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From 1 April to 31 July 2019, the first floor of Scotts Square plays host to the Mosscape Concept pop-up store, organised by the Nyee Phoe Group.
Kenny Eng, Director of Nyee Phoe Group and former President of Kranji Countryside, shares that as Singapore’s first “Horti-Tainment” Farm – a combination of horticulture and entertainment – they wanted to bring the concept closer to everyone.
The Mosscape showcase will feature an exclusive range of preserved plants that will help build the green wall of your dreams, as well as terrarium workshops and health and wellness talks.
Nyee Phoe has also partnered with local farmers to present a farm-to-fork takeaway menu, from fresh salads to Assam Fish Chowder soup.
d+a caught up with Eng to find out why he is doing this.
How does Mosscape complement what the Nyee Phoe Group (NPG) is doing?
Using nature as the source of inspiration for conceptualising ideas and experiences, the NPG Ecosystem was invented, decidedly to carry out the mission of creating a nature-inspired lifestyle. In line with our mission, NPG’s clientele today includes corporates, children/youth and families. Their appreciation of nature is what makes NPG appealing to them.
By integrating our venues to suit the specific human nature of our clientele, the Mosscape concept store adds on to NPG’s comprehensive portfolio of services: landscape and horticulture, floral and decoration, events and venue management, dining experience (in-house bistro), farm stay, green workshops and leisure activities, as well as edutainment. The last of which is placed under the charge of Gardenasia via their eco-ambassadors, Titoy & Morchoo.
Horticulture and landscaping tend to be associated with the outdoors. It seems NPG is trying to prove otherwise. Why?
More than 90 percent of Singaporeans stay in apartments and there is a potential market in this space. What is critical is not just introducing products, but to understand our community (clients) – we address their needs and inspire them to have nature as part of their lifestyle.
NPG has a history of over 100 years. What are your personal plans for the business?
Change is inevitable and it is important for any company to adapt to the needs of the consumers as we move along. Society today is more complex than it was before, and it has made understanding your community even more important, as it is a key factor that helps you adapt and innovate new ideas and concepts that suit their lifestyle. My plan for NPG has always been to drive the business forward through continuously evolving and remaining the thought leader in this unique farm + entertainment (Horti-Tainment) space that engages the community.
Why should architects work with NPG?
NPG is about reliability, credibility, quality and sustainability. We are more than just a landscaping company – we develop communities. We believe that spaces should be community-led, and that’s why we have been investing time and effort to build this community that we care about.
In a place like Singapore, where space will only continue to shrink, architects have a huge part to play in shaping the space our community works and plays in. NPG offers solutions that support sky-rise greening, which architects can possibly incorporate into their building design – this prevents our beautiful city from becoming just another concrete jungle.
Many clients often say having landscaping is difficult and expensive to maintain. What is your rebuttal to that?
Ultimately, many may have the perception that landscaping is difficult because they have no green fingers – not good at gardening. Everyone enjoys nature as it brings positive feelings such as calmness, a sense of relaxation and a beautiful tranquil ambience. Even though it can be challenging to maintain, the positive feelings outweigh the challenges, bringing you a form of happiness when time and effort is spent to take care of it, be it a small plant at home. With Mosscape’s preserved moss/foliage or trees, not only does it provide a natural atmosphere, it also require low maintenance. This is perfect for everyone as you get to enjoy nature be it being indoors.
