Enquire Now

Nathan Yong: Harmony of the Senses

The veteran designer who created several of GuocoLand’s show flat units shares his personal philosophies that shape his design process.

In Nathan Yong’s biographical publication, ‘Being: The Thoughts and Work of Nathan Yong’, the designer gives us a glimpse into his world: “I don’t look for beauty in a shape or form, I find it in the understanding of how things work.”

For him, this entails always looking at the whole, which includes architecture, the environment, materiality, technology, and the users.

Nathan Yong once expressed that “life is more important than style”, an ethos that also pervades his entire body of work in spatial design, furniture, objects, and art.

Leaning into what he describes as an “intuitive” and “organic” design process, he orchestrates details in a space to allow the design’s impact on our lives to unfold over time, thereby creating homes that are both functional and “empathetic” to living.

We spoke with the designer, specifically about his design process for several of GuocoLand’s residential show flat units in Midtown Modern, Wallich Residence, and Martin Modern. Here are some conversation highlights that reveal the lens through which he imagines the harmony of beauty and function in a home.

Contrast and balance of forms and textures in a living space of a 2BR show flat unit in Midtown Modern, designed by Nathan Yong.

“You may not notice it right away, but you will somehow feel [the harmony] through all your senses, and it is this experience that makes you feel connected to a space.”

The home that understands
“I like having different things in an environment, and I like having things that juxtapose with one another in a space — not just visually, but also for all of the other senses. Every touchpoint in a home is an experience for me. I would describe that as an ‘empathetic’ home because it understands your living situation. I tend to prefer a house that is organic in terms of materiality and textures, and where things are designed to age beautifully to a certain patina.”

Creating a harmonious space
“We align a lot of things in a point-to-point fashion. Every element comes to an end where another is supposed to begin. In Martin Modern, for example, the mirror begins where the ceiling ends, and stops just as you enter the dining area; the dining area is surrounded by wooden walls and ceiling that end when they reach the bedroom door. This visually leads to a more harmonious space, where all of the small elements and details are tied together and do not create visual clutter.”

Creating relationships between the rooms
“The interior of Martin Modern has an almost Noir-film-like quality to it. Even though the space is functional, I tried to imbue it with a sense of romanticism by using furniture and accessories to create relationships between the rooms. A brick-colored vase in the bedroom is echoed on the colours of a painting in the living room, or if I customise a marble dining table, the same marble is reflected on another marble detail in the living room. The elements are all relational in the different spaces. It is very fluid, very harmonious, but also very subtle.”

“I like to balance everything. Within a square, there is a circle, or behind a shiny mirror, there is a rough wall. It teases the senses and makes the space more interesting and engaging to live in.”

Design is both subtraction and addition
“When I look at a space, it is almost as if I have a mental eraser. First, I envision how we can clean up the four walls and ceilings. And then, I consider how we can add veneer or wallpaper here or there [...] Designing is about taking things out as much as it is about putting things in. When good designers are brought in, it is sometimes their job to clean up the space before adding more elements.”

The interior should complement the view
“Because the view is so important, we do not want the interior colours and forms to overpower the oneness of the view outside. They should complement or present the view rather than take attention away from it, and this can be subtly achieved through the right materials [...] You want the people who live in the apartment to feel as if they can sit and enjoy the view while relaxing or dining.”

Using the building and landscape as inspiration
“GuocoLand has a lot of projects that are based on very good floor planning, which really helps with the interior design. The consideration given to the exterior architecture and landscaping is inspiring as well. When there is greenery within a development, it brings into its spaces the freedom, spaciousness, and wellness associated with nature. This helps to create a sense of space that is much larger than the unit itself, therefore expanding the experience beyond the interior.”

A bedroom in a 3BR show flat unit in Midtown Modern, designed by Nathan Yong.

ContinueReading

Five unbuilt architectural proposals that show us new narratives for our world in the future.

The home technology of the future will shape our living spaces quietly behind the scenes.

Flexibility, balance and tactility are the focus of Peter Tay’s design approach for Midtown Bay’s show flat interiors.

Cities are expanding and a new generation of mega mixed-use developments could help shape sustainable growth.

StayConnected

Share your thoughts and inspirations be it Art & Design or Health Hacks on our social media using #GuocoResidential

Register Your Interest