Breath Of Fresh Air

Originally from Italy and a resident of Singapore for a dozen years, Savina Nicolini is a designer with refreshingly different perspectives.

- Low Shi Ping

What is your design philosophy?

I see design as a process and a team working together. In this process, one of the most relevant factors is the context. Context is also my source of inspiration. My starting point is always the scale of the project. If I have to draw a table, I think of the room; if I have to draw a room I think of the building; if I have to draw the building I think of the city. The spatial dimension leads the design, after which comes into play many extremely important factors like the brief and budget.

Tell us about how something inspired a design.

I recently designed a small apartment in Singapore. I wanted something light, a delicate touch, a breath. With this idea in mind, I found the work of two artists, a photographer and a fashion designer who inspired me throughout the project, from the choice of materials to the colour palette. The photographer is Annie Leibovitz. One photo in particular from the American photographer enchanted me, the portrait of Misty Copeland, the first African-American female principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre.