“What I desIgn should,
as much as possIble, serve
multIple purposes.”
–tommy laI, tldesIgntldesIgn
The Designer
Tommy Lai’s Masters education
in architecture, as well as his
experience in various architecture
firms like Ong&Ong, laid the
foundation for the setting up of
his own firm. TLDesign was set up
in 2018, and is a strong believer in
form-follows-function.
The PhilosoPhy
Tommy works with detailed
3-D models and 2-D drawings.
To create timeless and lasting
designs, he opts for natural
materials like stone and wood, and
picks out everything from carpets
to the smallest cutlery item. He
particularly loves the challenge
of designing small apartments;
he once increased storage space
within an apartment by 300
per cent, by including space-
maximising elements such as a
kitchen larder-inspired wardrobe
and an integrated platform bed.
The Muse
German designer Dieter Rams’ 10
commandments of good design.
“What I design should serve
multiplepurposes,”he says.