Alistair Norris, Clarissa Edeline Yu, Wong Eng Geng
Brief
Conduct an in-depth pre-architecture & interior design user research phase, to address long-standing spatial inefficiencies while designing for future organisational growth, collaboration, and aspirations. These insights should form the foundation for the architects and design-build team to develop a workplace that is not only functional, but tailored to Dsg's culture & values.
Project Description
Through bespoke design research methods—including in-depth interviews and focus group sessions—the team crafted a set of design principles and guidelines to inform the future of the Dsg office.
These guidelines captured spatial needs and design directions that reflect both Dsg’s vibrant internal culture and its creative, forward-thinking identity as Singapore’s national design council. The recommendations addressed everyday team collaboration, as well as the organisation’s needs for hosting, public engagement, and guest-facing interactions.
An opportunity for DesignSingapore Council to redesign & renovate their existing office.
With the recent shift in master tenancy for the National Design Centre (NDC), DesignSingapore Council (Dsg) took this as an opportunity to redesign & renovate their existing office on Level 4. What was once a building-wide space for showcasing Singapore’s design efforts now had to be consolidated into a single floor.
The existing office floor did not reflect Dsg’s identity as the nation’s design council. The office had spatial inefficiencies, lacked vibrancy, and wasn’t well-suited for hosting guests, whether they were fellow designers, international partners, or potential collaborators.
To ensure the new space truly supported the way Dsg works and aspires to grow, we conducted a pre-architecture research phase focused on understanding staff needs, values, and day-to-day challenges.
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An office that embodies the vibrancy and creativity Dsg advocates for in the national design scene, and serves as daily touchpoints for staffs.
In envisioning the future office, Dsg needed a space that could balance two distinct yet equally important usage. On one hand, the office must act as a showcase—hosting designers, policymakers, international guests, and industry partners. This meant creating moments that reflect the Council’s design leadership, such as curated areas to display the outcomes of Good Design Research projects, organically accumulated Dsg-related artefacts, and the integration of locally designed products that express the richness of Singapore's design ecosystem.
On the other hand, the space needed to support Dsg's day-to-day operations. Staff required a variety of dedicated zones ranging from townhall-friendly areas and informal one-on-one corners, to quiet focus zones for deep work. Practical needs like clearly defined storage, meaningful wellness spaces, a welcoming foyer and a well-considered pantry were just as important to ensure the office could support both productivity and wellbeing.
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Developing a set of workplace insights and spatial design recommendations tailored to Dsg’s unique needs.
The final outcome of our research phase was a comprehensive set of workplace insights and design recommendations tailored to Dsg’s unique needs. These findings were handed over to the appointed architects to guide the redesign process, ensuring that the future office reflects not just functional improvements, but also Dsg’s identity and aspirations as Singapore’s national design council.
Whether it’s creating room for both internal & external collaboration, carving out spaces for quiet focus, or showcasing design stories that accumulate over time, the new office will be shaped by the people who use it daily, and by the values that Dsg stands for.
