Whether it’s serendipity or by design, Ken Yuktasevi’s recent projects have all cropped up in Singapore’s most buzzworthy locations, involving clients that are very much of-the-moment. The founder and creative director of design firm Parable Studio is behind Swee Lee Clarke Quay, Hideaway at New Bahru, and the newest outpost of Mavrx Coffee in Holland Village.
Swee Lee Clarke Quay’s interior is a riot of colour and pattern inspired by musical rhythms.
Somewhat controversially, the latter is taking over the space formerly occupied by the iconic Thambi Magazine Store, the 80-year-old institution that shuttered in May this year. The cafe will share the pocket-sized space with cult bedding label Sunday Bedding. Yuktasevi, 44, is more than aware of how emotionally charged the space is. As a design tribute, he is installing a handwoven composite material to shade the walkway, recalling the tarp canopy that once stood in its place.
Swee Lee Clarke Quay is the homegrown music retailer’s flagship. It opened in April, just as Clarke Quay underwent a revamp to become a day-and-night destination. And Hideaway is a holistic wellness centre in New Bahru, the creative cluster in River Valley that is arguably the city’s most fashionable hotspot right now.
The private vault in Swee Lee Clarke Quay displays limited edition and collector guitars.
Yuktasevi might appear to have his finger on the pulse, but he assures you that it isn’t because he trawls social media for the latest trends. “I don’t go to Instagram to see what’s happening. I don’t look at Pinterest boards,” he says. “What I do try to do is honestly think about where we sit in time right now, and [how that relates to the project I’m designing].”
Leading an 18-strong team of creatives, he shares: “Parable is all about storytelling, because at the heart of it, design is empowering your clients, your market, your audience, your customers, your guests, to live out a story.”
(Related: How design disruptor Colin Seah is celebrating 20 years of transformative creativity)
- CINEMATIC MAGIC, FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT
- RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW
Cinematic magic, for your entertainment
The father of four kids, Yuktasevi's journey into the world of design began in a household where creativity was a way of life. His formal education took him to Stowe College in the UK, where he studied art and design, followed by film and cinematography at Bond University in Australia. However, a pivotal moment came when he lost his mother, who had owned an interior design firm. In the wake of her passing, Yuktasevi sought to honor her legacy by stepping into the role of running her business.
This experience, though fraught with challenges, became a transformative period for him; it not only redirected his career path, but also illuminated how the storytelling techniques he had learned in filmmaking could be woven into the fabric of interior design. The former, he says, is one of the most cross-disciplinary art forms in the world, encompassing scripting, staging, lighting, acting, music, editing, and marketing.
“You have to be collaborative. You have to understand the different disciplines that you’re involved with. In my case, it’s been not just understanding the creative disciplines, but also the business disciplines of my clients..."
“You have to be collaborative. You have to understand the different disciplines that you’re involved with. In my case, it’s been not just understanding the creative disciplines, but also the business disciplines of my clients, understanding what makes sense for their business, how they operate, and that collaboration creates a full story,” he explains. In 2016, he set up Parable with business partner Mark De Winne, although the latter eventually left to pursue his own interests.
Unlike other design studios that have a department to specify furniture and decorations, Parable has what is effectively a props department. Furnishings or objects that can’t be commercially sourced are designed and made by the team. Yuktasevi says that this bespoke, handcrafted approach has begun to define many of Parable’s projects.
(Related: Telling stories through interior design)
The studio’s portfolio is as varied as they come: From F&B venues like Crystal Jade Palace and Grain Traders, to hospitality locales like Patina Maldives and Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounges, Parable undertakes them all. “Interiors are like sets,” maintains Yuktasevi, borrowing another cinematic analogy.
“When it comes to F&B or hospitality, it’s absolute entertainment. You’re trying to create a set [for the audience]. You’re creating spaces that release as much dopamine as possible. It’s like a drug, you know? It’s hip, there’s color, vibrancy, Instagrammability and all that. You’re basically creating experiential dopamine release chambers.”
- CINEMATIC MAGIC, FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT
- RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW
Right here, right now
Mavrx Coffee’s Great World outpost sports a new design language that’s all about sustainability.
If you’re in need of said dopamine fix, head over to the new Mavrx Coffee/Sunday Bedding store, where Yuktasevi is making a statement about sustainability by adopting upcycled building materials. The counter that straddles the walkway and interior is composed of a material made from used bottle caps, shredded and moulded into panels to resemble molten terrazzo. Meanwhile, the furniture is composed of chopsticks that have been compacted and transformed into building blocks, which are then shaped into tables and chairs.
With Hideaway, Yuktasevi intentionally steered clear of cliched spa design archetypes. Instead, he sought to introduce warmth and a soothing ambience by carving out spaces defined by imperfection – meaning handmade custom details and “lines that don’t fully line up” for a homespun, rough-hewn aesthetic. It’s the design equivalent of wearing your favorite sweater.
His scheme for Swee Lee Clarke Quay also subverts trendy, minimalist retail design concepts; the interiors are a riot of color and pattern, with motifs inspired by musical notes and their rhythmic expressions. Think black-and-white tiles that resemble piano keys and checkerboard carpeting that recall punk tartans – all in an airy warehouse that has the vibe of an independent record store in Seattle.
Hideaway’s reception lounge is swathed in warm, natural colours.
When it comes to Singapore’s design landscape, Parable is among the handful of studios leading the pack. The firm has, by any measure, achieved considerable success. But Yuktasevi, a restless soul, is already working towards unlocking the next level of achievement, which is the pursuit of meaning and purpose. “Can we start to design spaces and brands that help us to think outside of ourselves? Is there a greater role that we could play?” he asks rhetorically.
“The problem is that I get sucked into [the idea of] achievement, of making more money, and comparing myself to other designers. But if I can step outside of that, I can start to make decisions to be more than just that.” Suffice it to say that we can’t wait to witness that next evolution.
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