Design Excellence Awards 2020

The 7th annual edition of the prestigious Design Excellence Awards 2020 awards on 2 October 2020 saw 92 awards given out across 32 categories, recognizing interior design excellence, innovation and talent throughout Singapore, Asia Pacific and the World.
Considered an industry seal of excellence, the DEA 2020 received a total of 163 entries in two tracks: The Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) for completed built projects by industry professionals; and the Spatial Design Awards (SPADE) for completed academic projects by design students.
The IDEA section received 77 IDEA entries in 23 categories, while the SPADE section received 86 entries in the 9 student categories. IDCS received entries from China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, USA and Vietnam
IDEA Winners Gallery SPADE Winners Gallery
Quick Links on This Page: Category Winners / Trophy & Certificate Collection / Awards Night / Designers’ Choice / About DEA 2020 / Categories & Prizes / Jury Panel / Entry Fees / Media Coverage / Sponsors & Supporters / Enquiries
Category Winners
The results are in! Heartfelt congratulations to all the winners of IDCS’s Design Excellence Awards 2020. Please read here for instructions on Trophy & Certificate Collection.
An summary video of all the winners. Full-length video is available for purchase
IDEA Winners (ID Professionals)
Best Exhibition Design
Bronze: Indian Museum of Paper Money by Catallo Associates Pte Ltd
Best F&B Design | ≤ 2000 sqf
Gold: A Gastronomic Encounter Blending Raw and Refined by p+a design studio
Silver: Cloudstreet by greymatters
Bronze: The Elephant Room by Provolk Architects
Best F&B Design | 2001 – 5000 sqf
Bronze: Burger & Lobster @ Raffles Hotel, Singapore by Rockett Studio Pte Ltd
Best F&B Design | ≥ 5001 sqf
Gold: IBUKI by Design & Creative Associates
Best Hospitality Design | 51 – 200 rooms
Silver: The Park Lane Hong Kong, a Pullman Hotel by Somethink Limited
Bronze: Lyve Inc Hotel & Residence by Create Architecture Pte Ltd
Best Public Design
Bronze: Falcon Tower Experience Center by Catallo Associates Pte Ltd
Best Residential Design | Apartment ≤ 1000 sqf
Gold: NorthPark Residence by D’Marvel Scale Pte Ltd
Gold: Treasure Crest by Earth Interior Design
Silver: Simple Pleasures by Pins Design Studio Sdn Bhd
Silver: Space Paradox by Arche Interior Pte Ltd
Bronze: HOME by Oliver Design X Revieworks
Bronze: Phrontistery by TA.LE Architects
Best Residential Design | Apartment 1001 – 2000 sqf
Silver: Edgy meets Industrial by Livspace Pte Ltd
Bronze: 361J by Lite Design Collaborative Pte. Ltd.
Bronze: ART and DECO by Oliver Design X Revieworks
Bronze: Mirage Tower by EightyTwo Pte Ltd
Bronze: Eng Hoon Mansion by EightyTwo Pte Ltd
Best Residential Design | Apartment ≥ 2001 sqf
Silver: 8 Gurney Penthouse by Fuka Interior Decoration Sdn Bhd
Best Residential Design | Private Houses
Silver: Perfection in Motion by Pins Design Studio Sdn Bhd
Silver: Transitional Ambience by Pins Design Studio Sdn Bhd
Bronze: Charlton by D’Marvel Scale Pte Ltd
Best Retail Design | ≤ 2000 sqf
Silver: O+ Orchard by Laank Pte Ltd
Bronze: Alexandria Maison Singapore by TA.LE Architects
Bronze: State Property by Laank Pte Ltd
Best Retail Design | 2001 – 5000 sqf
Bronze: UFCO Boutique by Fuka Interior Decoration Sdn Bhd
Best Retail Design | ≥ 5001 sqf
Gold: Ru Garden · Enterprise Mansion of Science and Technology City, Nantong by Shanghai PCD Architecture & Interior Design Co. Ltd
Best Workplace Design | ≤ 2000 sqf
Gold: Dermatology & Co by Laank Pte Ltd
Silver: The Verdant Office by p+a design studio
Bronze: Visa Innovation Studio Beijing by Kong Studio
Best Workplace Design | 2001 – 5000 sqf
Gold: AI Associates Kuala Lumpur by Ai Architectural Interior Associates Sdn Bhd
Bronze: Marsh & McLennan - Jakarta by Aedas Interiors
Bronze: NAB Studio by Design & Creative Associates
Best Workplace Design | ≥ 5001 sqf
Silver: Dyson MDC by Aedas Interiors
Silver: Keurig Singapore Office by Conexus Studio Pte Ltd
Silver: Nordic European Centre by TA.LE Architects
Bronze: BNI Singapore by Onestop Creative Associate Pte Ltd
Bronze: China Telecom Singapore by Onestop Creative Associate Pte Ltd
Bronze: Falcon Tower, Prestige Corporate Headquarters by Catallo Associates Pte Ltd
Bronze: Hilton Office by Space Matrix Design Consultants Pte Ltd
Bronze: Orsted by Ai Architectural Interior Associates Sdn Bhd
Bronze: PwC - Jakarta by Aedas Interiors
Bronze: Robert Bosch (SEA) Office by ELL Associates Pte Ltd
Bronze: Tag Worldwide Singapore by Onestop Creative Associate Pte Ltd
