Singapore Design Personality: Ng Ting Yu
This adventurous young LIGHTING DESIGNER starts her own business and wins major design awards within one year
One of the winners of The 40 Under 40 Lighting Designers 2021 Award
ILLUMINATING SPACE not only helps you see but also evokes many senses and emotions.
Shining a light on her lighting business, Director of Lighting Design Atelier (LDA), Ng Ting Yu was named one of the winners of 40 Under 40 Lighting Designers in 2021. This is special when you just started the venture on your own in 2018. And in this competitive business of design, building, furnishings and fittings every piece of recognition and validation of your ability helps.
TANYUE MANSION MOMA SALES GALLERY, GUANGZHOU CHINA – WINNER LIGTHING DESIGN AWARDS 2021 FOR "INTERIOR ARCHITECTURAL ILLUMINATION"
The style of the interior space is filled out with well-defined lightings to bring out the linear and fresh atmosphere, reduces complexity to simplicity by creating some dramatic illumination into each defined space.
The main seating area in the centre is enhanced to attract attention while the artistic display wall is illuminated with linear strip integrated to create a unique and meditative mood
LDA is an independent consultant based in Singapore that provides architectural lighting design services and develops lighting schemes for projects from concept to construction.
Ting Yu trained in Industrial Design and was drawn to the realm of illumination while on various projects. So she packed her bags and headed to Germany for 2 years to do her masters in Architectural Lighting. When the young Singaporean started her career she applied for a post at Hong Kong Illuminate, but ended up joining the Singapore outfit instead – Illuminate is a spin off of leading design firm Hirsch Bedner Associates.
She learned a lot at Illuminate, and soon the idea of being an entrepreneur and starting her own lighting business began to take a hold on her.
YANGGO TANYUE MOMA MANSION, GUANGZHOU CHINA – WINNER LIT AWARDS 2021 FOR "LANDSCAPE LIGHTING"
As the saying goes: Fame and fortune follows the brave. Within one year, LDA submitted its first completed project to a lighting design competition and bagged 1st Place.
Many awards followed:
2019
- The Park, Sales Gallery; Shanghai China (LIT Awards, 2019 Ambient Lighting)
- The Park, Sales Gallery; Shanghai China (CIDF Honorary Credential, Commercial Interior Space Gold Awards)
2021
- Park Vera, Sales Gallery; Shanghai China (Honorable Mention Awards)
- Yanggo Tanyue Moma Mansion, GuangZhou China (Landscape Lighting)
- Yanggo Tanyue Moma Mansion, GuangZhou China (Interior Architectural Illumination Category)
In addition to her Singapore office Ting Yu has a partner and design team in China to support projects there. Most of the ideas though still come from her.
She loves to travel, exploring cities and their culture and architecture and trying out all kinds of food. First stop in a new place is visiting a market or supermarket “where I can have a real feel of their local cuisines.”
Back at the office Ting Yu’s philosophy of hard work, creativity and passion, ensures a bright future ahead for LDA and its innovative Director.
2021 LIT Design Awards Category Winner for Interior Architecture Lighting
FAST FACTS
Lighting Design Atelier (LDA) is based in Singapore providing lighting design consultancy since 2018. Director Ng Ting Yu has more than 15 years of experience in lighting design, and has worked with leading design firms including Benoy, HBA, DP Architects, RSP Architects and Wilson Associate. They have an office and a design team in China.
LDA’s Projects include:
– Londoner Restaurant, Macau (ongoing)
– HaiDiLao Flagship Restaurant, Singapore
– Grand Marina Intercontinental Hotel, UAE (ongoing)
– Shuangqing Bay 5 Star, Fuyang, China (ongoing)
Contour lighting resembles flowing water to provide a luxurious warmth and elevate the beauty of the surrounding environment
HAI DI LAO IN SINGAPORE
Futuristic Haidilao with robot servers aims to provides an impressive visual feast for diners. It is the first "technology experience" branch for Hai Di Lao in Singapore.
A CHAT WITH NG TING YU, DIRECTOR, LIGHTING DESIGN ATELIER
- You started Lighting Design Atelier (LDA) at relatively a young age. What inspired you to embark on this venture?
I wanted to follow my dreams and to be in control of my own success. I want my hard work to reap the rewards I deserve, so I started my own business.
- How did you go about getting clients and projects when you first started out?
I’m not traditionally a salesy person – nearly all my projects come to me by word of mouth. People whom I’ve worked with previously or even designer friends’ recommendations.
- LDA provides award-winning architectural lighting design. How has technology changed lighting over the past 5 years?
Lighting technology is evolving so rapidly that lighting designers must keep pace with the market trends and changes. Now, lighting technology is more environment friendly and energy-efficient; it also helps to adjust the environment for health benefits and comfort, improving wellness and life quality.
- It is interesting to see how different countries integrate lighting in architecture. What does the Singapore market prefer compared to China when it comes to illuminating space?
The Singapore market has a demand for innovative smart lighting control systems at work and residential spaces. They ensure more cost savings from reduced energy consumption and are lso able to increase productivity.
- With the buzz word on environment responsibility what type of lighting and design concepts are ‘green’ and ‘energy saving’?
A successful ‘green’ and ‘energy saving’ concept is to use the right amount of light. To illuminate the space and bring it to life and draw attention to create an impact, allowing people to appreciate the beauty of the space. Never over light space.
- You are fond of travelling. What are your favourite countries and cities, and how do they inspire your design ideas?
I don’t really have a favourite country or city. Every place I’ve travelled to is full of fantastic inspiration and are sources of expanding my design inspiration. I like cities that are packed with heritage, history, architecture and good food.
- Tell us something about your award as one of the winners for 40 Under 40 Lighting Designers 2021.
The 40 under 40 is a unique annual competition in our lighting industry. I’m very honoured and humbled to have been selected as one of the awardees chosen among nearly 400 international candidates. It truly means a lot to gain recognition for my work, motivating me to continue great work.
- How do you relax after a hard day at work? And what Singapore food do you like?
After a day of intense heads-down work, I look forward to getting home and getting into the shower straight away. When showering I let random and wild ideas pass through my head – which can be quite soothing.
Red House Chilli Crab
Story by Carol Kraal. Photographs credit Lighting Design Atelier