d+a | Issue 128 • 2023

79 “The pot bears an uncanny resemblance to a rice bowl – this visual element is a frequent recurrence in my work, as it represents a person’s livelihood,” she explains. “The library scene signifies a quest for knowledge and learning through an industry that is ever-changing.” Paintings aside, last year White Jacket also partnered with Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) to conceptualise and develop bespoke stools for its void deck-inspired retail space. Ten stools were produced –Ho Douven invited eight NAFA artists to apply their unique touch to the stools, while the remaining two stools were designed in-house byWhite Jacket designers. “We wanted to make art accessible to everyone and encourage the public to buy locally produced art and support the local art community,” Ho Douven says, adding the proceeds from the sale of these stools went towards NAFA scholarships to nurture the next generation of artists. a unique place to work in White Jacket’s main work area is bright and airy with an open-concept layout. The elegant Elgin Bridge, which spans across the Singapore River, is visible through the main window. Design elements like blonde wood, unused stones from factories, corrugated panels and sculptural furniture feature throughout the studio, giving the rooms a feeling of comfort and sophistication. But what makes the studio a really special place to work in is the fact that almost everything in it is custom-made or commissioned and therefore unique – much like Ho Douven’s approach to projects. Just as ‘bespoke’ and ‘one-of-a-kind’ are apt descriptions of the White Jacket studio, they also define the way Ho Douven and her team work. “We are dedicated to creating beautiful interior spaces that are ‘bespoke’ and ‘one-of-a-kind’,” she says. The meeting room table is made up of two round modules arranged in a figure of “8”, and the pendant lamp is inspired by suspended mobiles.