Singapore architect Melvin Keng shares his greatest inspirations

Describe your personal design style.

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I try not to have a fixed position on style because it differs from client to client. However, recently I have been very intrigued by the juxtaposition of banal materials and intricate detailing to form a different take on luxury. This sometimes includes highlighting certain materials which are not usually considered for typical applications.

Describe your fondest memory as a child.

I recall vividly the numerous times when I drew cartoon cityscapes on fire and scenes of fire-fighters putting out these fires. I believed that I dreamt of either being an architect or a fire-fighter. One of those dreams came true.

Name one of your favourite pets (dead or alive) and why you love it.

My family used to keep an Old English Sheepdog. Dogs are simply the most loyal and most loving animals that humans can ever interact with.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?

My mother used to tell me that “if you have nothing good or of value to say, don’t say anything”. A great piece of advice on when to choose your battles in life.  

What is your guilty pleasure?

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Ice-cream.

What inspires you the most?

Architecture masters like Corbusier, Mies Van Der Rohe, Louis Kahn and Richard Meier really inspire me. The energy and conviction of the next generation also inspire me as well.

I was blessed to be a part of the judging panel at this year’s Asia Young Designer Awards (AYDA) competition by Nippon Paint and was thoroughly impressed by the thoughtfulness and innovation presented by the various entries.     

Name one cause you will fight for and why, and which organisations you work with.

Better living environment and welfare for our foreign workers (especially in the construction industry). They are literally the hands that built our nation and urban landscape.

We live comfortably mostly because of their hard work and contribution. During the Circuit Breaker, I was blessed with the opportunity to engage with some NGOs (like the Covid-19 Migrant Support Coalition) as part of a volunteer effort to investigate the design of current workers’ dormitories. 

ALSO READ: Family and travel: What inspires award-winning architect Edmund Ng

What would you like to have as your last meal on earth?

My late grandma’s Perkedel Kentang with Sambal Belachan.

What’s one movie that you have watched more than once, and why?

Inception by Christopher Nolan. The movie had many scenes with beautifully crafted cityscapes, landscapes and architectural paradoxes; an architect’s dream.

What are you currently reading?

Designing Design by Kenya Hara.

This article was first published in Home & Decor.