Thoughts, work, recognition, and the occasional moment worth noting—from the studio.
While we are incredibly grateful for the projects that keep us busy during this period, we would like to take a moment to wish everyone a joyful Lunar New Year from all of us at the studio! May the Year of the Wood Snake bring you abundance, prosperity, and endless good fortune.
Roots is excited to unveil the rebranding work for FLOUR. The refreshed brand identity encapsulates the concept of "union" within FLOUR, achieved through the thoughtful integration of two distinct typefaces—details coming soon.
As 2024 draws to a close, Roots would like to take this moment to reflect with gratitude on the opportunities to collaborate with incredible brands and clients. Thank you!
Roots collaborated with {tabel} from Tokyo to redesign the packaging for their herbal tea series—details coming soon.
Roots is collaborating with T.H.E Dance Company on a brand extension initiative to modernise, unify, and elevate their existing visual identity to establish a consistent graphic language across all touchpoints and collateral—details coming soon.
Roots designed the key visual for INVISIBLE HABITUDES, a performance by T.H.E Dance Company, premiering in November 2024.
Roots is deeply honored and excited to collaborate with Grafunkt on their 15-year anniversary brand refresh. This partnership involves the conceptualisation of a new logotype identity and graphic language—details coming soon.
Roots is responsible for the naming, brand identity, packaging label, and poster design for Cocotre, a ready-to-drink fresh coconut product from Vietnam featuring a biodegradable straw—details coming soon.
Roots conceptualised and designed the trade show booth for Coconut&co (@cocolocosg) at SIGEP Asia 2024. Utilising food crates for both storage and partitioning, the booth was strategically structured to highlight each individual brand under Coconut&co while ensuring a cohesive and unified brand presentation.
ARCO project is featured in "Graphics on the Move: Dynamic Branding," published by Sandu Publishing. This book highlights cutting-edge motion graphics in new media, showcasing works from Asia, Europe, and America.
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Roots is elated to contribute a poster design for The Maple Exhibition, presented by RJ Paper, which runs from May 9th to 12th at 62A Arab Street. The posters are printed in Maple Bright 140gsm by The Gentlemen Press—details coming soon.
Roots developed a new brand identity for Astria Medical Aesthetics—details coming soon.
Co-presented by Tan Nigap Heng and W!LD RICE, DRAMA MAMA opened this week to glowing responses. Catch the exhibition from 9 March to 7 April at Funan Underground Pedestrian Link.
Jonathan is honored to join the esteemed jury panel for SG Mark 2024. Conceived by the Design Business Chamber Singapore (DBCS) in 2013, SG Mark is partnered with the Japan Institute of Design Promotion (JDP), renowned for the Good Design Award, also known as G-Mark.
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HUNGRY DESIGN has been selected for Distinction Award in the Taipei Design Award (臺北設計獎) 2023.
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WONDER has been selected to feature in the Asia-Pacific Design NO.19 annual.
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COCOLOCO (Tetra Pak), as one of the awarded Design Mark entries, is further selected by the juries as one of the finalists for Best Design at the Golden Pin Design Award 2023. The result will be announced in December.
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Jonathan is invited as one of the portfolio reviewers at Out of Office design conference in Jakarta this October.
Jonathan is invited as a juror for Branding discipline in The Crowbar Awards 2023.
COCOLOCO (Tetra Pak) is awarded Design Mark at the Golden Pin Design Award 2023.
Roots is collaborating with The Affogato Bar (formerly) to rebrand as Caffè Affogato. Stay tuned.
Roots is featured in the latest IdN magazine issue (IdN v28n4) centering on the theme of identity and business card design.
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Roots is collaborating again with artist/photographer Tan Ngiap Heng on his latest project—Drama Mama, which consists of a publication and an exhibition beginning next year. Stay tuned.
Jonathan had an enjoyable conversation with journalist Fong Wei on designing with Chinese language influences and elements, and sharing some of the studio’s work reflecting these practices and exercises in Zhaobao.
