André Fu

André Fu. Photo: Fuegia

André Fu graduated from Cambridge University in 2000 and founded AFSO before returning in 2004 to his native Hong Kong. He has produced a series of internationally recognised hospitality interior architecture projects, including the Upper House Hotel (Hong Kong), the waterfront Fullerton Bay Hotel (Singapore), Piacere Italian Restaurant and Nadaman Japanese Restaurant (Shangri-La Hotel Tokyo), and Capella Singapore’s signature Cassia Restaurant. Broader work includes Lane Crawford Store’s Shoe Library - one of the biggest shoe boutiques in the world. He has also recently set up the André Fu Living brand.

André Fu’s recent Tac Tile lighting project with Lasvit. Photo: Courtesy AFSO

In the field of what we are doing the spirit of innovation needs to be rooted in the past and learning from what has been done before, and using that to create new experiences that are truthful. For me there should be no innovation for innovation’s sake; it really is about learning from the past and evolving it in a way that is meaningful. I’m never too keen on looking for the most avant-garde, or of-the-moment materials. I like to use materials that are close to nature, and the level of innovation for me is to be truthful to them and the experience itself. In this somewhat globalised world where social media is so prominent it’s easy to forget about the reason to innovate.

André Fu’s recent Tac Tile lighting project with Lasvit. Photo: Courtesy AFSO

Often in our sector it becomes about just trying to create the ‘wow’ factor, but the real value of our role as designers is much more about creating experiences and places for people to be in. We need to create experiences that are answerable to the types of lifestyle we lead these days, so that it goes beyond the superficial level of ‘wow’, but it’s about something that really touches the spirit of the place.

As far as innovation is concerned, my role within my studio is to constantly challenge my team. We need to challenge ourselves to step out of our comfort zone. There are obviously certain signature projects that get a lot of coverage but it’s important that we step outside of these as well.

What we do is also a collaborative process - even beyond the studio. It is really about the creative synergy and the willingness to challenge ourselves together that produces the most innovative results.

Galerie Perrotin in Hong Kong. Photo: Courtesy AFSO

When you are working in different time zones, in different countries with different people and different cultures the spirit of innovation is not just a personal goal; the real challenge is to create the spirit within our practice and with the people we are working with, as you can never do it on your own.

Innovation is also about being aware of what is around you and absorbing that, because you never know when there will be a particular moment that will be relevant to your future work, and my perception in this way is also quite organic.

Kioku Restaurant - Four Seasons Hotel, Seoul. Photo: Courtesy AFSO

Everything is evolving very quickly, and in particular in the hospitality sector where people are looking for far more bespoke experiences - people want experiences that are much more personal, and that is really driving design at the moment - it’s about balancing the pragmatic with the aesthetic. The aesthetics will never be successful unless the pragmatics are fully addressed.

From my recent projects I think the collection I did with Lasvit is strongly innovative and challenged perceptions in the way we tried to recalibrate the tactility of glass, its materiality.

It was a goal I set myself, and it was a good journey that has been positively received. It opens up a new side to what people would expect from them. JT