In Mind Your Business, we speak with business leaders and thinkers who inspire their respective companies and industries. Here, we feature José Cláudio Silva of 10 Design
Space is becoming an increasingly premium commodity, especially in a city as space-starved as Singapore. With every square foot holding immense value, it takes an experienced and accomplished hand to create properties that maximise both functionality and aesthetic appeal.
Few have shown a flair for navigating this challenge better than José Silva, design principal at 10 Design. Together with his team at the renowned architectural firm, Silva has built a reputation for his innovative approach to master planning and the development of high-end hospitality and residential projects.
With over 15 years in Singapore and an extensive portfolio spanning Southeast Asia and the Middle East, Silva has been at the helm of projects that transform urban spaces into thriving destinations. The Global Tech Exchange in Phnom Penh, for example, is a landmark mixed-use development designed to function as a hub for business and innovation. Consisting of twin office towers, the property connects luxury residences and retail spaces, with a pedestrian-friendly environment that enhances accessibility and engagement within the city.
Currently leading the Hon Thom Island project in Phu Quoc, Vietnam, an ambitious waterfront integrated resort that looks to accentuate the island’s natural beauty, Silva has his eyes set on designing more evergreen properties that maximise the spaces that be.
How do you and your team convey luxury when designing a property?
The luxury paradigm has shifted away from goods to experiential. Travellers are becoming more intentional about what they spend, where they spend it, and what they spend it on. Ultimately, the idea of luxury goes back to tailor-made experiences and personalisation.
In India, for example, we’ve been working on a couple of ultra-luxury single-family residences, where the focus is on crafting transformational spaces, personalised to the client, and using materials and finishes that unite the design.
We’ve been able to bring a lot of exciting ideas to the table through conversations with each family member over a roll of sketching paper, armed with a pen and a vision. The chance to jointly design with clients who are non-architectural professionals has been a very rewarding experience.
With multiple projects in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, what key lessons have you learned from overseeing projects in diverse regions?
One of the most fundamental lessons is the importance of understanding the culture of the place and the vision of the client. LWe have been fortunate to win work in some of the most diverse places, from Cairo to Muscat, Siem Reap to Hanoi, and Mumbai to Manila.
Being exposed to such cultural diversity gives us an opportunity to learn about the distinct demographics, history and culture of the regions, cities and communities. It enriches our designs, ensuring they seamlessly integrate with the local context, giving users a strong sense of place and helping them feel connected to the environment.
How do you strike a balance between respecting the surrounding landscape and achieving architectural grandeur?
The Aspira Tower at Hon Thom Island, which has recently broken ground in Phu Quoc, Vietnam, is one example of a successful symbiosis between spectacular natural landscape and a modern high-rise building. As a response to the local terrain and expansive views of the island, we imagined the tower as a pair of billowing sails set upon an invigorated bow—poised to depart into the Gulf of Thailand.
The design landscape is rapidly evolving with advancements in technology and changing client expectations. What do you see as the biggest opportunities for innovation in luxury architecture?
New technologies like smart technologies are revolutionising the design of hotel rooms, apartments, and houses. Spaces are becoming more interactive, customised, and flexible, allowing for quick, effortless transformations from a living room to a home theatre, or a study to a dining room.
I believe that there’ll be a continued rise in the integration of nature, and more focus on healthcare and sports within the luxury architecture sphere, especially as mindfulness, health, and well-being are increasingly top of mind. In terms of sectors, branded residential is set to become more popular, especially in Southeast Asia.
10 Design has worked on a broad range of projects, from civic spaces to integrated resorts. Is there a recent project that you feel exemplifies your vision for the future of design?
Our portfolio is diverse in geography and sector. In the Middle East, we’re working on large-scale projects that push the boundaries of design, exploring the future of human habitation. In densely populated Asian cities, such as Jakarta and Manila, our work is focused on master-planning projects, deploying the modern concepts of 15-minute cities and urban regeneration to improve the quality of life for city dwellers.
As global population growth and climate change continue to pose challenges in urban development, priority is increasingly given to sustainable, resilient and regenerative designs.
Lastly, who, in both personal and professional life, are your biggest inspirations?
The people who inspire me daily are my parents. My mother, a Brazilian geologist, and my father, a Portuguese civil engineer. They’re both very modest and from humble beginnings, but high achievers in their academic careers and still are today.
Their diverse experiences living in four countries across three continents—including the US during times of war and human rights discussions, Angola at the end of Portuguese colonialism, and Brazil after—have always provided me with a broader perspective on life, geopolitics, historical events, art, literature, and more.
