No two designers are likely to produce the same outcome. For that reason, Cosentino partnered with Matthew Lim, founder and principal of Matthew Lim Associates, to present Voices of Design, a space for designers to share a glimpse into their minds and their creative journeys. Through these reflections, fellow designers and industry experts were also able to gain new perspectives and discover visions that they best resonated with.

The audience explored three distinct perspectives during the talk, featuring Kashfi Emir, the founder of Studio Three; Alice Lee, principal designer and founder of SSO Studio; and Ken Ee, co-founder of Wunderwall Design.

For Emir, understanding context is crucial when a new project emerges. “The aesthetics or the visual identity always comes at a later stage,” he remarked. “I always try to clarify the context at the start—who it’s for, why we’re doing this, and what we hope to achieve.” More importantly, he believes creativity should go hand in hand with practicality. “A space must function beyond its aesthetics,” he explained. “When storytelling meets usability, the design truly comes alive.”

Lee’s philosophy focuses on designing spaces for the people. Beyond the look of the place, she views design as a way to improve lives, prioritising how individuals move, pause, and feel within their environment. But if there were limitations, she leverages them as a source of new inspiration. “On one project, limited resources led us to rely on instinctive, on-site decisions,” she shared. “The result was a raw, authentic narrative that might not have emerged otherwise.”

When it came to Ee, he champions two keywords: balance and restraint. “We try not to overdo certain things, focusing on only the essentials,” he expressed. As opposed to many who see restrictions as constraining, this designer embraces them as opportunities for innovation. “I rarely set out just to push boundaries, as that can lead to inauthentic results,” Ee admitted. Instead, he places emphasis on grounding his designs in local culture, especially as contemporary design becomes increasingly homogenised.

“I hope the audience walks away with a renewed sense of purpose,” Lim said. “If even one idea inspires someone to approach their next project with fresh curiosity or deeper conviction, then Voices of Design will have achieved its goal.”