Bronze: TenX Office by Conexus Studio Pte Ltd
Bronze: The Workplace Re-Imagined by JLL
IDEA Colour Award
Silver: A Space Between by Laank Pte Ltd
Bronze: Peach Garden by EightyTwo Pte Ltd
Bronze: Punggol Field by EightyTwo Pte Ltd
Bronze: Robert Bosch (SEA) Office by ELL Associates Pte Ltd
ID Firm of the Year
Winner: Laank Pte Ltd
Interior Designer of the Year – Designers’ Choice
Winner: Bill Bensley
SPADE Winners (Students)
Best Exhibition Design:
Silver: Fabricating The Ineffable by Selwyn Kusuma, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
Bronze: A World Without Animals by Gabriel Sofia Kelsey Eleazar, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
Bronze: Cream-a-Clé by Caliph Yazid, Temasek Polytechnic
Bronze: Radiating Happiness by Aaron Chew, Raffles College of Higher Education, Kuala Lumpur
Bronze: The Peranakan Collective by Jovina Yong, Singapore Polytechnic (School of Architecture & The Built Environment)
Best F&B Design:
Silver: Mama’s Pavilion by Sheryka Umaya, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
Bronze: Green Pot Café by Tushti Goyal, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
Bronze: Harmony @ Hawker by Chang Si En, Nanyang Polytechnic School of Design
Best Hospitality Design:
Gold: Ameliorate by Neo Kai Jin, Nanyang Polytechnic School of Design
Silver: New Life by Huang Piaolei, Raffles Design Institute Singapore
Bronze: Move by Goh Dai Ying, Temasek Polytechnic's School of Design
Best Public Design:
Gold: Genesis by Grace Tan Sharmane, Nanyang Polytechnic School of Design
Gold: Pilgrimage to Wellness by Lim Hui Xuan, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
Silver: Co-existence by Chen Binluan, Nanyang Polytechnic School of Design
Silver: Docile Disengagement by Shaantaa Subramaniam , Nanyang Polytechnic School of Design
Silver: Encounter @ Labrador Park by Natania Priska, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
Silver: Move by Goh Dai Ying, Temasek Polytechnic's School of Design
Silver: Sound of Nature by John David Sta. Maria Poe, Temasek Polytechnic
Silver: The Shard Gleams by Por Pheng Ju, Jensen, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
Bronze: Krasae by Audrey Geraldine Tanara, Jason Sullivan Johan, Zeng Yang, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
Bronze: Loop Looping by Guo Bingling, Raffles Design Institute
Bronze: New Endeavour by Brendan Soh, Nanyang Polytechnic SDN
Bronze: Our Little India by Ahrum Oh, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
Bronze: Spirit of Love by Weng Haoyi, Temasek Polytechnic
Best Residential Design:
Silver: H01. by Tan Kae Ming, Nanyang Polytechnic School of Design
Silver: Sanctuary Pier by Nadiah Shafril, Nanyang Polytechnic School of Design
Bronze: Golden Hour by Cherise Denesha, Raffles Design Institute Singapore
Bronze: The Inherence of Jalan Kukoh by Yaw Jing Kar, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
Bronze: Yong An Park by Lavinia Sima, Raffles Design Institute Singapore
Best Retail Design:
Bronze: Connection by Siow Jia Wen, Nanyang Polytechnic School of Design
Bronze: Exploring the Infinite Imagination by Veronica Willany, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
Bronze: Imperfectio Clay Therapy Centre by Poon Mei Lam, University of the West of England
Bronze: Rough Trade by Natalie Lau, Singapore Polytechnic (School of Architecture & The Built Environment)
Bronze: The CityWay: People Shaping Spaces by Siti Naylisya Binte Mohd Ali, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
Bronze: The Weave by Marie Oei, Singapore Polytechnic (School of Architecture & The Built Environment)
Best Sustainable Design:
Gold: Decompose and Recompose by He Yang, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
Best Workplace Design:
Silver: Supermarket of Ideas by Poon Mei Lam, University of the West of England
Best Student Award:
Co-Winner: Chen Wei-Hsin, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts / University of Central Lancashire
Co-Winner: Goh Dai Ying, Temasek Polytechnic's School of Design
Trophy & Certificate Collection
For local Trophy/ies and Certificates for IDEA Winners and Certificates for SPADE winners together with Media Partner Magazines can be collected from:
Aym Design (27b Teo Hong Rd, Singapore 088334)
9am to 2pm on 5 & 6 October 2020 (Mon & Tues)
IDCS Contact Person: Amy Picanco on mobile 92287538
For overseas IDEA and SPADE winners, please email [email protected], provide your courier account details and we will co-ordinate the courier of your trophy/ies &/or certificates to you internationally.
