MEDIA RELEASE

MAISON&OBJET ASIA Announces WOHA as First Singapore-based Designer of the Year in a Reflection of

Market Development in Asia

Singapore, 11 October 2016 – Now entering its fourth year, MAISON&OBJET ASIA (M&O ASIA) has seen a successful repositioning as a unique platform for the regional interior design community to network and obtain market intelligence during the four day event in Marina Bay Sands Singapore. M&O ASIA’s role in reflecting the industry development in Asia-Pacific will continue to manifest itself in the 2017 edition, beginning with the announcement of WOHA as its 2017 Designer of the Year. A Singapore-based architectural practice founded by Wong Mun Summ and Richard Hassell in 1994, WOHA is internationally recognized for its integration of environmental and social principles into its design practice. Holding a long list of accolades, the practice’s award-winning projects include PARKROYAL on Pickering, Oasia Hotel Downtown and School of the Arts in Singapore; The Met in Bangkok, Thailand; Alila Villas Uluwatu in Bali, Indonesia; InterContinental Sanya Resort in China; The Hyde in Australia, among others. “Asia sees a higher number of multi-disciplinary practices than Europe, with the upper echelon of Asian designers holding multiple roles from architecture to interiors and industrial design. WOHA is the epitome of innovative design solutions that is being championed by M&O ASIA,” says Philippe Brocart, Managing Director of M&O. WOHA responds: "We are delighted to have been selected as MAISON&OBJET ASIA Designer of the Year 2017. Working as urban designers, architects, interior and product designers, we seek to create delight at all scales through humane and sustainable environments. In Asia we are very fortunate to be embedded in such complex and ancient cultures, and to live in such a place of beauty. We love to share our discoveries and our enthusiasm through the medium of

design, and MAISON&OBJET ASIA through this award, are giving us an amazing platform to connect to a wider audience. “We are happy to announce that WOHA are making available new designs - as well as classics from their back catalogue - under the umbrella of WOHAbeing. WOHAbeing is about living well through living simply and sustainably, and celebrating the beauty of our world. It is about making and craft, balance and proportion, and about texture, colour and form. WOHAbeing draws inspiration from the past, makes connections to the rich tapestry of cultures we work within, and proposes how we should live in the future." GATHERING THE REGION’S TOP CREATIVES The result of M&O ASIA 2016 makes certain the region’s need for a high-end networking occasion for the top creatives. 7,200 professionals passed through its doors last March in Singapore. Of these visitors, 62% were key industry specifiers such as property developers, hoteliers, restaurateurs, interior designers, and architects. The percentage of interior designers visiting M&O ASIA 2016 is a marked increase of 11% compared to the 2015 edition. This demonstrates the success that M&O ASIA has had in appealing to specifiers by providing them with a more curated experience and networking opportunities. INTERIOR DESIGN & BUSINESS INSIGHT SUMMIT The Summit is one of the three key components of M&O ASIA, alongside the curated exhibition and the award showcase on Designer of the Year and Rising Asian Talents. Understanding the competitive business environment in Asia-Pacific and the importance of idea exchange, M&O ASIA strives to bring together influential and forward-looking thought leaders through the Summit. Its four-day programme becomes a source of creativity and market intelligence for the visitors. The 2017 Summit will also provide young designers from the region with opportunities for direct interaction with top designers that M&O ASIA is assembling. Two MasterCrit sessions will be conducted by WOHA and another international designer, where pre-registered participants will present their design concepts and receive valuable feedback and critique. CURATED EXHIBITION Taking M&O’s 20-year experience of curating exclusive design events in Paris, the M&O team will present around 200 bespoke design brands from ceramics tiles, concrete panels, and wood covering to accent furniture, carpet, home linen, lighting, and tableware in M&O ASIA 2017. All these brands are experienced in providing customized solutions to hospitality projects and commissioned works. From Paris to Singapore, the pursuit of the finest in creativity and craftsmanship will be seen in the new section GALLERY. Positioned at

the same level of the Scènes d'intérieur Gallery in M&O PARIS, GALLERY will welcome a number of handpicked ateliers who offer exceptional skills, art and design objects. M&O ASIA 2017 returns to Singapore from 7 to 10 March 2017 at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre. Ticketed admission for the public is available on Friday 10 March 2017. For more information on MAISON&OBJET ASIA, please visit http://www.maison-objet.com/en/asia NOTES TO EDITORS:

• Interviews with key MAISON&OBJET personnel are available on request: o Philippe Brocart, Managing Director o Frederic Bougeard, International Development Director o Regina Chan, Director, Asia-Pacific

• Interview with the Designer of the Year is also available on request.

