Braveheart

Syed Ahmad Bin Abdul Rahman Alhabshee ponders his legacy as one of Singapore's few woodworking craftsmen.

- LU YAWEN

Syed Ahmad Bin Abdul Rahman Alhabshee's career journey is about resilience and a certain bullishness. As the founder of Urban Salvation, an independent furniture maker who uses locally sourced or salvaged wood from the region to make customised designs and does antique restorations, he isn't just a man clever with his hands but a passionate orator of the incidents that have shaped him in life.

We're at his workshop in Tampines, a mid-sized warehouse on the second floor with rows of beautifully grained furniture. Ahmad greets us with a warm welcome, gesturing to a table with food and snacks. He's prepared them for us and tells us there are drinks in the fridge.

Urban Salvation is a success story that's easy to get behind. The 35-year-old was featured in this year's National Day Parade in August and the People of Design campaign by DesignSingapore Council earlier in the year. It's a feel-good headline that aligns with Singapore's 2030 Green Plan a local furniture maker pushing for sustainability. But like the rest of the trade skills, such as farming and sewing, interest in woodworking is dying out.

A SAFE SPACE TO LEARN

While the number of young people who come to their workshops is "very disappointing", a few have the tenacity and desire to continue. He is effusive in his praise for an ex-intern named Firdaus, a firefighter who now has his own furniture repair company on the side, and Dina, a former student who wants to return as a teacher after getting married. "These kinds of people are tough to come by," he sighs.