scents of dao

over the last 5,000 years, the teachings of shen nong, the father of eastern restorative herbal medicine, have been crafted into a precise methodical philosophy centred around the body’s balance and free-flowing energy systems.

adopting these learnings into the modern day, scents of dao was formed.

just as the moon circles the earth and the earth the sun, human bodies are energy systems that abide by the act of diurnal living. scents of dao unites two key elements, the sun and the moon, characterised through the merging of the two chinese symbols to become an anchor for day to night rituals that create natural harmony in our cyclical lives. this is the practice of balance and the discipline of opposing forces which create a harmonious tranquillity to our natural state.

to practice scents of dao, is to pay tribute to the healing properties of nature.

photographs by: vita mak & judy chen

things of substance

the significance of light throughout time remains unaltered. illuminating our perception of the world, light carries remarkable gravity in the rituals of our day. from cave-man campfires to light bulbs, light permits us to linger in a state of wonder from where we can freely realm in the world of our imaginations.

our lamps are metamorphoses of history in cultures transformed into products of art.

as a result every lamp carries with it the spirit by which it has been created, manifesting into things of substance.

khromis

like a prism dispersing monochromatic light into a spectrum of colours, khromis is a catalyst for transformation. each frame empowers the individual to reveal a whole palette of emotions and personalities. resembling a pair of glasses, the logo is also an expression of refracted light paths. the interior uses mirrors to create reflections and perspective, manoeuvring light to display the product in the best possible way. a touch of wood warms up the interior, along with the coffee bar in the corner, creating a comfortable atmosphere for a multi-sensory experience.

plum

like harvesting ripened and succulent fruit while filtering out the rest, plum is a lifestyle curator that thoughtfully selects products based on quality, affordability, and distinctiveness. the result is a refined collection of the best of the best—tested by experts, with insider prices, and customised to each individual’s taste. the identity is the expression of consumer decisions made easier.

sulwhasoo cny campaign

behind the story of this cheeky well-travelled rat, is a collaboration that transcends cultural and creative borders. korea’s leading holistic beauty brand, sulwahsoo, and paris’s 18th century pattern maker, antoinette poisson, came together to develop sulwhasoo’s limited edition chinese new year packaging. we were challenged to create a global campaign out of antoinette poisson’s pattern of peonies, heart-links, and this year’s zodiac protagonist— the rat. staying true to the two dimensional nature of antoinette poisson’s work, we brought the packaging alive by revealing a whole world within the pattern and taking viewers on an enchanting journey past city landmarks and sulwhasoo’s signature product.

zoobeetle

in the up and coming district of poho, a charming new château has set down roots. more than just a concept, château zoobeetle encapsulates the very essence of being french and carries it off with just the right touch of parisian insouciance.

we were given a split level store space of 1500 sq. ft. to dream up the effortless elegance of a modern apartment on the left bank, upstairs from a hip new brasserie. the architecture epitomises zoobeetle’s multi sensory brand experience; fixtures throughout the space accentuate the house founders’ handpicked vintage decor. the effect is one of a contemporary atelier, with a facade inspired by the old world elegance of parisian couturiers.

the origin of zoobeetle is the quintessential parisian experience expressed through a line of culturally crafted leather goods, woven by the founders with strands of the house dna including travel, art and photography.

downstairs, the bar’s lighting and shingled tiles convey you to the rooftops of paris. racks behind the bar echo the atelier’s polished fixtures, harmonising with the gleaming brass countertop. sate your tastebuds with a delectable selection of cheeses and charcuterie, while indulging in a sip of sauvignon.

Interiors

hermès

Hermès, the paragon of French luxury, has consistently transformed itself for over 178 years. So when we were tasked with creating a showcase for Hermès’ latest theme, Metamorphosis, we took inspiration from the most powerful transformative force on earth: nature. Through the use of kinetic and mechanical structures, we endeavored to mimic various types of organic form and continuous movement – from the mesmerizing ebb and flow of ocean waves, right down to the elegant spirals of DNA molecules.

The installations employ natural materials such as wood and moss – juxtaposed with metal and fabric – to tell a story of transformation from the raw to the refined, organic to designed.
Dynamic morphing structures – rotating racks and undulating display platforms – each delicately framing the Hermès winter collection, revealing and concealing in a constant revolving sequence. 3 distinct window installations were then applied to individual windows in each Hermès boutique in Hong Kong and Macau, a visual display showing the beauty of transformation.

Installation

gildemeister

gildemeister’s product line was designed to shift the paradigms of an industrial machine to a commercial market. we were appointed to re-design the form of the machine with a visible brace highlighting its utility and an ergonomic retractable chair to create a spatial interaction between the programmer and the apparatus. a new modern graphic language was also introduced to distinguish amongst other engineering machinery.

product design

ddb

every month at ddb, a lunch & learn seminar is introduced to engage industry professionals by inviting an acclaimed figure from the design industry to inspire and influence.
to capture a perspective lecturer we sent a direct mailer with a brain and an apron, characterising the speaker to be a master chef of a ceremony. attendees were sent an edm invitation of a cookbook devoted to the speaker featuring captivating gastronomic meats and ingredients. the books are then stored with a video of the speech located in a library of master chefs.

Advertising

gustave

in 1903, gustave eiffel set out to design one of the longest bridges in asia, and with the aid of 3000 workers achieved one of the world’s great civil-engineering masterpieces. cognac gustave was designed to re-define entry-level cognac to a younger generation. the architecture of gustave eiffel was designed to encompass the identity and packaging, working as an independent piece on its own and an architectural structure when placed together. with it’s success, gustave xo, a superior grade of cognac was created inspired from le grand palais.

A Work of Substance

Archives