The Hall of Fame for Asian Interior Architecture & Design
Behind every visually compelling space, lies a creative mind. Through monthly featured interviews, Distinguished Design Personalities brings in the spotlight design personalities who play a crucial role in shaping the global interior architecture and design scene.
We speak with influential designers and industry leaders who have in common stand-out works to flaunt, and a stellar career denoted by accolades and prestige, as well as academia thought leaders who shape design pedagogy and practice, to glean insights into prominent design personalities of our time.

Teo Yang
Teo Yang is the founder of Seoul-based Teo Yang Studio, known for designing commercial and high-end residential projects that interchange traditional and modern designs. After obtaining an undergraduate degree in interior architecture from the School …
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Izumi Sugimoto
Following the departure of Takashi Sugimoto, his wife, Izumi Sugimoto took over as President of Super Potato. Nearly half a century later after Super Potato was founded, Izumi fronts the space design firm. Asia Designers …
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Ben Wu
Based in Shanghai, Ben Wu is one of China’s most highly-acclaimed interior designers. His design studios, W.Design and W+S Deco Group, have worked on the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, among landmark hotels, historic redevelopment projects, …
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Joey Ho
Joey Ho is the design partner at P A L Design Group, a prominent, award-winning interior design consultancy firm based in Hong Kong. Born in Taiwan, raised in Singapore and graduated in Hong Kong, Joey …
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Nguyen Hoang Manh
Founder and principal architect of MIA Design Studio, Nguyen Hoang Manh lights up the Vietnamese architectural scene with iconic buildings that reflect modernist flair. Since its inception in 2003, the studio, specialising in architecture, interior …
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Ajax Law and Virginia Lung
Ajax Law and Virginia Lung are co-founders of One Plus Partnership, a Hong Kong-based, multiple award-winning interior design firm. Since its inception in 2004, One Plus has received more than 800 international interior design awards …
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Pitupong Chaowakul
Architect Pitupong Chaowakul is the founder of award-winning Supermachine Studio, a multi-disciplinary design studio based in Bangkok. After attaining a Master’s degree in Architecture from the Berlage Institute of Architecture, Rotterdam, Chaowakul worked with Nox …
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Daniel Song and Kate Cho
In this edition, Asia Designers Directory casts the spotlight on Daniel Song and Kate Cho, principals and co-founders of intg. Based in Seoul, this husband-and-wife duo leads in the country’s architectural design scene, with a …
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Syed Fawad Hussain
This month, Asia Designers Directory casts the spotlight on Syed Fawad Hussain, founder and principal architect of award-winning Pakistani architectural firm, Metropolitan Studio of Architecture (MSA). With an academic background covering both architecture and philosophy, Syed …
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Peter Tay
This month, Asia Designers Directory casts the spotlight on Peter Tay, a celebrity interior designer whose star-studded client list includes Zhang Ziyi and Stephanie Sun. Peter graduated from the Architectural Association in London in 2000 …
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Annika Fernando
Annika Fernando is a Colombo-based renowned interior designer. A multi-faceted entrepreneur and creative at heart, Annika Fernando inspires living through her line of work and has also carved success as founder of concept store and …
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Elora Hardy
Elora Hardy leads an international team in creating home hospitality projects, school campuses, private homes, and bespoke furniture collections made of natural materials and built in ways that reconnect one with nature. Asia Designers Directory interviews Elora, …
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Bill Bensley
Award-winning founder and creative director of design studio Bensley, Bangkok-based American architect and designer Bill Bensley is a world-renowned hotel designer who has partnered with global hospitality brands including Four Seasons, Capella, JW Marriott, and …
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Keat Ong
An architect by training, Keat Ong is the creative director of Keat Ong Design, a multidisciplinary consultancy specialising in interior and product design. He is also the president of the Society of Interior Designers Singapore …
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Dai Kun
Dai Kun is China’s famed architect and interior designer. A multi-awarded designer, Dai Kun’s works are widely publicized in China’s media and showcased in the international design scene. He has authored several design books and …
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Shabnam Gupta
One of the most acclaimed and awarded interior designers in India, Mumbai-based Shabnam Gupta is globally recognized for her stellar portfolio of iconic Bollywood celebrity homes and stunning commercial projects. Founder of The Orange Lane, …
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Kenneth Cobonpue
Kenneth Cobonpue is an internationally-renowned Filipino furniture maker who showcases high-end hand-crafted furnishing made of rattan, bamboo, and abaca. A multi-awarded furniture designer and manufacturer from Cebu, Kenneth Cobonpue studied Industrial Design at Pratt Institute …
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IDr Lai Siew Hong
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Designer of Malaysia-based Blu Water, IDr Lai Siew Hong is the creative lead in award-winning projects such as The Edison George Town (Penang), EQ Kuala Lumpur and Hard Rock Hotel at …
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Desmond Freeman
Once the Federal President of the Design Institute of Australia in the 1980s and founder of one of the leading interior and museum design practices in Australia, Desmond Freeman is now an artist, author, and …
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Tony Chi
Tony Chi is the Founder of tonychi studio, a global design practice based in New York. A design maverick best known for collaborations with international luxury hospitality brands such as Rosewood Hotels, Ritz Carlton and …
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Ryu Kosaka
Ryu Kosaka joined Japan-listed Nomura Co. Ltd in 1985 and has since risen the rungs to become the executive creative director of its Commercial Facilities Division and the head of Aoyama Nomura Design (A.N.D), the …
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Vipavadee Pao Patpongpibul
As the founder and CEO of P49 Deesign & Associates, Vipavadee leads one of the largest interior design companies in Thailand and South East Asia. Boasting a stellar career, Vipavadee earns global acclaim for stand-out …
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Steve Leung
Lauded as a prominent architect and designer in Asia, Steve Leung impresses as a multi-faceted creative whose works have garnered many international awards. He established his practice in 1987, before founding Steve Leung Design Group …
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Lyndon Neri & Rossana Hu
Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu, founders of internationally-acclaimed Neri&Hu are a power couple and an unmistakable force in the global design scene. They founded inter-disciplinary architectural design practice Neri&Hu in 2004, after having worked for …
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