Design file: Design Systems
Eleanor McCallum
Lam (right) graduated from Polytechnic University in 1993 with a bachelor's degree in interior design and the prize for best interior design graduate. He was initially snapped up by Foster + Partners, but, after six years at the coalface of large-scale commercial projects, he decided to go it alone.
Not really. it is involved in all kinds of interior design, from commercial spaces to residential and even furniture. Although many of the company's designs appear initially to have a signature bold, minimalist style, closer inspection reveals subtle quirks. The cap-sule lamp, for instance, has a shade that features dozens of tiny capsules into which one can place little objects - toys and stationery, perhaps.
"Functional Aesthetic and 780 Tianshan Road, Shanghai [top] are projects that we like very much," says Lam. "The former is the control centre of Hong Kong airport, and has extremely demanding functional and technical requirements. The latter is a renovation project of a five-storey office block with a more than 40-year history. Both projects are good in the way they create value for the clients as well as embodying our design values: details and depth."
? For greater recognition, Lam intends to enter international design competitions. But, he says, while it's important to think globally, it's also essential that his firm doesn't lose its boutique sensibilities. "Our designs should have a strong sense of individuality," he says, "but that shouldn't come at the expense of being enjoyed by the whole community."
