Coroflot

Resume

S u m m a r y

My design experience spans over an extremely wide spectrum, crossing design genres and international borders. As a Creative director in the furniture retail industry for more than a decade in Toronto and Singapore, I was involved in the creative direction for branding, advertising graphics, store visuals, design of trade show booths, furniture, home accessories + interiors. My work as a Curator of an art gallery has also added another level to my understanding of promotion and design management. Prior to that, during my work as a Project Architect for 2 years, I was involved in architectural design competitions and project management.


O b j e c t i v e

To achieve a unique process-driven approach to design and creative brand management. In my opinion, design has no boundaries whether it is graphics, products, interiors or architecture. It is an experiential field driven by passion and a thorough understanding of commercial need and aesthetics. It is about creating a fine balance to achieve effective solutions that work. My career objective is to continue to draw on my well-rounded view on design and to use my passion in design to build a successful design practice.

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D e s i g n E x p e r i e n c e s

PRINCIPAL | ART DIRECTOR
(Aug 2008 - Current)
Company : Muun Design Studio

Muun design studio is my own design practice set up in August 2008 located in Toronto, Ontario. Our main focus is on Branding | Illustration | Print graphics | Art direction | Brand extensions into social media networks & websites.



CREATIVE DIRECTOR
(Dec 2004 - Oct 2007)
Company : UpCountry Canada Inc.

UpCountry is the leader in contemporary furniture retail in Canada. With 3 stores across the Greater Toronto area. In order to continue maintaining their reputation as the design-mecca of the furniture industry, my role to spear head and up-keep their brand image is crucial. Following the latest trends and keeping a consistent brand image through various advertising media, my experience in art direction and brand management becomes more apparent.
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HEAD OF CREATIVE DEPARTMENT
(Nov 2000 - July 2004)
Company : The Life Shop Pte Ltd.

The Life Shop is essentially a furniture and home accessories store, with a strong focus on modern, new asian design style. With retail stores in Singapore and exporting to 20 over countries worldwide, their design-driven work environment had provided me with vast experiences in Exhibition Trade fair design, Interior Design, Visual Merchandising, Sales & Marketing, and Buying. All these experiences further developed and honed my business and design sense in the retail industry. My leadership skill, ability to work in a team environment, initiative and efficient work attitude is also universally recognized as an asset to the company.(For more details on this company, visit their website www.thelifeshop.com)

Roles + Responsibilities:
- Headed the weekly design meetings to carve out new furniture designs
and directions for each season
- Provided creative direction for the following areas :
- during travels for product sourcing
- set-up of overseas operations
- projects (including hospitality, retail and residential projects)
- visuals for the sales + marketing department
- company website and e-commerce divisions
- Managed and provided guidance to a team of designers + sales staff

Project involvement:
- Retail Store design and planning for the new
THELIFESHOP + LIFEbaby outlets:
- Trade Fair booth design, planning and project
coordination for :
Thailand International Bangkok 2001-2004
IMM Koln Fair + Dubai INDEX fairs 2003
Bangkok Gift Fair 2002
- Interior design, furniture planning and styling for
Residential Projects:
Seletar Hill Condo, Jalan Limau Bali residence,
Palm grove Condo and etc.
- Furniture planning and creative input for
Hospitality Projects:
Hard Rock Hotel (Pattaya, Thailand)


PRODUCT DESIGN

- LIFEbaby garment design, production, quality checks and final store visual
- Furniture design, development and quality checks at regional factories (2001-2004)
- Soft-furnishings, cushion and linen design for THELIFESHOP: (2001-2004)


GRAPHICS FOR MARKETING + SALES

- Concept and Planning for Branding concept for the LIFEbaby in 2001:
from brand concept, market research, business plan to current retail success!
- Created themes for The Great Singapore Sale events 2001 to 2004
- Artistic-direction and production of all visual merchandising + marketing materials (from point of sale signs, posters, brochures, plastic bags, gift wrappers, vouchers, emailers and etc.)
- Website design and update for THELIFESHOP + LIFEbaby (2001-2004)
(www.thelifeshop.com and www.lifebaby.com)
- Part of Retail management team : provided training for sales staff on Product knowledge + Seasonal Gift-wrapping styles

PRODUCT SOURCING + VISUAL MERCHANDISING

- Appointed Creative Buyer for :
Hong Kong Fashion week (Jan 04)
Bangkok International Fashion Fair (Jan 04)
Indian Spring Fair in New Dehli (Apr 04)
Bangkok International Gift Fair (Apr 03)
China guangzhou gift fairs (Oct 02)
Paris Maison&Objets Fair (Jan 01)
Birmingham Fairs (Jan 01)
- Design, set up and coordination of shop visuals, window displays, point of sales and advised on placement + styling of merchandise
- Worked closely with merchandisers on product procurement according to design direction, sales forecasts and consumer feedback

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O t h e r D e s i g n E x p e r i e n c e s

CURATOR
(July 2005 - Mar 2007)
Company : art101 gallery, toronto

art101 is a commercial gallery housed within UpCountry's flagship store in downtown Toronto. As the curator, it is my responsibility to source for new artists, organise exhibitions and manage a growing inventory of artists & original artworks in the gallery.

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Art Teacher (Part-time)
(Jun 1997 - Mar 1998)
Company : CRESTAR Learning Centre for ACE Family Lifestyle (Singapore)
This is a child-care and development centre offering classes to children from 2-12 years, including Speech & Drama, Art and Music Classes. As a believer of home education, I have always included a parents session in my lesson plans and gave them advice on how to encourage their childs' creativity at home.

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Merit prize winner at the IKEA Design awards, (1996)
Designed The OPI-UM daybed, a modern interpretation of the day-bed-platform

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Design accolades in College (Jan 1991 - Dec 1992)
- Director and Chief Editor of Publications Committee at The LEO Club (1991-1992)
- Illustrator for College Newspaper + Publication (1991-1992)
- Designed College Year book Cover (1991)

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I n t e r i o r | A r c h i t e c t u r a l
E x p e r i e n c e s

Project Architect
(Jul 1999 - Sep 2000)
Company : Archurban Architects Planners (Singapore)
Archurban is a medium-sized firm established in the early 1970s. They are well-known for their breakthroughs in residential planning in the 70��s where they built circular apartment blocks and introduced ��split-level�� plans. Now, they specialise in development of condominium projects in China.

Freelance Interior designer
(Jan 1998 - Dec 2000)
Design + contract management for independent furniture and interior fitting-out works of apartments and terrace houses (Singapore).

Architectural Assistant
(Jun 1996 - Jul 1997)
(University internship program)
Company : URBAN 3 Architects
This small architectural practice specialises in residential projects and small government-linked projects. As part of the post graduate course, all graduates are required to serve 12 months of internship in an Architectural firm.



S p e c i a l S k i l l s + I n t e r e s t s

- Passion for life, design and all things beautiful
- Good eye for details, colours, textures and proportions
- Recent convert of Digital Photography
- Special gift in product packaging, re-packaging and styling
- Quick in picking up and learning new skills independently
- Team player with plenty of initiative
- Competitive and technically sound in Autocad, Photoshop, Pagemaker,
Dreamweaver, Freehand and MS Office applications
- Speak and write fluently in English and Chinese.
- Avid collector of exotic prints, postcards, trinkets and graphics
- Grew up in the swinging 70's with a craze for all things retro.



Contact I n f o r m a t i o n

Sching Ng
Toronto | Canada
Email | sching@muundesign.com
Website | www.muundesign.com
Blog | http://www.muundesign.com/blog