• The official spelling of the salon is “MAISON&OBJET ASIA”, with “M&O

ASIA” as an accepted truncation following the first mention. For media enquiries, please contact Phish Communications Nirwan bin Noran nirwan@phish-comms.com 6344 2958 / 9271 3736 Siti Annazia sitiannazia@phish-comms.com 6344 2932 / 9004 8530

Special thanks to UOL Group Limited for their support to the press conference

MAISON&OBJET ASIA FAST FACTS

Date: 7-10 March 2017 (Tuesday to Friday) Venue: Level 1, Sands Expo and Convention Center,

Marina Bay Sands Singapore Opening Hours: 11am–7pm daily Admission: 7-9 March (Tuesday to Thursday) opens to

professionals only; online pre-registration is required. 10 March (Friday) opens to the public with ticketed admission of S$65.

Website:         www.maison-objet.com/en/asia ABOUT DESIGNER OF THE YEAR AWARD MAISON&OBJET ASIA’s Designer of the Year Award is given annually to a design practice from Asia-Pacific who has made significant contribution to the design industry. The award recognized the winner’s outstanding achievement in design excellence and innovation for their design projects in the region. Previous winners include Kenneth Cobonpue (2014), Neri&Hu (2015) and Andre Fu (2016). ABOUT M&O ASIA Launched in 2014, M&O ASIA is a unique event for the regional creatives to discover exquisite artisanship and create meaningful conversations with top design professionals from Asia and Europe in an inspiring and intimate setting. The four day M&O ASIA features a highly-curated exhibition on all disciplines of designs combined with an interior design & business insight summit on industry trends and an award showcase on Asian design talents. M&O ASIA is an annual occasion where designers take a break from the day-to-day stresses of an office to breathe in new ideas, meet talented professionals, and set the stage for their next hospitality and interior design projects. M&O ASIA is a partner event of SINGAPORE DESIGN WEEK, a week that celebrates the very best in design. M&O ASIA is organised by SAFI ASIA PTE LTD. SAFI is a subsidiary of Ateliers d’Art de France and Reed Expositions France.

Annex A ABOUT WOHA The architecture of WOHA, founded by Wong Mun Summ and Richard Hassell in 1994, is notable for its constant evolution and innovation. A profound awareness of local context and tradition is intertwined with an ongoing exploration of contemporary architectural form-making and ideas, thus creating a unique fusion of practicality and invention. WOHA conceptualizes all aspects of the architectural process, and environmental principles have always been fundamental to the work of the practice, which is guided by a commitment to responsive place-making and to the creation of an invigorating and sustainable architecture. WOHA have developed a unique approach to tropical architecture and urbanism, weaving landscape and community space through porous structures. WOHA has launched a new book at the 2016 Venice Biennale, called Garden City Mega City, which shares strategies for the exploding mega cities of the tropical belt. In the book, WOHA show how integrated landscape, architecture and urbanism can improve quality of life within high density environments. In the book WOHA propose 5 new ratios for evaluating the success of projects - Green Plot Ratio, Community Plot Ratio, Ecosystem Contribution Score, Civic Generosity Index, and Self Sufficiency Index - to ensure projects achieve social and environmental sustainability. WOHA’s built projects – throughout Southeast Asia, China, and Australia – range from apartment towers to luxury resorts, mass-transit stations, condominiums, hotels, educational institutions, and public buildings. WOHA have won an unprecedented amount of architectural awards for a Southeast Asian practice: from an Aga Khan Award in 2007 for 1 Moulmein Rise apartment building, to the RIBA Lubetkin award for The Met Bangkok in 2011, to their World Architecture Festival award winners in such diverse categories as education - School of the Arts, holiday - the Alila Villas Uluwatu resort, and transport - the Bras Basah MRT station. Their Platinum Green Mark-rated PARKROYAL on Pickering hotel, since opening in 2013, has become one of Singapore’s most iconic buildings, receiving the 2015 Urban Habitat Award from the Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, the 2014 Design for Asia Award Grand Award and the 2013 World Architecture News Hotel of the Year Award. The practice currently has projects under construction in Singapore, India, Australia and Indonesia. WOHA exhibited at an invited, solo show at The Skyscraper Museum in New York in March - September 2016. A travelling exhibition devoted exclusively to their works opened at the Deutsches Architekturmuseum, Germany, in December 2011, and four substantial monographs – WOHA: The Architecture of WOHA, WOHA: Selected Projects Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, and WOHA: Breathing Architecture – have already been published.

WOHA 2010 – 2017 AWARDS LIST (SELECTED) 2017 Designer of the Year (Asia) awarded by MaisonetObjet Asia Wong Mun Summ and Richard Hassell (WOHA), Singapore

2016 16th SIA Architectural Design Awards - Design Award under the Residential Projects category, awarded by SIA Skyville@Dawson, Singapore

16th SIA Architectural Design Awards - Design Award under the Commercial Projects category, awarded by SIA PARKROYAL on Pickering, Singapore

16th SIA Architectural Design Awards - Design Award under Special Categories, awarded by SIA Enabling Village, Singapore

The International Highrise Award - Finalist awarded by City of Frankfurt, Deutsches Architekturmuseum and DekaBank Skyville@Dawson, Singapore

World Architecture Festival - Shortlisted under the Housing (Completed) category, awarded by World Architecture Festival Skyville@Dawson, Singapore

