John Lim, founder of The Humid House

The studio has already made a name for itself with its designs for events by luxury brands such as Franck Muller, Kenzo, Cartier and Hugo Boss, and popular venues such as The Warehouse Hotel, Straits Clan and Privé, along with other clients for weddings and more. Next up are plans to expand This Humid House’s reach to Paris.

The 34‐year‐old’s ideas stem from his background in architecture – he has worked in big firms such as Steven Holl Architects and Büro Ole Scheeren – while borrowing from a variety of landscape traditions, floristry techniques and contemporary art.

“One of our biggest challenges is getting interesting ingredients for our work,” he shares. “I believe we should mine what we have in the tropics, and not be reliant on imported ingredients. So I’ve been talking to growers who are open to growing things for us. And I’m constantly pushing nurseries here to bring in or grow interesting plants for us, such as heirloom corn with beautiful pixelated kernels – yes, it grows really well in Singapore!”

Balancing creative and commercial considerations is a constant struggle, he admits. “I need to exercise wisdom in deciding when to play art school and when to be a businessman.”

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