Latest news with #Seletar
Malay Mail
02-08-2025
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
Singapore's Punggol Central and Seletar Link now connected via new six-lane bridge
SINGAPORE, Aug 2 — A new six-lane vehicular bridge that will connect Punggol Central and Seletar Link will open tomorrow in Singapore. The Singapore Times reported that it will allow motorists in Punggol West an alternative route to the Tampines Expressway (TPE) and help ease current traffic pressure on roads that feed into the TPE such as Punggol Road and Punggol Way. Part of a new road called Seletar South Link, the bridge, located near Yusof Ishak Secondary School, will also have barrier-free paths and upgraded road junctions. Sun Xueling, senior minister for transport and national development, said on Facebook that Punggol residents will now benefit from more transport options in and out of town as the bridge will have cycling paths on both sides. She also stated: 'Punggol is a town which is still growing, and we have many young families who drive and use public transport to go to work, visit family and friends and manage household needs.' Land in the west of Punggol, she said, has also been set aside for future Build-To-Order flats.
CNA
11-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
From Grafunkt to Nathan Home: Meet the prolific designer who helped shape Singapore's design scene
Just off Seletar Aerospace Drive, past colonial-era black-and-white edifices, in the shadow of Seletar Airport, sits a building that marks a new phase in Singaporean industrial designer Nathan Yong's career. The two-storey, 3,000 sq ft property at 8 Baker Street – once designed for British military servicemen – has been reimagined as Nathan Home, a retail brand and experiential gallery that has an online and offline presence. The showroom feels at once removed from the buzz of popular joints in the vicinity (family-friendly F&B destination Wheeler's Estate; wedding venue Wildseed Cafe at The Summerhouse), yet also connected to them in spirit. Yong, 55, is no newcomer to the design world. With over two decades of experience, a President's Design Award under his belt, and past collaborations with international marques like Ligne Roset and Living Divani, he is one of Singapore's most respected and prolific designers. After launching furniture retail stores like Air Division in 1999 and Grafunkt in 2009, Nathan Home marks his most personal venture yet. It's a return to independent expression, rooted in Yong's long-held beliefs about materials, emotion, and the human experience. This, said Yong, is what he has been building towards his entire life. 'I wanted to control the narrative, not just over what I design, but how it's made, how it's shared, and what it stands for.' Teaming up with an investor (Yong declined to reveal their identity, but says they sank a 'high six-figure' sum), he spent six weeks converting the building into a space that emanates a relaxed, lived-in feel. Equal parts gallery, design studio and concept store, Yong was mindful of keeping renovations to a minimum. 'It was mostly surface treatment. I wanted this place precisely for its aged patina,' he shared. FROM BOATYARDS TO BEYOND Yong's own narrative arc is deeply Singaporean, yet wholly singular. Growing up in Tanjong Rhu in the 1970s – long before the forest of condominiums and sporting/recreational playgrounds of Kallang sprang up – his early years were gritty but evocative. Back then, the area was a maritime village, the air thick with sea salt and the scent of engine oil. 'The boatyards were loud, raw, and beautiful in their own way,' Yong recalled. 'That environment taught me to appreciate materials for what they are – not what they pretend to be. I saw how things were built, fixed, repurposed. It instilled a kind of honesty in my approach to design, one that values simplicity, utility, and soul.' There was no language for design then. No Pinterest or Instagram, no curated mood boards. But there was instinct. Yong spent hours sketching mythical creatures and religious figures, or tinkering with found objects. He didn't see it as talent; it was simply how he processed life – through shape, emotion and form. Singapore's design landscape, too, was in its infancy. Industrial design wasn't seen as a viable profession. But every time he fixed something, repurposed an object, or made something from scratch, it felt to him like second nature. Over time, it dawned on him that his instincts had value and that he could carve a life path from it. Years later, at design school, it was a British lecturer, Frank Drake, who gave Yong's gift a name – and a compass. Drake taught Yong that design wasn't just about problem-solving; it was deeply human. 'Good design starts with empathy,' Yong reflected. 'It's about how something works, how it feels, and who it's for.' His pieces have been produced by global names like Design Within Reach (DWR) and Herman Miller, yet he has remained rooted in Singapore. Even as others chased creative cachet abroad, Yong stayed put, helping to shape the local design scene from the ground up. 'I never relocated, never gave up when others did,' he recounted. 'These choices allowed design to blossom here, and allowed me to grow with it.' If he could talk to his younger self, he would tell that wide-eyed boy to keep doing what he was doing, stay curious and fearless, but also remain humble and authentic. 'DESIGNING WITH EMPATHY, NOT EGO' Yong's career began with Air Division, a furniture store and design label that introduced contemporary, minimalist designs to a new generation of Singaporeans. In 2006, he sold the business and went on to start Nathan Yong Design, creating collections that were picked up by global brands while continuing to consult for local clients. He also co-founded multi-label furniture store Grafunkt with business partner Jefery Kurniadidjaja. The store, which blended global and local design, quickly gained a cult following. His experiences as a buyer and a retailer taught him that designers cannot operate in silos; they are inevitably part of a larger ecosystem comprising design clients, craftsmen, manufacturers, logistics personnel, and end-users. 'That awareness humbles you,' he said. 'You start designing with empathy, not ego. Retail also showed me that if I have the power to determine how things are made, I also have the responsibility to respect the people, the process, and the planet.' What's remained consistent throughout the years is his design philosophy: Simplicity, emotional resonance, and respect for materials. His pieces are often characterised by clean lines, natural finishes, and subtle detailing – elements that reflect his preference for timelessness over trendiness. 'I believe in making things that improve with age,' he asserted. 