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More Than 300 Entries Received For The Inaugural Singapore Interior Design Awards (SIDA)

Furniture World News Desk on 2/20/2017




SIDA Awards Judging Panel: Keat Ong, SIDS President (back row, second from left) with SIDA local judges (front row, from left) Lim Hong Lian, (Founder / Principal Partner, LTW Designworks Pte Ltd, President, Asia Pacific Hotel Design Association), Peter Tay (Founder / Design Director, Studio Peter Tay), Nathan Yong (Founder, Nathan Yong Design Pte Ltd), Constance Ann (Principal Designer / Director, Constann Design Pte Ltd, Asia Regional Advisor, International Federation of Interior architects/ designers), Tai Lee Siang (Chair, World Green Building Council, President, Design Business Chamber, Singapore), Khoo Peng Beng (Director, Arc Studio Architecture + Urbanism Pte Ltd) and SIDA team (back row, from right) Rajesh Shah (Honorary Advisor, SIDS), Terrence (Administrative Support, SIDS), Ian Lim (PR Associate, Stratagem Consultants), Candy Tan (Senior Manager, SIDS), Lau Chun Hoong (Council Member, SIDS), Jimmy Tong (President, Luxx Newhouse), Hendra Sutedjo (Council Member, SIDS), and Astley Ng, Council Member, SIDS, (back row, far left) at the National Design Centre for the local judging of the inaugural Singapore Interior Design Awards (SIDA). PHOTO CREDIT: Society of Interior Designers Singapore (SIDS)


The Society of Interior Designers Singapore (SIDS) recently announced that it has received over 300 entries for its inaugural Singapore Interior Design Awards (SIDA) which is also the first such competition here that is open to global entrants.

Launched less than 3 months ago, more than 50 percent of the entries are from foreign participants – a testament to the outstanding reputation of SIDS and the attraction of the Republic as a springboard to markets in the region for interior designers looking to spread their footprints beyond their own limited borders.

The overseas entries for the award – which is only open to practicing interior designers and architects – have come from China, Japan, India, Taiwan, Southeast Asia and even as far afield as Europe.

Submissions closed on January 30, 2017 with judging by a panel of both local and foreign judges taking place over February 3-17. The announcement of the winners will be made on March 8, 2017.

The aim of SIDA is to reach out to the international interior design communities and create a platform to highlight their design abilities. It is divided into two main sectors: Completed Works and Proposed Works.

Each sector has 12 categories which include landed, non-landed and show flats for residential developments; rest and relax, public institutions & transport, retail, hospitality, exhibition, food & beverages, and installation.

The awards will be presented to the winners at the SIDA Awards Gala Dinner on March 8, 2017. At the same time, a Global Design Forum will be held here in conjunction with the Awards presentation. Key iconic speakers such as SIDS’ President Mr Keat Ong and Mr Steve Leung, President-elect of International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI) will be sharing their insights with local designers in Singapore. There will also be tremendous networking opportunities at the Forum for designers and business leaders to gain knowledge and collaborate on projects of mutual interest.

“With Singapore attaining the status as a UNESCO Creative City of Design last year, it makes sense to create an international interior design award that caters to the world. The strong response to our very first award – especially from overseas – is heartening for us and underscores the stature of this award on the global scale. It not only affirms Singapore’s leading position as the Creative City of Design, but also highlights the strong reputation of our interior design industry. Our interior design capabilities are well- respected worldwide. And SIDS, an organisation led by interior designers for interior designers, by initiating this award, will further boost Singapore’s design credentials, and bring new opportunities for our interior design professionals globally,” notes Mr Keat Ong, the President of the Society of Interior Designers, Singapore (SIDS) and Chair of the Singapore Interior Design Awards (SIDA).

“The SIDS holds a very firm belief that good design knows no boundaries. The awards with the presence of international participants can only help to lift the standards of the entire local interior design, architectural and construction ecosystem. SIDA can be a showcase for a global cross-pollination of design ideas from interior designers, space designers and architects alike from different countries who are confident that they can create a better space for mankind through sensible, responsible and innovative design solutions,” he added.

The SIDA judging panel comprises some of the world’s top design icons and include:


  • Lim Hong Lian, Founder / Principal Partner, LTW Designworks Pte Ltd, President, Asia

  • Pacific Hotel Design Association (APHDA)

  • Constance Ann, Principal Designer / Director, Constann Design Pte Ltd, Asia Regional Advisor, International Federation of Interior architects/ designers (IFI)

  • Tai Lee Siang, Chair, World Green Building Council, President, Design Business Chamber, Singapore (DBCS)

  • Peter Tay, Founder / Design Director, Studio Peter Tay

  • Khoo Peng Beng, Director, Arc Studio Architecture + Urbanism Pte Ltd

  • Isabelle Miaja, Managing Director, Miaja Design Pte Ltd

  • Colin Seah, Founder / Director, Ministry of Design Pte Ltd

  • Nathan Yong, Founder, Nathan Yong Design Pte Ltd.

  • Steve Leung, Founder / Chairman, Steve Leung Designers Ltd, Presidentelect, International Federation of Interior Architects/ Designers (IFI)

  • Lyndon Neri, Founding Partner, Neri & Hu Design and Research Office

  • Sherman Lin, Creative Director, Newsdays Design Organization, Vice President, China Institute of Interior Design (CIID)

  • Dalia Gallico, President, Design Faculty, University San Raffaele Roma, Italy, Director, Artlab, Strategic Laboratory for Exhibitions at Royal Palace (Milan), President, Signumlab Design Association

  • Carlos Alberto dos Santos Marreiros, Professional architect, Partner and Director of MARREIROS, Architects, Engineers & Town planners Ltd. and East & West Projects & Design, Ltd.

  • Jooyun Kim, Dean, Graduate School of Design, Hongik University, Korea, President, Korean Institute of Spatial Design

  • Shu-Chang Kung, Associate Professor / Director, Graduate Institute of Architecture, NCTU, Taiwan, Chairman, CSID

  • Haim Dotan, Founder / CEO, Haim Dotan Ltd. Architects & Urban Designers, Director, Advanced Ecological Architecture Design BA, SIVA/ Fudan University, China.
In addition to the Awards and Global Design Forum, SIDS has an active calendar of events for its members and the industry. These include: No Free Design Forum on 20 Feb, and a World Interiors Day Celebration on 27 May 2017

More about SIDS: SIDS began as a professional body for Singaporean and Singapore-based Interior Designers in 1994. As a non-profit organization governed by law, SIDS protects the standards of professionalism for Interior Designers and resolves industry issues. It also promotes the creativity and professionalism of the Singapore Interior Design Industry to the world.

More about SIDA Award: SIDA is SIDS’ inaugural interior design award to recognise and honour design excellence in the global interior design industry. Organised by SIDS, SIDA is open to all local and overseas interior designers, space designers and architects who believe in creating better spaces for mankind through sensible, responsible, and innovative design solutions.