From hotels with psychedelic gardens to serviced apartments designed to feel like home, Colin Seah's varied portfolio reflects a conviction that every space deserves its own identity.
Mention designer Colin Seah and adjectives like “bold”, “irreverent” and “wacky” immediately come to mind to describe his projects.
Who can forget the New Majestic Hotel with its 30 individually designed rooms and funky pop art at every turn? Another is the all-white Canvas House for co-living concept Figment on Blair Road. More recently, The Standard Singapore stands out for its mid-century modern style and biophilic features, such as the terrarium integrated into the reception counter.
Which is why, when I was given a tour of his latest completed project, the renovated mixed-use Stamford Place, expectations were high that it would once again surprise. Instead, it felt like entering a home that was warm and cosy. Formerly known as Stamford Court, the L-shaped building is distinctive for its clock tower, dutifully keeping time at the junction of Stamford Road and Hill Street since 1996.
“I got older,” joked the 54-year-old, when asked what prompted this change.
Over the years, Seah has amassed considerable experience and evolved his approach through Ministry of Design, the firm he founded in 2004 and now runs with his wife, Joy Chan Seah.
“Our ethos has always been to question, disturb and then redefine. Back in the early days, we had an instinctively rebellious streak, finding things in projects which allowed us to fundamentally challenge and revolutionise our designs,” reflected Seah.
Nowadays, he is less inclined to do that. Instead, with maturity, he has become more interested in questioning the relevance of convention. “If there is no need for it, then we evolve or revolt,” he added.
REVITALISING A LOCAL LANDMARK
While there seems nothing quirky about Stamford Place at first glance, he explained that his act of “rebellion” lay in questioning the conventional serviced apartment concept, here branded as APT. For instance, why did it have to be cookie-cutter, like a typical apartment? Where was the line between hospitality and home? Could it be redrawn?
The result is 66 units spread across two floors, done in a cream-coloured palette with an abundance of curves, such as the rounded corners of the built-in sofa and the pelmet below the recessed ceiling. For Seah, the priority was to make the spaces comfortable for long-stay guests.
“Three days in a very vibrant, vivacious hotel environment is fine, but maybe not a week or two. We are treading that fine line between having a narrative and sense of the guests feeling like themselves. They don’t have to adopt another persona to be here.”
Other gestures of “revolt” include APT’s corridor carpets, designed with a swirling geometric pattern inspired by time and horology. The rhythmic movement is slightly hypnotising – a stark contrast to the neo-noir lifts, whose saturated red glow evokes a moody, sultry vibe.
While the architecture was left untouched, Seah had a hand in updating the facade (now light grey), common spaces, new restaurant Stamford Social and co-working space The Great Room by Industrious. The building also houses seven tenanted spaces.
Conceptualising the project involved digesting the brief and coming up with a narrative, which Seah said is how he always starts. Fortunately for him, he had a “design ally” in the client, Ashish Manchharam, founder of Elevate Capital Group and a champion of restoring heritage buildings.
With Stamford Place, the vision was to retain the building’s character while refreshing the facade and clock tower. The interiors had to be laid-back and approachable, creating a hangout in the Civic District that also welcomes students from nearby educational institutions.
In response, Seah drew inspiration from the neighbouring colonial buildings in the Civic District, incorporating materials such as rattan and terracotta tiles. The windows have black frames, which he aptly called “mascara treatment”. Other horological references were incorporated too, such as a feature light on the reception ceiling.
The main entrance was also deliberately repositioned beneath the clock tower. “We wanted the project to be comfortable, inviting, iconic to a point, but not shouty,” he quipped.
NOT JUST HOTELS, BUT ENTIRE WORLDS
Being commissioned to design Stamford Place soon after working on The Standard could give some creatives whiplash, but Seah was completely unfazed. In fact, he was pleased as punch.
“If you look at our recent in-progress and completed portfolio, nothing is alike. I think it is super encouraging, because it means that no one has pigeonholed us yet. We are the guys who can sink our teeth into a brief and give the client something that is comprehensive and holistic.”
At The Standard, the storytelling centred on merging the tropicality of the location with the irreverence of the brand. In response, Seah overlaid a timeless and contemporary feel onto its mid-century modern DNA. For instance, the terrarium-inspired reception counter depicts Singapore as a psychedelic garden. At Kaya restaurant, a botanical-themed wallpaper adds to the atmosphere.
Ascend to the rooms and a sense of quietness pervades, anchored by a timber-ribbed canopy running the width of the bed onto the ceiling. “There are subtle details, custom-designed furniture and an overall tranquillity with the abundance of natural light. The Standard was very good in supporting this balance of calmness as a contrast to the public areas,” said Seah.
A testament to his abilities came after the project was completed, when an Indonesian client who had experienced the property approached him to design a hotel in Long Beach, California. The brief: timeless, elegant, with an Asian touch. “You’d think that's so different from The Standard, but what he was saying is he recognised we can create these immersive worlds,” Seah explained.
He is committed to steering Ministry of Design in this direction, especially since he revels in being involved in every aspect of a project. His enthusiasm was palpable during the interview in APT’s Stamford Suite when he was asked how this approach manifests in his latest projects outside Singapore.
In Luoyang, an ancient imperial capital of China, he has designed The Reserve, part of Hilton’s Curio Collection. The mighty Yellow River inspired the concept, where the core narrative is that of the home of an art collector who has invited guests to stay. “There are moments where the culture is expressed in very vivid ways and other times, it forms a quieter backdrop,” he described.
Closer to home, Seah is keeping tabs on Divine Residences Kuala Lumpur, a 1,000-key hotel in Bukit Bintang that has started construction. Apart from the rooms, he was responsible for the design of all the other areas. These include the tunnel-like driveway, reception, restaurants and open-air rooftop bar on the 80th floor.
“The entrance is like a speakeasy, very moody and mysterious without the use of any clear glass. When you enter, the lighting and art make it feel lounge-like and sexy, like a forbidden space. We were tasked to do something quite differentiated from the surrounding five-star hotels and luxury residential towers.”
BACKED BY A STRONG TEAM
Having run Ministry of Design for 22 years, Seah surprised me when he named his team, rather than a completed work, as the project he is most excited about. “It's the project that’s never quite fully completed, but it's the most important one,” he said.
With a headcount of between 25 and 30, he and his wife have built a team aligned with their vision of designing immersive worlds. Like proud parents, both highlighted how deeply everyone cares about delivering quality work – a reflection of the Seahs’ belief in making the workplace an extension of themselves. “We are invested in treating people as equals, with respect,” he added.
The fruits of their labour were evident when they were able to take a three-week holiday to Denmark in August. With everyone looking out for one another, work-life balance is not just a corporate concept. “We had to work some but we had peace of mind while on the road, because we knew we had a good team manning the fort. That’s a very lovely thing, especially as you get older,” said Seah.