SG Mark 2022 Winner’s Spotlight

1. How has the SG Mark benefited you?

Our head office in Tokyo has recognised the Clan Hotel as the best Hotel Design of The Year 2022. This indicates that our hard work for The Clan Hotel has been recognised externally and internally among all projects completed by KKS GROUP.

2. How do you think your design has impacted users?

Some guests are more curious to visit or stay in this hotel when they know that the hotel has been awarded this year’s SG Mark winner. Particularly those involved in the Hospitality field are curious just as how we would be to other projects.

3. What was the most challenging moment when developing your idea?

The difficult moment is always how to transform or translate the ideas into design to fit into space and in what manner. In this case, how can the design be “sustainable” for a long time than just fashion? We must consider this carefully to ensure the hotel design still looks fresh and reminds guests of the immigrant story even after 10~15 years.

4. What are some new things you learned about yourself and the users as you were designing?

Whenever we design hotels, my vision is to design and implement ideas. However, it is very curious whether the guests have the same concept as mine about looking at products to appreciate or have different points of view.

5. What are your future plans (personal or company/ work)?

KKS International (S) Pte Ltd. will continue work on hospitality design as part of KKS GROUP of the company in Japan to promote our ability in “good design” that influences guests in some way. Our satisfaction will be when the guests check out with good memory of staying in the hotel. However, it will still be “competitive & challenging” to achieve this, but I believe it is only possible if the designer has a passion for creative design.

6. What was the inspiration behind your product/design/idea?

The inspiration was based on the history of the location of the site & surroundings to connect the “Past” & “Future”.

7. Did you experience a designer’s block during your work process?

No, I have not experienced a designer’s block. But it is instead facing difficulties in coming to satisfy the final design.

8. How do you unwind after the grind?

As a designer, there is no break from thinking about design whenever or wherever you are. This is the nature of how the designer will be more creative and imaginative. I do get tired and tense when the design is still unsatisfactory and how to deliver a better design & solution.

1. How do you think your design has impacted users? I believe a good design helps in activating spaces and bringing communities together. It makes spaces lively and more interesting.

2. What was the most difficult moment when developing your idea? To continuously churning our new ideas for different projects especially when projects revolve around the same theme.                                     

3. What are some new things you learned about yourself and the users as you were designing? Users are always looking around for the same theme. Be it forest, ship or sea theme. They revolve around the 3 most popular themes. New things that I have learned is being able to be creative and managing expectations of the users what can be done and what cannot.

4. What are your future plans? Future plans are to design playgrounds that teaches children on sustainability such as playground that harness children’s energy and convert to wind or kinetic energy.

5. What was the inspiration behind your product/design/idea? We are inspired by modern architecture, abstract objects and nature  behind our product / design/idea.

6. Did you experience designer’s block during your work process? No, I leave to my team of designers while I provide them the inspiration.

7. How has the SG Mark benefited you? It has position us an award winning design firm that clients look forward to  working with us.

8. How do you unwind after the grind? By reading novels, watching movies and a glass of wine to end the day.