studio

Session topic: Holism in Design . Transcending Disciplines and Space 

Holism in Design “the sum of parts” – wielding a holistic design approach that considers every dimension in all design disciplines, executing scale and space as a complete work of art. 

Sustaining a Design Entrepreneurship with an approach and understanding to a design ecosystem beyond the understanding of an immediate design discipline – it encompasses transcending one’s comfort sphere and drawing in a greater understanding of project nuances, eventuating in the shaping of an environment as a totality of macro and micro scales, elevating awareness and consciousness, giving excitement and anxiety at a hapticity level. In parallel, this translates into a designer’s agility and flexibility to realise design beyond one’s training, evolving into continual sustenance for a Design Business. 

As permanence gives way to flexibility, the definitions of spaces and roles are increasingly challenging traditional design approaches. Designers now face critical questions: How much should they anticipate future needs? How quickly can they deliver solutions? And how can they effectively help clients visualize and understand design concepts in this rapidly changing environment?

Koh Sock Sang

Sustainability/PSRA Manager, Head of R&D Singapore – AkzoNobel Dulux

Session topic: How sustainability could weave into the process of designing home

(Practical Insights for Interior Designers) 

In this session, AkzoNobel Dulux will explore how sustainability can be seamlessly integrated into the process of designing homes, focusing on practical and impactful solutions that resonate with today’s environmentally conscious clients. We will delve into key topics, including the importance of indoor air quality, highlighting how Dulux’s low-emission paints address harmful substances like VOCs and formaldehyde to create healthier living environments. 

Attendees will also learn about Dulux’s sustainable paint solutions, featuring eco-friendly options such as anti-mould, anti-viral, low VOC, and low-odour products that not only improve indoor air quality but also contribute to reducing environmental impact. We will discuss how these products align with the Singapore Green Plan 2030 and the SGBC Green Labels, supporting national sustainability goals and the HDB Green Towns Programme. 

Additionally, the session will emphasize the critical role Interior Designers play in educating homeowners on sustainable choices, providing practical tips on how to communicate the value of eco-friendly design. By integrating these insights, designers can not only meet their clients’ needs but also contribute to a more sustainable future, aligning with the overarching theme of “Design Entrepreneurship: Building and Sustaining a Successful Design Business.”

Ewan Wong

Founder of The Design Abode, & Head of Lifestyle Development of DIDI Group

Session topic: STARTING SMALL DREAMING BIG

With the rise of micro-agencies, the design industry is increasingly competitive. With leaner resources, how can micro design practices navigate through the complexities of the changing economy, culture and trends? The founder of The Design Abode shares about the firm’s honest journey since 2010 and how they’ve been keeping dreams alive.

Ar. Ho Sock Yee

Council Member of Society of Interior Designers Singapore & Course Chair, Interior Architecture & Design Temasek Polytechnic

Moderator