'When something is used and loved over time, that's the truest form of sustainability because we allow the resources time to generate.' This approach stands in contrast to the fast consumption model that plagues the global furniture industry – and other sectors, for that matter. Yong remains critical of design that's more about visual impact than user experience. A HUMANISTIC APPROACH IN THE AGE OF AI As the world moves towards automation and AI-generated creativity, Yong's concerns increasingly revolve around truth and authenticity. 'With emerging AI and robotics, the question becomes: How do we design with emotions in mind?' he asked rhetorically. To be clear, Yong doesn't see technology as the enemy. He does, however, believe that the future of design lies in being more human, not less. This means designing not just beautiful objects, but meaningful ones. Pieces that are made to age, endure and evolve with their owners. His design process begins with intention, thinking about how end-users live, feel and grow. 'If you approach each project with sincerity and really think about how it's used, you naturally find that emotional thread. The hand wants comfort, the eye wants balance, the heart wants resonance.' At the same time, he is drawn to irregularities, like the knot in a piece of wood or the uneven patina of brass. 'These are signs of life, of time, of being touched. Imperfection gives a piece character. Again it is part of being humanistic,' he declared. That ethos is quietly present in every aspect of Nathan Home; the space is a distillation of everything Yong stands for. The name may be simple, but the philosophy runs deep. 'It's a quiet rebellion against a world of fast, disposable things. It's a proposal to slow down. To fill our homes with things that carry meaning, not just in style, but in story. A house should reflect who you are: your contradictions, your quirks, your soul.' Seletar, with its laid-back atmosphere and black-and-white bungalows, gave him a space to show that one can love many things deeply, and hold them together with grace. Every item in the space is selected for how it feels, functions and fits into daily life. There's a strong emphasis on tactility – woods with grain, textiles with weight, finishes that develop patina over time. When asked which piece in the collection holds the most meaning, Yong shrugged. 'Too many to mention!' BUILDING A COMMUNITY One of Yong's broader goals with Nathan Home is to create a platform to collaborate with other like-minded creators, whether it's a potter, a candlemaker, or a textile designer. These collaborations reflect his belief that good design grows in community. 'I'd like to build a quiet community,' he said. 'One that believes in this way of living – and shares that with the world.' It's telling that his most personal project wasn't a commercial venture, but a public design-art installation that the National Gallery commissioned just after the COVID-19 pandemic. 'There in the Middleness' featured 124 concrete benches debossed with words submitted by the public during the pandemic – phrases of resilience, kindness, and hope. Together they formed a 40m ring at the Padang, where strangers sat facing each other. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ksy (@artistksy) 'It was about stillness, community, and collective healing. That project will always stay with me because it was a collective moment where we felt the fragility of life and the importance of relationships.' Asked what legacy he hopes to leave, Yong's answer is clear: To restore meaning in how we live, shop, and feather our nest. 'That design isn't just about form, strategy or solution. It's about beauty distilled from love and intelligence. It's about creating with care, and living with meaning. And that Nathan Home becomes an institution for this message – a quiet force that inspires people to live more truthfully, more thoughtfully, and more beautifully.'
The Star
23-05-2025
- General
- The Star
Orang Asli kids skip school to earn money
Missing out on education: Orang Asli children fishing in a stream near their house instead of being in school. — THOMAS YONG/The Star JOHOR BARU: A growing number of Orang Asli children in Kampung Sungai Temun are skipping school to work at nearby eateries. It is a trend that has sparked concern among community leaders and educators, who fear these youths are being robbed of their future. Salim Palon, the village head, is troubled by the sight of teenagers working at coffee shops during school hours, often with the blessing or insistence of their own parents, who urge them to earn money for the family. Salim says parents are to be blamed. — THOMAS YONG/The Star 'This issue has been ongoing for decades. The parents used to give excuses such as a lack of aid and incentives to help their children go to school. 'Over the years, the government and elected representatives have provided assistance, including free transportation, uniforms, and a local tuition centre within our village, but students are still falling far behind academically,' he said. Salim expressed frustration that many parents in the village, home to the Seletar ethnic group, do not recognise the significance of their children's education. 'I've urged parents repeatedly, education is the way to break the cycle of poverty. But some still allow their children to skip school or drop out as if it's normal,' he said. To lead by example, Salim has reserved the village hall as a tuition space for children instead of renting it out for RM2,000. Salim, who has 10 children, all of whom have completed their formal education, added that the issue lies with the parents. 'Many don't even turn up for parent-teacher meetings, nor do they review their children's studies to encourage them. I've seen children waiting until late afternoon, hoping their parents would show up, only to be disappointed. It's heartbreaking,' he said. The problem is well-known to educators, with SK Sungai Danga assistant headmaster Azizul Aziz saying that many parents are indifferent to their children's schooling. 'They simply tell us, 'My child doesn't want to go,' and leave it at that, like education is optional,' he said. To address this, Azizul and the school's headmaster met with the village head to speak directly with parents, reminding them that failing to enrol their children in primary school without valid reasons is a punishable offence, with fines of up to RM5,000. 'We even offered parents the opportunity to accompany their children in class, just so they feel supported,' Azizul added. Those efforts are starting to bear fruit, as reports indicate that fewer students are skipping class. 'It's slow progress, but it's a start,' said Azizul. Still, a major hurdle remains, as many Orang Asli pupils complete primary school but never move on to Form One. When contacted, Johor education and information committee chairman Aznan Tamin acknowledged the issue and said the state government is treating it seriously. 'We are examining the factors that drive students to leave school, including pressure to help their families economically. 'We are planning initiatives such as strengthening early intervention, giving them a RM4 daily attendance incentive, and expanding aid like the Supplementary Food Programme and Early School Assistance,' he said.
