In an interview with Tanya Suvannapong, Design Director at Gensler’s Singapore office and Technology Leader for the Asia Pacific and Middle East (APME) region, as well as a board member of the Asia-Pacific Space Designers Association (APSDA), she explores her collaboration with design teams and Practice Area Leaders to achieve successful client outcomes while mentoring emerging talent. Tanya also discusses her involvement with the APSDA, emphasizing the importance of cross-cultural collaboration and the exchange of design ideas throughout the region.
Can you tell us more about your role as Design Director in Gensler’s Singapore office and Technology Leader for Gensler’s APAC and ME regions.
As a Design Director at Gensler, I collaborate closely with design teams as well as other Practice Area Leaders and Design Technology Leaders to leverage our collective expertise and knowledge, helping clients achieve positive and successful outcomes. I oversee and guide a group of design talent throughout the design process, leading all key design-related decisions. Additionally, I manage and mentor our creative team, providing feedback, guidance, and evaluations, while also supporting the identification and recruitment of new design talent.
In my role as Technology Practice Area Leader, I align my expertise with both global and local client accounts, ensuring that each project benefits from world-class design. Beyond my core responsibilities, Gensler encourages individuals to take on additional roles, providing numerous opportunities for professional growth that often align with our personal passions, interests, and areas of expertise.
How does your role as Technology Leader influence the integration of emerging technologies in Gensler’s design projects, and what trends are you most excited about in this area?
The role of a Technology Practice Area Leader extends beyond just serving our clients within the same Practice Area. At Gensler, we firmly believe that our projects should first and foremost be human-centric. It’s not just about incorporating technology; it’s about ensuring that technology serves a purpose and delivers tangible benefits to the project. That said, technology integration is fundamental to everything we do. We have dedicated Design Technology Teams and Leaders focused on advancing emerging tools and programs that not only enable our team to perform at their highest level but also help our clients with data gathering to support their projects.
Since the pandemic, the pace of technology integration has noticeably increased, and it’s clear that technology is now intertwined with every aspect of our daily lives, both personally and professionally. One recent trend I find particularly exciting is “Impact at Scale”—the idea that a workplace can significantly enhance employee experience while also creating substantial economic and social benefits for the surrounding communities.
How does APSDA encourage cross-cultural collaboration and the exchange of design ideas across Asia?
The APSDA Communities have significantly expanded their regional outreach over the past few years. We have representatives from each country’s officially recognized professional design body, and together we constitute the APSDA Board Committee. This Board convenes monthly, either virtually or in person, to discuss and share ideas and initiatives aimed at strengthening connections within our regional design community. The locations for these board meetings and the annual general assembly vary, often coinciding with major local or regional design events, which helps the APSDA Board and participants promote and engage with local projects.
Additionally, we celebrate design excellence among outstanding interior designers in the region through our annual APSDA Awards program. This platform allows for creative work to be showcased and constructively critiqued, fostering meaningful discussions about design within our creative community. Recently, we launched the Asia Pacific Interior Designers’ Accreditation Program (AP-ID-AP), which will formally recognize our creative design professionals both within their own countries and across the Asia Pacific region.
