“Design is the core and the essential baseline of my work. It is what drives me, grounds me, moves me and ignites me into action.”

Dennis is the founder and creative director of UPSTRS. His role encompasses guiding the artistic, technical and strategic directions that each project requires from conception to completion. Design is a perennial preoccupation for Dennis, who believes that every brief has the potential to offer genuine and new experiences for its uses.

“I have great passion for people, life, culture, stories, memories. What is truly magical about architecture and design is that they can encompass all of that, if we approach it sensitively and strategically.”

Dennis’ ability to evoke moods, and make users question the status quo through unique reinterpretations of form, space, material and context stem from a non-linear and somewhat circular trajectory of experiences. Pop culture, music, graphic design, fashion and sculpture formed the bedrock of early influences until he found his place in theatre – both through school and performance – enamoured by the built visions of space, light, objects, fashion and music that come together to create holistic, visceral experiences through the a storytelling lens.

Likewise, through architecture as a medium and vessel, he continues to tell stories. In the process, he builds upon preceding knowledge of poetics and narrative the necessary demands of pragmatism, concepts, ideation and the power of design to affect change and memory in the everyday life of users.

Dennis graduated with a Masters of Architecture degree at the National University of Singapore and underwent professional tutelage with award-winning architect Colin Seah of Ministry of Design (MOD) in his formative years. He embarked on his own journey through UPSTRS to articulate his own voice, alongside a growing team whose voices he believes are as vital as his own.

“Turning lines on drawings into tangible and physical space within the time and budget constraints is the ultimate goal I seek in my work. True satisfaction also comes from seeing a happy and appreciative client at the end of each design journey.”

Mark is punctilious, exacting and has a strong grounding in a wide range of disciplines. These qualities are vital in the diverse roles he undertake at UPSTRS, which require both meticulous attention to detail and an eagle-eye viewpoint on the overall direction of each project. On a day-to-day basis, Mark manages the technical aspects of projects comprising implementation, contracts, costing and specifications. His passion for seeking out the best in each team member makes him a vital leader in the firm.

Mark’s academic training and experience, ranging from running projects in large firms to straddling the multifarious responsibilities of building processes and on-site management in a design-and-build firm has been instrumental in elevating the standards of projects at UPSTRS. After an early grounding in business studies, he honed his creative side with an interior architecture and design degree at Nottingham Trent University. Mark’s high design standards come about from working in award-winning design companies, such as Malaysian architecture firm, CPG Architects and Formwerkz Architects in Singapore.

In 2022, he became a key team member at UPSTURS, where he enjoys developing his interest in the many design disciplines through the opportunities afforded to him by the firm’s cross-disciplinary oeuvre.

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