Holy Trinity

As the principal at Hirsch Bedner Associates’ ultra-high-end residential design house HBA Residential, Chris Godfrey possesses a design philosophy that draws inspiration from people, places and possessions. He tells us how he creates luxury through design.

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Chris Godfrey, an award-winning chartered architect with the Royal Institute of British Architects, has over 22 years of experience in designing residences for very discerning clients.

The British architect and interior designer moved to Singapore five years ago and has since established HBA Residential, under parent company Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA). He has set up design studios in Singapore and London, and a third is slated to open in Los Angeles this year.

Chris oversees all architectural and interior design, as well as operational aspects, and he regards the practice as “one studio in two (soon-to-be three) locations”. “We collaborate, we share work, we share geographical locations,” he says. With a staff strength of 30 in Singapore and 15 in London, HBA Residential is like a boutique studio within HBA’s 54-yearold, 1,800-strong, global framework across 26 locations. “The strong foundation of our parent company and its wide geographical reach give us the genuine ability to service our clients globally,” he emphasises.

The studios have commissions all over Europe, the Middle East, India and even Russia. Around the region, they are working on private residences for a fashion designer just outside of Shanghai, and for an Indian steel industrialist family on the sea coast in central Mumbai, as well as on a residence located at The Peak in Hong Kong. They are also working on their first significant project in Singapore for a private client.

WHAT IS HBA RESIDENTIAL’S DESIGN PHILOSOPHY?

We see ourselves as the first point in the client-situation designer triangle. It is a unique triangle that will never be repeated. For example, we may work with the same client again, but in a different location.