“The strongest projects emerge when we listen deeply, understand the client’s aspirations and allow different perspectives to improve the design.” – Tan Bing Hui
When one pictures an architect’s ambition, what comes to mind might be show-stopping buildings, conceived to evoke awe and wonder. But a conversation with Tan Bing Hui and Xu Naiyan reveals a duo who pushes back against that narrative. At Create Architecture, the practice they founded together in 2017, thoughtful design is measured less by a space’s loudness, and more by how it holds up the lives lived inside it.
Tan and Xu met as architecture undergraduates at the National University of Singapore in 2006, though their paths only merged into a shared practice more than a decade later. Some might raise an eyebrow at going into business with a friend, but watching the pair finish each other’s sentences, trade good-natured jabs, and circle back to the same convictions about what makes a house a home, it is hard to imagine the arrangement working any other way. Both are also fathers of two, a shared context that perhaps sharpens their instinct for designing homes and spaces that function holistically.
Ask Xu what has shaped his practice most and he keeps returning to a single word: listen. It sounds almost too simple a discipline for one built on drawings, models, and calculations, yet for these two, it is precisely that habit of listening, closely and often, that gives rise to great design, and greater spaces.
What are some career milestones?
Tan Bing Hui (TBH): Project-wise, I’m particularly proud of Clover Villas, Beacon of Elegance at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, and Capri by Fraser in Phnom Penh. Each of these were a first for us in its typology. But the greatest milestone remains watching clients place their trust in us time and time again, and seeing younger members of our team grow into confident professionals.
What is something you’ve changed your mind about over your career?
TBH: I used to think an architect’s role was to impose the best design solution. I’ve since realised good architecture is less about a singular vision and more about guiding a collaborative process, one where listening deeply and understanding a client’s aspirations lets different perspectives improve the design.
Xu Naiyan (XN): Over time, we’ve come to believe it’s instead about humility, empathy, and responsibility. Architecture is far less about iconic design and far more about improving people’s everyday lives.
What’s an aspect of architecture that’s often misunderstood?
TBH: That architecture isn’t only about designing attractive buildings. Much of the work is unseen: coordinating, anticipating problems, and protecting a project’s integrity through thousands of small decisions.
How do you ensure you design a space that works for others?
NY: I make it a habit to observe carefully, about how people move, how they use a space, how daylight changes throughout the day and how materials age. Architecture begins with observation. This habit has helped me look beyond appearance and design spaces that respond more meaningfully to everyday life.
How do you stay motivated when things get tough?
TBH: I remind myself that every difficult period is temporary, but the architecture and spaces we create may remain for generations. Knowing people have placed their trust in me gives me the determination to keep finding a solution.
What do you do to unwind when you’re not working?
NY: As a history buff, I enjoy exploring old buildings, observing how our forefathers sculpted spaces and lived back in the day.
TBH: For myself, I enjoy exploring new solutions beyond what is expected. I’m often quietly rethinking a space, detail, or experience to discover how it can be improved. As an architect, some of the most meaningful ideas emerge when curiosity, rather than obligation, leads the conversation and drives the process.
Tell us the secret to good design.
NY: Listening well. That is the key to good design.
TBH: Don’t rush to make an impression. Focus instead on doing meaningful work consistently. Recognition comes and goes, but integrity, perseverance, and the quality of your work will define the path you take.
Photography by Eugene Lee of Enfinite / Hair & Makeup by Sveta Klyn of Suburbs Studio
