For architect and interior design wonder Andre Fu, travel isn’t so much a means of inspiration as it is a way to detach from everyday life to approach his work from fresh perspectives.
When you think of luxury hotels or high-end restaurants in the region, there’s a high chance that Hong Kong-based architect and interior designer Andre Fu has had a hand in its design. A visionary and globetrotter, Fu is renowned for his ability to transcend boundaries. The spaces he crafts speak a universal language of beauty, yet whisper tales of far-flung locales.
In Singapore, Fu is best known for his work in the Fullerton Bay Hotel, Andaz Singapore and the refresh of Capella Singapore in 2021, alongside the F&B venues in those properties. On his home turf, it was The Upper House that catapulted him to fame in 2009. He has since lent his signature touch of “relaxed luxury” to Kerry Hotel, K11 Artus and St Regis Hong Kong.
“What has been interesting in my career is that I got to be involved in a lot of hospitality projects,” he shares with Prestige Singapore over a Zoom call. “It’s a way for me to communicate my feelings for a city or destination. Once I’ve created that property, people who are travelling into the city and staying in that particular property are seeing the city through my eyes.”
Fu says that the most rewarding aspect of working on hospitality projects is getting to understand a culture from firsthand experience, and then distilling the essence of that culture into his designs. This he achieves through his interactions with local teams on the ground, such as craftsmen, artisans and graphic designers.
The living room at Capella Singapore. Andre Fu was tapped for the refresh of Capella Singapore in 2021. (Image: Capella Singapore)
The three Singapore properties each express a different aspect of the city – Fullerton Bay represents colonial era charms and “a dialogue between the past and present”; Andaz captures the shophouse culture and the Islamic community’s influence in Kampong Glam and Bugis; and Capella manifests the idea of a modern tropical retreat.
The Cellar at Andaz Singapore. (Image: Andaz Singapore)
For his vacation last year, Fu went on safari for the first time, and describes his journey in Kenya and Tanzania as an “eye-opener”. “Travel in itself is very refreshing,” he explains. “It may not serve as a direct source of inspiration, but it’s a way of disengaging with my daily routine. It allows me to examine my approach to work in a different way, giving a new perspective.”
The Fullerton Bay Hotel’s iconic arrival area. (Image: The Fullerton Bay Hotel)
A Nomadic Existence
Fu taps on his extensive travels when it comes to designing for clients like Louis Vuitton, for whom he created the Ribbon Dance chair for the brand’s Objets Nomades collection of travel-inspired furniture and objects in 2018.
Instead of conceiving the item as an object, he envisioned it as a place. “I was looking at it like a cabin on the plane.”
The chair, designed to encourage conversation between two people, has a sculptural quality, with a curved backrest and armrest that echo the movement of Chinese ribbon dances. Depending on your perspective, the design also recalls a Mobius strip – the symbol of infinity, an 18th century French love seat, a tête-à-tête couch; or the business class seats on some airlines.
“Ribbon Dance is not so much an object by nature. It’s about creating a place for two people to have a very engaging conversation with each other. And when they’re so engaged and involved, it feels as if a ribbon is dancing around them. It’s a cinematic viewpoint of how an object goes beyond being an object to becoming a place.”
The Ribbon Dance chair was created for Louis Vuitton in 2018 by Andre Fu. Its purpose? To facilitate conversation. (Image: Andre Fu)
This year, the chair is back in two new versions, one with a natural wooden arm and cream leather cushions, and the other with a black Vuitton leather-clad arm and turquoise cushions. “What has been interesting with this piece is that with the change of material and change of colour, it gives a very different expression. There’s always an element of surprise,” says Fu.
When Fu was first commissioned by the Objets Nomades team, he was given carte blanche. Relating the design process, Fu shares how he flew to Paris to meet the craftsmen who would realise his vision. “We first made a mock-up using paper, foam and polystyrene. Then, I started using a felt pen to make markings, almost like tailoring.
“That afternoon, they flew in artisans from Italy, who are the makers of the piece. When they walked into the room, the first thing they said was that they couldn’t make it.” But the Objets Nomades team wouldn’t take no for an answer, so the furniture makers took the mock-up, had it scanned in 3D, and engaged engineers to run structural stability tests. The rest is history.
Each new edition of the Ribbon Dance chair opens up new possibilities. That prospect keeps Fu adrenalised. Working with a brand like Vuitton, with its access and resources, is also a major plus. “The interesting part is the possibility of materials. It might not be a material that’s commonly used in furniture or lighting. It could be a material that’s used in the brand’s trunks or the accessories. The beauty of it all is that there’s so much to draw from.”