King Of The Castle

To Mr. Roy Teo, founder of The Mill group of design companies, his newly remade headquarters represents his architectural passions and creative aspirations.

- Zara Zhuang

MR. ROY TEO climbs through a window from a ledge done up to resemble a balcony, but the heel of his shoe catches on the window frame. There’s a momentary struggle, but after a pause, he steps back into the safety of one of the units within The Mill, the building that’s home to the design firms he established.

Is this the most outrageous thing you’ve done for a shoot, we ask.

“No, but it’s the most dangerous,” he replies.

But the dramatic photo this tricky maneuver generates is a sight to behold: Mr. Teo resembles a lord overlooking his dominion. And The Mill is his castle.

Next, to its comparatively utilitarian neighbors, The Mill stands out. Conceptualized as an amalgamation of the art deco and Gothic architectural styles, and draped in a daring shade so dark it might rival Vantablack, the six-story two-tower structure been referred to as Gotham, a moniker that hasn’t grown on Mr. Teo. “I can see why, but I’m still waiting for other terminologies,” he says.

“It does describe the building, to a certain extent, but the story behind why it looks the way it does is because it’s supposed to be a fortress in its ethos. I always believe the challenges and battles are fought outside of the fort, and when the team comes back they’re supposed to feel fortified and protected. In my way, that was a way to create a safe haven for them to express their creativity — when like-minded people come together they feel that sense within the fortress.”