Sitting pretty

Home-grown designers give the classic kopitiam chair an update to celebrate National Day

The humble kopitiam chair has been given a makeover by five home-grown designers.

The project, Remaking An Icon, is Home & Decor magazine?s way of celebrating National Day. Deputy editor Rebeckka Wong says: ?What better way than to engage a crop of our finest local designers to create something special based on the classic kopitiam chair, a decidedly local icon that is identifiable as part of the Singapore culture and heritage??

The team picked five designers whom it has supported for years: Felix Low, furniture designer and managing director of Foundry; Nathan Yong, furniture designer and founder of Grafunkt Studio; Kelley Cheng, editor-in-chief of Singapore Architect magazine; architect Randy Chan of Zarch Collaboratives; and interior and furniture designer Kelvin Teo.

Ms Wong adds: ?We wanted designers whose work has always made a strong statement as the chairs should also make a statement about our national identity.?

The designers were each given a kopitiam chair and a free hand to do what they wanted with it. They had three weeks to complete the project.

Each chair, which retails for $139, was sponsored by Comfort Design furniture company. The designers took care of the cost of producing their chairs.

The one-of-a-kind seats will be auctioned off to raise money for The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund. Bids start from $350, through www.homeand decor.com.sg. Bidding ends on Sept 23.

REMAKING AN ICON

Where: Creative Design Space, 38 Bencoolen Street, Nafa Campus 2 (ground floor)
When: Till Sept 16, Mondays to Fridays,
9.30am to 5.30pm
Where: Home & Decor Fair, Marina Square Central Atrium
When: Sept 30 to Oct 2, 11am to 9pm daily
Admission: Free
Info: www.homeanddecor.com.sg

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