Colin Seah's evolving design philosophy: From bold statements to warm homes
Singapore designer Colin Seah's latest project, Stamford Place, marks a shift from his signature bold, irreverent style to warmer, more subdued interiors. The 54-year-old founder of Ministry of Design explains how maturity and experience have refined his approach, prioritising comfort and narrative
Singapore designer Colin Seah, known for bold, irreverent and wacky projects such as the New Majestic Hotel and The Standard Singapore, has taken a more subdued turn with his latest completed project, the renovated mixed-use Stamford Place at the junction of Stamford Road and Hill Street. The 54-year-old founder of Ministry of Design, which he founded in 2004 and now runs with his wife Joy Chan Seah, said the shift reflects his evolving philosophy: rather than instinctively rebelling, he now questions the relevance of convention.
Formerly known as Stamford Court, the L-shaped building has been a local landmark since 1996, distinguished by its clock tower. For the project, commissioned by Elevate Capital Group founder Ashish Manchharam, Seah's “rebellion” lay in rethinking the conventional serviced apartment concept, branded as APT. The result is 66 units spread across two floors, done in a cream-coloured palette with abundant curves, designed for long-stay comfort rather than short-term excitement.
“Three days in a very vibrant, vivacious hotel environment is fine, but maybe not a week or two,” Seah said. “We are treading that fine line between having a narrative and sense of the guests feeling like themselves.” Other gestures of “revolt” include corridor carpets with a swirling geometric pattern inspired by time and horology, contrasting with neo-noir lifts bathed in a saturated red glow.
While the architecture was left untouched, Seah updated the facade to light grey, common spaces, the new restaurant Stamford Social and co-working space The Great Room by Industrious. The building also houses seven tenanted spaces. Drawing inspiration from neighbouring colonial buildings in the Civic District, Seah incorporated materials such as rattan and terracotta tiles, and gave the windows black frames, which he called “mascara treatment”. The main entrance was repositioned beneath the clock tower.
Seah's recent portfolio also includes The Standard Singapore, where the storytelling centred on merging tropicality with the brand's irreverence. The project's success led to a commission from an Indonesian client to design a hotel in Long Beach, California, with a brief for timeless, elegant design with an Asian touch. In Luoyang, China, Seah has designed The Reserve, part of Hilton's Curio Collection, inspired by the Yellow River. Closer to home, Divine Residences Kuala Lumpur, a 1,000-key hotel in Bukit Bintang, has started construction, with Seah responsible for the design of all areas except the rooms.
Having run Ministry of Design for 22 years, Seah named his team of between 25 and 30 people 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. The firm's work-life balance was evident when the couple took a three-week holiday to Denmark in August, confident that the team could manage in their absence.