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As part of the exhibition exchange between design studios from Singapore and Macau, The Swap Show is now exhibiting in Singapore from Jan 7—15 at Figment. Free admission but requires slot booking.
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Roots is exhibiting showcase at Macau Design Week 2022 as part of The Swap Show, organised and curated by Foreign Policy Design Group. Our thanks to FP for inviting us.
Jonathan will be giving an online talk for the APD Live broadcast, titled《在一个风和日丽的早晨》on Nov 3, 8pm(SGT).
HUNGRY DESIGN, Malt, Grain & Cane and 'A Day To Wake Up To' are selected to be featured in this year's Asia-Pacific Design (APD) annual No.18《第十八届亚太设计年鉴》.
Jonathan is invited as a juror for the the inaugural Typography, Type Design & Lettering discipline category in One Asia Creative Awards 2022.
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Jonathan is invited as a juror for Taiwan International Student Design Competition 2022 (TW), organised by the Ministry of Education Taiwan.
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Jonathan is interviewed for Studio SML by The Press Room.
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Malt, Grain & Cane is one of the 12 winners of the prestigious Topawards Asia 2021 (JP) for the last quarter of 2021.
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Jonathan will be giving a lecture On Using Pause, Contradiction & Restrain for Practical Creativity at NAFA this month.
Jonathan is heading the Design Jury for the annual GONG Awards 2021 (SG).
A Day To Wake Up To and HUNGRY DESIGN are awarded Design Mark at the Golden Pin Design Award 2021 (TW). HUNGRY DESIGN is additionally selected as the finalist for Best Design award.
HUNGRY DESIGN is awarded a Wood Pencil in D&AD Awards 2021 (UK).
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HUNGRY DESIGN is featured in Zaobao.
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TheSmartLocal featured an article on HUNGRY DESIGN.
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HUNGRY DESIGN: Dialogue is an online live dialouge session with a panel of international designers from Japan, Vietnam, and Singapore. RSVP here.
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A Day To Wake Up To / 我們一起醒来的那一天, by Yvonne Tham (ampulets) and published by Neighbourgoods, will be launching this Friday at Singapore Art Book Fair 2021.
Curated and organised by Topawards Asia, exhibition design by FARM and branding & design by Roots, HUNGRY DESIGN exhibition opens this Friday till 31 March at National Deaign Centre atrium.
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Roots is collaborating with White Jacket to realign and refresh their branding with a thoughtful, minimal and flexible identity system. Documentation coming soon.
O'TAH is awarded Selected Work in Tokyo TDC 2021 (JP).
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Portrait of Sok Sabay is featured in APD (Asia-Pacific Design) No.16.
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Tosh Hall (Jones Knowles Ritchie), the D&AD Branding jury president this year, on Nanyang Porcelain.
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Jonathan speaks with Design360° Magazine (CN) in their latest issue No.87, on the topic of Place-making Design.
Roots helps COCOLOCO, an organic and raw coconut water brand, to rebrand and redesign their packaging.
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Nanyang Porcelain is awarded a Wood Pencil in D&AD Awards 2020 (UK) under Branding - Logos.
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A new brand identity design by Roots for ARCO, a new IT provision, maintenance, and disposition solution provider.
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A Braun-inspired door hanger design contribution for STUCK's Covid-19 initiative.
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Jonathan will be sharing the studio processes, design ethos, and a crazy feisty cat next Tue, 6pm on #designdiplomacy IG Story Live.
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Jonathan is intereviewed in étapes: Design graphique & culture visuelle (FR).
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Flavourful Ocean, a collaboration with Hakuhodo Indonesia, is awarded 1 Gold, 7 Silvers and 2 Bronze at the Citra Pariwara 2019 (ID).
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Unfettered ink is selected to be exhibited in OPEN PAGE - The Art Of The Creative Process at the Hong Kong Design Centre’s Design Spectrum, from 11 Oct till 17 Nov.
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Roots is featured in Novum, World of Graphic Design (DE), issue 11.19.
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Jonathan contributed an essay on graphic design and the communities in Singapore for the 180° Feature in Design 360° Magazine, issue 82.
