Name: Melvin Gan
Company: Aprilist Associates
Position within company: Principal & Co-founder
Website: www.theaprilist.com
Tell us a little about your background in design (education, experience, etc)
I started my design studies in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, before pursuing higher education and completing Master In Design (Interior Design) in Melbourne, Australia.
With almost 15 years of experience in the interior design industry, I have been actively involved in premium residential development and commercial projects during my stint in Melbourne before returning home and took on leading role in residential and commercial development prior to setting up my own practice in year 2015. Since then, we made hospitality projects as our focus and aim to be leading hospitality designer in Malaysia. Together with my partner, we actively participating in international brand hotels by Marriott, Accor, Hyatt and many more.
How would you describe your personal design style?
Personally, I would describe myself as a minimalist designer inspired by the works of Ryu Nishizawa of SANAA. However, as a Malaysian, my work is strongly influenced by the culture of Malaysia. I integrate user-centred design with my personal style to create experience for my users.
Where does your design inspiration come from?
I often seek design inspiration from my daily lifestyle. Living in a country that is culturally vibrant, many ideas or inspiration can be drawn from there as we observe the people, the location, and the vibrancy of the colours. I would like my users to embrace and experience these ambiences in the spaces designed by me to form a memory of locality.
In what direction do you feel that design is moving towards in a general sense?
The design industry is embodying the importance of sustainable design but we should also be considering the importance of user-centred design as well. Often this is compromised as designer would focus on both aesthetic and functionality first.