World Architecture Festival - Shortlisted under the Mixed-Use (Completed) category, awarded by World Architecture Festival Oasia Hotel Downtown, Singapore

World Architecture Festival - Shortlisted under the Commercial Mixed-Use (Future Projects) category, awarded by World Architecture Festival Kampung Admiralty, Singapore

World Architecture Festival - Shortlisted under the Education (Future Projects) category, awarded by World Architecture Festival BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

World Architecture Festival - Shortlisted under the Office (Future Projects) category, awarded by World Architecture Festival Vertical Stacked City, Shenzhen, China

Green Good Design Award - Winner awarded by The Chicago Athenaeum and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies Goodwood Residence, Singapore

BCA Universal Design Award - Winner (Platinum) awarded by Building and Construction Authority, Singapore Enabling Village, Singapore

BCA Universal Design Award - Winner (Platinum) awarded by Building and Construction Authority, Singapore Skyville@Dawson, Singapore

2015 MIPIM Asia Awards - Gold Winner under the Best Hotel and Tourism Development category, awarded by Reed MIDEM PARKROYAL on Pickering, Singapore

WAN Asia Award (Residential) - Winner awarded by World Architecture News.com Goodwood Residence, Singapore

Urban Habitat Award - Winner awarded by Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, Chicago, Illinois PARKROYAL on Pickering, Singapore

Universal Design Mark Award - Gold Plus (Design) under Residential (New) category, awarded by Building and Construction Authority Skyville@Dawson, Singapore Landscape Excellence Assessment Framework (LEAF) - Outstanding Project awarded by National Parks Board PARKROYAL on Pickering, Singapore

Landscape Excellence Assessment Framework (LEAF) - Outstanding Project awarded by National Parks Board Kampung Admiralty, Singapore 2014

Design for Asia Awards - Grand Award awarded by Hong Kong Design Centre PARKROYAL on Pickering, Singapore

Good Design Award - Winner awarded by The Chicago Athenaeum and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies Goodwood Residence, Singapore

Iconic Awards - Best of Best Winner under the Architecture (Public) category, awarded by German Design Council PARKROYAL on Pickering, Singapore

Building of the Year Award - Winner under the Offices category, awarded by ArchDaily 48 North Canal Road, Singapore

2013

President's Design Award 2013 - Design of the Year awarded by DesignSingapore Council and Urban Redevelopment Authority PARKROYAL on Pickering, Singapore

NParks Skyrise Greenery Award - Winner, Outstanding Skyrise Greenery Project Award awarded by National Parks Board, Singapore PARKROYAL on Pickering, Singapore

INSIDE Festival - Winner under Hotels (Interior) category, awarded by INSIDE Festival PARKROYAL on Pickering, Singapore

WAN Hotel of the Year Award - Winner awarded by World Architecture News.com PARKROYAL on Pickering, Singapore

2012

Green Good Design Award - Winner awarded by The Chicago Athenaeum and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies InterContinental Sanya Resort, Hainan Island, China

Green Good Design Award - Winner awarded by The Chicago Athenaeum and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies The Hansar, Bangkok, Thailand

URA Architectural Heritage Award - Winner under Category B - Integrated 'Old and New' Developments, awarded by URA Space Asia Hub, Singapore

2011

The Jorn Utzon Award for International Architecture - Winner awarded by Australian Institute of Architects School of the Arts, Singapore

RIBA Lubetkin Prize - Winner awarded by Royal Institute of British Architects The Met, Bangkok, Thailand RIBA International Awards - Winner awarded by Royal Institute of British Architects School of the Arts, Singapore

RIBA International Awards - Winner awarded by Royal Institute of British Architects Alila Villas Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia

2010

President's Design Award - Design of the Year awarded by DesignSingapore Council and Urban Redevelopment Authority Stadium MRT Station, Singapore

The International Highrise Award - Winner awarded by City of Frankfurt, Deutsches Architekturmuseum and DekaBank The Met, Bangkok, Thailand

World Architecture Festival - World Learning Building of the Year under the Learning category, awarded by World Architecture Festival School of the Arts, Singapore

World Architecture Festival - World Holiday Building of the Year under the Holiday category, awarded by World Architecture Festival Alila Villas Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia

The Jorn Utzon Award for International Architecture - Winner awarded by Australian Institute of Architects The Met, Bangkok, Thailand

SIA-Getz Architecture Prize for Emergent Architecture - Winner awarded by Singapore Institute of Architects and Getz Brothers WOHA, Singapore

RIBA International Awards - Winner awarded by Royal Institute of British Architects The Met, Bangkok, Thailand

RIBA International Awards - Winner awarded by Royal Institute of British Architects Bras Basah MRT Station, Singapore

Key WOHA Projects

Alila Villas Bintan, Bintan Island, Indonesia Alila Villas Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia!

The Met, Bangkok, Thailand! SkyVille @ Dawson, Singapore!

PARKROYAL on Pickering, Singapore! Oasia Hotel Downtown, Singapore!