E-banners for winners will be emailed to all the IDEA and SPADE winners directly on Mon 5 Oct 2020 & Tue 6 Oct 2020 & COB.
Awards Evening Virtual Event Video
The DEA2020 Awards Evening Virtual Event was held on 2 October 2020, 7:30pm. A copy of the DEA2020 Awards Evening Video (Full Length) is available for purchase at SGD 50.
We have a fabulous line up with Guest Judges such as Cameron Woo, Paul Tange, Lea Aziz, Russel Wong, and Tyler Wisler. There are special guest interviews with the ID of the Year 2020 Nominees such as Andre Fu, Bill Bensley, Jean Michel Gathy, Joyce Wang, LTW Designworks and Tony Chi.
To purchase a copy, please make a payment of SGD 50 to IDCS Paypal account, and we will send the download details to the email address registered with Paypal. For enquiries, please contact [email protected]
Terms & Conditions of Purchase:
- The video is the copyright, property and ownership of the Interior Design Confederation Singapore (IDCS).
- Purchase of the video provides the purchaser with the right to share and post the video in the public domain in its full and entire form only.
- Posting or sharing of the Design Excellence Awards 2020 Awards Evening video is permitted by the purchaser provided that the words ‘Copyright of IDCS – [www.idcs.sg] is included in all related communications where the video is publicly released.
- The video cannot be edited or repurposed, without the written permission of IDCS. All requests for any amendment to the video must be sent to dea@idcs,sg before any public release.
- Failure to adhere to the above terms and conditions will be an infringement of the purchase terms and conditions and further action may be taken against parties in breach of this agreement.
Interior Designer of the Year 2020 – Designer’s Choice
IDCS congratulates Mr Bill Bensley on winning the title of Design Excellence Awards 2020, Interior Designer of the Year 2020 - Designers’ Choice as voted by approximately 1,200 interior designers in our industry across the Asia Pacific region.
The 8 nominees have been shortlisted by IDCS Council for their world acclaimed, award winning interior projects both in Asia and abroad.
The 8 nominees are:
- Andre Fu | AFSO (Hong Kong based)
- Anouska Hempel | Anouska Hempel Design (UK based)
- Bill Bensley | Bensley (Bangkok & Bali based)
- Glenn Pushelberg & George Yabu | Yabu Pushelberg (Canada based)
- HL Lim & Su Seam Teo | LTW Designworks (Singapore based)
- Jean Michel Gathy | Denniston (Kuala Lumpur based)
- Joyce Wang | Joyce Wang Studio (Hong Kong based)
- Tony Chi | Tony Chi Studio (US based)
Audio Interview with Tony Chi Audio Interview with Jean Michel Gathy
About DEA 2020
The 7th edition of the Interior Designers Confederation Singapore’s (IDCS) Design Excellence Awards 2020 (DEA) is one of the region’s most anticipated interior design competitions.
The DEA sets to recognise the best of commercial, residential, hospitality and public design in Singapore and Asia Pacific, endorsing, celebrating and recognising the achievements of practitioners and students alike. This year we introduce the ‘Designers’ Choice’ category, where the Jury and the Public vote for the Interior Designer of the Year, replacing the Designer of the Year category. There are cash prizes, media promotions, keynote speaking engagements to be won.