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Flavourful Ocean, a collaboration with Hakuhodo Indonesia, is awarded a Silver and Bronze at AD STARS 2019 (KR).
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Jonathan is invited as one of the 9 juries for TOP 3 Topawards Asia (JP).
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Portraits of Sok Sabay is awarded a Wood Pencil in D&AD Awards 2019 (UK).
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Jonathan is at Shoreditch, London where D&AD Awards 2019 (UK) judging is officially underway!
Design Camp Nara: Baaku is featured on the official instagram account of Sandu Publishing (CN).
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Roots opened up the studio for the TDS Open Studio Series 2019. We thank everyone for their time and the conversations.
Roots will talk about the studio's collaboration with Ishiwata Shoten and experiences in the residency programme at DOOR to ASIA Experience Sharing(MY). RSVP today.
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Roots will be opening up the studio as part of TDS Open Studio Series 2019. The tickets have been sold out.
Roots conceptualised and designed the brand identity, collaterals, packaging and spatial graphics for O'TAH, a new concept brand by Lee Wee & Brothers at Jewel Changi Airport.
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Roots will be sharing the journey as a small independent design studio and how the studio's creative process evolves at the SEARCH book launch (MY).
Flavourful Ocean, a collaboration with Hakuhodo Indonesia, is awarded Silver at the Adfest Awards 2019 (TH).
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Roots hosted a studio visit for Japan Package Design Association (JPDA) delegates from Tokyo (JP). The delegates include designers and representatives from major Japanese brands - Suntory, Glico, Asahi, House Food, Kao and Toyo Seikan, among others.
Roots hosted a studio visit for Japan Package Design Association (JPDA) delegates from Tokyo (JP). The delegates include designers and representatives from major Japanese brands - Suntory, Glico, Asahi, House Food, Kao and Toyo Seikan, among others.
Jonathan has been invited as one of the Book Design Juries for D&AD Awards 2019 (UK).
Portraits of Sok Sabay has been selected as Excellent Work for Tokyo TDC Annual Awards 2019 (JP).
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SG Bicentennial logo was featured in an article on The Straits Times, Top of the News segment.
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Singapore Bicentennial logo is officially unveiled today. Jonathan is interviewed by Channel News Asia (CNA) on Singapore Bicentennial.
Nanyang Porcelain, a new collection by Supermama, is officially revealed.
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Design Camp Nara: Baaku is featured in It's Nice That (UK).
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Jonathan shared a creative session titled 'Thinking Creatively Inside Very Small Boxes' at the annual Group TRON Creative Day in Taipei (TW).
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Gabriel Tan Studio is featured in Duotone by Sandu Publishing (CN).
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Roots is the partnered branding agency under J. Walter Thompson (JWT) consortium for the upcoming national commemoration campaign—Singapore Bicentennial.
Unfettered ink is awarded a Wood Pencil in D&AD Awards 2018 (UK).
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Roots designed and conducted Masterclasses for Singapore Youth Festival 2018 Logo Design Contest finalists.
Jonathan shared how the Chinese culture and heritage have influenced the contemporary aesthetics and sensibilities in communication design at Tapping Culture for Design, Shophouse & Co. and organised by DesignSingapore Council.
Anatomy of Performance is featured in LAYOUT NOW by SendPoints Publishing (CN).
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Jonathan will be sharing a session titled 'Thinking creatively inside very small boxes' at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) on Nov 9.
Unfettered ink is awarded a Design Mark at the Golden Pin Design Awards & Design for Asia Awards (TW), and Merit Award at the Design for Asia Awards 亞洲最具影響力設計獎 (HK).
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Anatomy of Performance and Unfetttered ink are featured in APD (Asia-Pacific Design) No.13.
Jonathan participated in the design residency programme in Nara, Japan, where a branding proposal was conceived at the end of the programme for Design Camp Nara: Baaku (JP).
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'NUS DID 15-year Anniversary' and 'Singapore, very old tree' are featured in APD (Asia-Pacific Design) No.12.
