FIND - Design Fair Asia, the leading design fair in Asia, has released details of the first edition of EMERGE @ FIND section, a definitive platform highlighting up to 60 acclaimed and rising Southeast Asian design talents at this year's event. 

The new section, presented by FIND – Design Fair Asia and DesignSingapore Council, will be one of the core components of the event during Singapore Design Week in September 2022.

The event, which will be held from 22 September to 24 September, 2022, will take place at Safdie Architects-designed Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore.

While Handhyanto Hardian from Indonesia, Hans Tan from Singapore and Gabby Lichauco from the Philippines are among the designer line-up for EMERGE @ FIND, emerging designers include Sarutra Kaitparkpoom from Bangkok, Phuong Dao from Vietnam and Lilianna Manahan from the Philippines.

World Architecture Community is media partner for the inaugural edition of FIND - Design Fair Asia and will be bringing you the latest news and highlights from the design fair. 

Indonesian product and interior designer Handhyanto Hardian is one of the designers at the EMERGE @ FIND. Image courtesy of Handhyanto Hardian via FIND – Design Fair Asia

In this showcase of the region’s vibrant design scene, more than 50 names from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam are joining the six designers who were previously announced.

At the event, a select group of these designers will design and present fresh works created specially for and at FIND – Design Fair Asia (Furniture, Interiors and Design), which sees global practitioners in the design industry converging to exchange inspiration and share their work.

Manila-based industrial designer Lilianna Manahan joins emerging designers at the EMERGE @ FIND. Image courtesy of Lilianna Manahan, via FIND – Design Fair Asia

"Southeast Asia has a thriving design scene"

The showcase at the EMERGE @ FIND section is curated by Suzy Annetta, founding editor-in-chief of the acclaimed Design Anthology magazine which documents and celebrates designers from Asia Pacific.

"We are thrilled to be presenting designers from across six countries in Southeast Asia at the first edition of EMERGE @ FIND. We've added to the initial short list to include almost 60 designers in this showcase," said Suzy Annetta. 

"Southeast Asia has a thriving design scene which supports a diverse range of talent." 

"By enabling these designers to showcase their work at EMERGE @ FIND, we hope that fellow members of the design industry and the wider public will be exposed to not only the artistic sense of these designers, but also to Southeast Asia’s rich heritage that is communicated through their work, surrounding the theme of material. We hope that this opportunity will help propel them to achieve further success, through networking and collaborative opportunities," Annetta added.

Singapore-based designer and educator Hans Tan is one of the designers at the EMERGE @ FIND. Image courtesy of Hans Tan, via FIND - Design Fair Asia

"EMERGE @ FIND is a very important show that has finally arrived – a platform that rounds up design in Southeast Asia," said Hans Tan.

"As a region we have formed economic ties and share a blend of distinct and varied cultures; I am super excited to see how our values and perspectives come together in this presentation as a synthesis of ideas in design," Tan added.

Designer Gabby Lichauco at the EMERGE @ FIND. Image courtesy of Gabby Lichauco, via FIND - Design Fair Asia

"It is exciting to be part of EMERGE @ FIND alongside talented designers from across the region. It has been a tough two years for everyone, including the design industry, but the resilience of creativity will manifest itself in our work. The importance of having a platform that represents Southeast Asian talent is immense," said Gabby Lichauco. 

"I am personally looking forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new ones. Spearheading OpenStudio as well as collaborating on Nazareno/Lichauco has driven and inspired me." 

"Along with the selected Philippine designers, we have been prolific during the pandemic and we cannot wait to exhibit the pieces of contemporary craft we have been working on at EMERGE @ FIND," Lichauco added.

The curator Suzy Annetta will be working with the Southeast Asian designers to present novel works for EMERGE @ FIND through the lens of materiality. Their work is categorised under four pillars, based on the type of materials used in their work and its design. 

Vietnamese furniture designer Phuong Dao will present her Ca Rang collection at the EMERGE @ FIND. Image courtesy of Phuong Dao, via FIND - Design Fair Asia

Furniture designer Phuong Dao from Vietnam will present her Ca Rang collection; Indonesia’s lighting designer Budiman Ong has designed a lighting collection named Bunga Kertas Merah while David Lee from Singapore’s collection is named Lighthose. 

Rita Nazareno from the Philippines. Image courtesy of Rita Nazareno via FIND - Design Fair Asia

Finally, Rita Nazareno and Gabby Lichauco from the Philippines will present their Hoch collection. The showcase is categorized under four pillars: Waste, Innovation, Unconventional and Natural/Local respectively.

Designers for EMERGE @ FIND hail from both multi-disciplinary and specialised studios, cutting across a wide variety of design disciplines from industrial to tapestry. 

They bring with them a myriad of design sensibilities, strongly reflecting their distinct creative styles and the timeless culture from their respective countries. 

Some seek to reinvent and reimagine trends through their work, while others hope to preserve local heritage or draw greater attention to underutilised resources.

You can register to visit the design fair on this page. If you will be an exhibitor, you can visit this page.

Read more about the design fair on WAC's previous articles here and here.  

Top poster image (from left to right): Handhyanto Hardian (courtesy of Handhyanto Hardian), Lilianna Manahan (courtesy of Lilianna Manahan),   Gabby Lichauco (courtesy of Gabby Lichauco), Karyn Lim (image © Sayher Heffernan), Hans Tan (courtesy of Hans Tan) and Phuong Dao (courtesy of Phuong Dao). All images via FIND - Design Fair Asia.

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