This year, for the Design Excellence Awards, IDCS President Mr Cameron Woo would like to encourage practitioners and students to submit interior design projects that reflect ‘Conscious Connections to our Community’ that give us a moments pause and provide visual delight in our hectic, busy lives.
Important Dates:
Early Bird Submissions pricing: 10 Jan – 10 Mar 2020
Submissions closing: 31 Jul 2020
Judging: 5 – 21 Aug 2020
Designers’ Choice Voting closes: 21 Aug 2020
Shortlisted winners notified: 31 Aug – 4 Sep 2020 (All finalists to provide a short 20sec video about their short-listed project and themselves/their firm.)
Awards Night Virtual Event: 2 Oct 2020 7:30pm – 9:00pm (SGT)
Update 14 July 2020: Due to the COVID-19 Singapore Government Measures and with Phase 3 yet to be announced, IDCS has to revise our planning for the upcoming Awards Gala Dinner scheduled on 2 Oct 2020 to become a virtual online event.
Update 27 March 2020: Due to COVID-19 and the recent government containment measures that no large events are to be held till 30 June 2020, we are rescheduling our Awards Gala Dinner to Fri 2 October 2020. As a result, we are extending the Award submission date from 15 May 2020 to 31 July 2020. For the many whom have submitted their early bird entries we will providing complimentary PR for your submitted entries on IDCS’ social media handles to thank you for your trust and support. We will be contacting you individually to co-ordinate this.
Categories & Prizes
IDCS launches DEA 2020 with 23 Award categories and the NEW Designers’ Choice category. IDCS Council has nominated a shortlist of eight leading Interior Designers practitioners/firms that have a body of acclaimed interior design projects in Asia Pacific that meet the hallmarks of international design excellence recognised by their industry peers in the region. This shortlist nomination will be open to public voting by interior design professionals whom will select the “INTERIOR DESIGNER OF THE YEAR 2020”, one of the highest accolades to be bestowed in the interior design industry.
These Awards are considered a seal of excellence and proof of outstanding achievements in the design field, acknowledged by a professional jury panel. Benefits for the DEA 2020 participants include:
- regional media publicity
- all shortlisted winners will receive a ticket to the prestigious DEA Gala Dinner.
- $2,500 cash prize for the winner of the Project of the Year category
- Winners of the Designers’ Choice and Project of the Year category will be given a Speaking Opportunity at IDCS’ Professional Development Program (PDP) Seminar to present their winning projects and be promoted on IDCS’ Social Media platforms.
Past winners of the following categories have received significant coverage and support from local and regional Design media and in 2020 greater media coverage and support will be given in recognition of the winners of the following notable IDEA categories: Project of the Year, Emerging ID Firm of the Year and Top 3 ID Firms of the Year.

Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA)
PRACTITIONERS
- Open to design firms and/or designers practicing spatial design-related discipline globally.
- Submission entry must be a completed built project between 1st January 2018 – 31st December 2019.
IDEA CATEGORIES
Total of 23 main categories including sub-categories:
- Retail Design*
- Hospitality Design*
- F&B Design*
- Workplace Design*
- Residential Design*
- Public Design
- Exhibition Design
- IDEA Colour Award
- IDEA Project of the Year
- Emerging ID Firm of the Year
- Top 3 ID Firm of the Year
- Designer’s Choice Award
*With sub categories defined by size or type of project.
Shortlisted Winners will receive:
- One entry ticket to Award Gala Dinner (valued at $180) Annual IDCS Professional Membership (value $120)
- New: 3-month Marketplace posting on IDCS Website (value $600)
- One Award Certificate
- One Award Trophy
- Winners banner for email signature
- Winners mention on IDCS website
- Media Coverage
Home & Décor will feature the winner of the Residential category
Epicure Magazine to feature the winner of the F&B category
JetGala Magazine to feature the winner of the ID of the Year 2020 Designer’s Choice Public Vote. - $2,500 cash prize for 'Project of the Year' category winner only.

Spatial Design Awards (SPADE)
STUDENTS
- Open to students currently enrolled in a Design Institution pursuing spatial design-related disciplines globally.
- Submission entry must be a completed institutional project between 1st January 2018 – 31st December 2019.
