Singapore furniture and lifestyle company Kernel was established by Jason Song, who is better known as the co-founder of local design studio ACRE and architecture firm Kaizen. Song’s business partners in this latest venture are Melvin Keng, principal architect of Kaizen, and TY Zheng, creative director of ACRE. The trio believe that good furniture, like architecture, bear the values of scale, proportion, symmetry, and meticulous and thoughtful detailing.
Kernel’s founders were introduced to award-winning Japanese designer Keiji Ashizawa in 2018. “We were at his showroom on boarding experience for Ishinomaki Lab, a brand he had founded. It was there that we saw some pieces he designed for IKEA, Frama, and Herman Miller,” says Song. Being fans of flatpack furniture, all three agreed that Ashizawa was a natural candidate for collaboration. “Furthermore, his design philosophy aligned with ours, being tasteful, understated and intelligent,” Song adds.
Kernel’s inaugural 2021 collection brought Ishinomaki Lab together with Singapore-based carpenters in an initiative called ‘Made In Local’. The co-founders’ aims were: to incur minimal carbon footprint by creating the pieces in Singapore; and to be an avenue of steady employment for a local industry impacted by the pandemic.
Kernel Collection 1: ‘Ishinomaki Made In Local’ comprises 18 pieces of furniture. Each piece undergoes stringent design approval from Japan before fabrication can kick off. This in turn helps to elevate local craftsmanship through extensive knowledge exchange.
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Denne historien er fra Issue 127-utgaven av d+a.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Tailored For The Curious Explorer
The new Alma House at the New Bahru enclave reflects the collaborative spirit of a school environment.
Eco And Egalitarian
Can a building represent a culture? Berrel Kräutler Architekten's sensitive renovation of the Embassy of Switzerland in Singapore stimulates discourse.
Building A Green Home
This semi-detached house by Zivy Architects explores passive tropical design, the delight in architecture and the issues of multi-generational living.
The Natural Balance
Inspired by the serene beauty of dewdrops, the Antao Collection by Villeroy & Boch transforms bathrooms into wellness sanctuaries, combining sustainability with timeless elegance.
Inspiring Creativity And Exploration
The new Hafary House at Lavender reflects the brand’s vibrancy and innovation, as well as provide an inspiring and engaging space for customers.
Home Is Where The Heart Is
A vacation house is reimagined for a multi-generational family to gather for holidays in the bucolic setting of Yongjia in Zhejiang, China.
balancing act: nature and humanity
In this inspiration-led series, we asked Jay Liu and Alex Liu, co-founders of Right Angle Studio, to dream up a unique interior concept using mainly items from Space Furniture.
rethinking, remaking, reframing
Aoki Akio, the founder of DESIGNART TOKYO discusses the importance and legacy of Tokyo's eminent art and design event, particularly for young creatives.
rebuilding communities
Shift2024, the much-anticipated conference returns with a stellar line-up of prolific architects making their mark in Asian urban design.
unparalleled italian craftsmanship
Filippo Arnaboldi, Chief Executive Officer of Frette, tells us how this luxury lifestyle Italian brand is moving forward with times yet not forgetting about its existing legacy.