Honourable Mansion Book and Design Talk

About the Programme:

This conversation delves into the deep research and design intent that led to the eventual form of the book and aims to breath new ideas into anyone interested in architectural heritage and material design. The unique perspectives of author Yeo Kang Shua and designer Randy Yeo will illuminate our concepts of “form” in architecture and book.

About the Book:

Honourable Mansion: The Invisible Hands Behind Singapore’s Last Traditional Teochew House traces the rich history of an iconic residence, the House of Tan Yeok Nee. The book explores the crafts, techniques, and recent restoration that have preserved the intricate fabric of the house. Drawing on interviews with craftsmen, conservation reports, and newly uncovered archival materials, Yeo Kang Shua reveals the cultural networks and material practices that sustained Teochew building traditions in Singapore.

About the Author:

Yeo Kang Shua is Associate Professor and Hokkien Foundation Professor in Architectural Conservation at the Singapore University of Technology and Design. He specialises in Singapore and Southeast Asia’s architectural history and conservation, with special interest in the built heritage of Chinese diaspora. His previous books, 《粵海清廟：建築與歷史的對話》 / Wak Hai Cheng Bio: A Dialogue between Architecture and History (ASD Press, 2020) and Divine Custody: A History of Singapore’s Oldest Teochew Temple (NUS Press, 2021), explore Teochew religious architecture in Singapore. This book on the House of Tan Yeok Nee focuses on the residential tradition, offering a complementary perspective on Teochew architectural expression in the city-state.

About the Speaker:

Randy Yeo is the Founder and Creative Director of Practice Theory, a creative agency working across Singapore and Vietnam. He is shaped by a mix of late-Modernism, contemporary culture, and the eclectic influences of JDM cars, cricket, and ’90s British bands. In 2015, he established Practice Theory, a branding and creative agency with a reputation for concept-driven work and a sharp typographic sensibility. His projects spans the public, cultural, and commercial sectors, with clients including the National Gallery Singapore, DesignSingapore Council, Samsonite (APAC), Everon (VN), and Gogolook (TW). PT’s work has also been recognised globally by the British D&AD, the Tokyo Type Directors Club, The One Show, and Taiwan’s Golden Pin Design Award.