SPADE CATEGORIES
Total of 9 categories:
- Retail Design
- Hospitality Design
- F&B Design
- Workplace Design
- Residential Design
- Public Design
- Exhibition Design
- Sustainable Design
- Best Student Award
Shortlisted Winners will receive:
- One entry ticket to Award Gala Dinner (valued at $180) Annual IDCS Student Membership (value $10)
- New: 1-month Marketplace posting on IDCS Website (value $200)
- One Award Certificate
- Winners banner for email signature
- Winners mention on IDCS website

Mr Cameron Woo
Current President of IDCS and Principal of Cameron Woo Design
Cameron Woo, President of IDCS and Principal of Cameron Woo Design (CWD) was featured in Dec 2019 by Coveted Magazine, London as one of the Top 100 Interior Designers in the World. He has also been chosen by Andrew Martin Interior Design Review, the Oscars of the interior design world as one of the world’s best interior designers.
His firm CWD has won multiple awards from the International Property Awards, London for World’s Best Interior Design, Asia Pacific’s Best Interior Design and for Singapore.
Cameron has been invited to speak at international interior design conferences such as 100% Design, China International Interior Design Cultural Festival, One to One with World Class Designers and the Housing Industry Association.
CWD has collaborated with brands such as Dulux, Louis Vuitton and Philips Lighting. Cameron is a panellist on Akzonobel’s Colour Futures and has regularly appeared as a guest judge and mentor on the hit international interior design reality television show The Apartment TV.

Mr Paul Tange
Senior Principal Architect / Chairman of Tange Associates
Paul Noritaka Tange attended Le Rosey, in Rolle, Switzerland and received both his AB (1981) and Master of Architecture (1985) from Harvard University. Immediately after graduation, he began his architectural career with Kenzo Tange Associates, the architectural firm headed by his father, well- known international architect, Kenzo Tange.
Paul became President of Kenzo Tange Associates in 1997 and founded Tange Associates in 2002. In 2008, he founded Tange Associates Asia Pte. Ltd. in Singapore, heading the firm as Chief Executive Officer and becoming Chairman of Tange Associates in Japan in 2016. Paul is a registered architect of both Japan and Singapore.

Mr Russel Wong
Celebrity Photographer
Russel Wong is one of the most profiled photographers in Singapore and Asia. Described as a ‘celebrity photographer who also photographs celebrities’, Wong enjoys the acclaim of being the first Singaporean to break into the notoriously difficult Hollywood movie industry.
He is also one of an elite group of photographers assigned to photograph covers for Time magazine, 17 to date. He has also worked with Oscar winning directors like Ang Lee, and Zhang Yimou and have created images for their posters and publicity on movies like the Oscar winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero and House Of Flying Daggers and Golden Lion winner in Venice Lust Caution.
Popularly noted for his photographs of celebrities like Richard Gere, Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, Isabella Rossellini and even President Obama. His limited edition prints have also been sold at the prestigious Christie’s auction house. Russel also had a cameo in the box office hit Crazy Rich Asians and played himself!

Ms Lea Aziz
President of Asia-Pacific Space Designers Association (APSDA),
Founder, Principal & Director of Elenbee Design
Lea Aziz is a well-known and influential interior designer in Indonesia whose works include commercial airports, hospitality and public projects.
Lea has designed over five International airports in Indonesia and MRT stations including the executive port merak - bakauheni. Her experiences in public space design with a unique focus on transportation design has led her to be selected as one of nine best designers in Indonesia, as reported in CASA Magazine 2017.
Lea is frequently invited to be a guest speaker at design conferences, seminars, academic and Government events. She graduated at Academy of Art University, San Francisco in 1985. Upon graduation Lea joined PT Tetra Hedra and in 1989 she established her company Elenbee Design.

Mr Tyler Wisler
Celebrity Designer
Tyler Wisler is an international, influential and sought after designer. His spaces are fashionably aspirational with hints of the unexpected.
He’s been featured on hit shows including HGTV’s Design Star, ABC’s Good Morning America, NBC’s George To The Rescue, and Lifetime’s The Way Home.
He currently stars as a judge and mentor on Asia’s biggest design competition show, Sony Channel Asia’s The Apartment where he is known for tough love and sound, practical advice.
His work has been seen in Architectural Digest, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Elle Décor and Better Homes and Gardens. Companies like Kohler, 3M, TIKI Brand, BRIZO, Cosentino, AGA/Marvel, Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore have all collaborated for his edgy aesthetic and authentic narrative.
Sponsors & Supporters
Enquiries
For submission enquiries, please visit contact [email protected]
For media related enquiries, please contact [email protected]