Co-living sets the stage for Ngee Koon, Zenco Casa's ambitions in hospitality interiors

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When Singapore-based boutique interior build firm Ngee Koon set out to find a manufacturing partner in China, founder and managing director Oliver Goh was not after the fastest factory or the lowest prices.

Instead, he was looking for a people-oriented, long-term partner that invests in its staff, considers the well-being of end users, pairs meticulous craftsmanship with advanced machinery, and is open about challenges.

These are the same values Goh holds for his team at Ngee Koon.

"It's not about being a superstar," he says. "It’s making sure that our people still have food on the table and have work that they find meaningful while joining us on this journey."

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He found such a partner in Zenco Casa — a luxury hospitality furniture manufacturer whose decades-long track record in China includes projects for international hotel groups such as Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Wyndham, Accor, Hyatt, Banyan Tree and Kempinski.

The Chongqing-based company and Ngee Koon have since joined hands to form Zenco Global, a new venture registered in Singapore and equally owned by the two firms.

The venture will begin by furnishing Singapore's co-living spaces, with an eye on eventually expanding into the wider hospitality sector in Singapore and, further ahead, other markets abroad.

This marks a pivot for Ngee Koon, which has focused mainly on commercial interior projects and high-end residences such as Good Class Bungalows.

With rising demand for co-living and sustained activity in hospitality, the partnership offers Ngee Koon an opportunity to enter a new market segment and develop another stream of business.

For Zenco Casa, it provides another route into international markets.

Emma Wang, head of international business development at the Chinese firm, says: "We see this as a natural progression of our growth and an opportunity to elevate both our capabilities and brand globally."

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Looking after people and planning ahead

The two firms first crossed paths in 2025 when Ngee Koon joined a delegation with the Singapore Furniture Industry Council to Chengdu and Chongqing — neighbouring economic hubs in southwest China.

The delegation visited more than 20 factories to understand their manufacturing capabilities, innovations and pricing, as well as look for potential suppliers and partners.

Zenco Casa was the last stop on the itinerary. Goh was struck by how open the company was about its operations and by the care it took with its workers.

"They're one of the only few who brought us to see all of their manufacturing processes, their materials, and how they treat their staff," he notes, adding that the team was "very transparent" in explaining challenges they faced in recent projects.

One aspect that stayed with him was the company's willingness to spend more on worker protection and processes to prioritise well-being, safety and quality over margins.

"They put in the extra dollars to protect their team and do something well, even if it means they earn less, which is very similar to us," Goh says.

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For example, Zenco Casa uses low-emission products such as paints with low levels of volatile organic compounds, which release fewer pollutants into the air and limit exposure for workers and consumers. It also specifies ENF-grade (or extra-low, no-formaldehyde-added) wood, the strictest standard for ultra-low to zero formaldehyde emissions.

Extraction chambers, exhaust treatment and water-treatment systems in the factory help improve working conditions and reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing processes.

Skilled craftsmen are given the autonomy to carry out detailed work without constant supervision — a level of trust Goh says he rarely saw elsewhere.

Specialised machinery and intelligent production lines are used across various stages of furniture production, with dedicated areas for woodworking, metal processing, upholstery, soft-panel production, painting and assembly.

Zenco Casa also maintains a substantial stockpile of raw materials such as logs, veneers and treated wood, carefully planned to support operations over the next five to 10 years.

Wang says this long-term material stockpile gives the company greater control over material consistency and supply stability, particularly for high-end developments where quality and continuity are critical.

Decades of experience in luxury hospitality

Since the brand was established in 2005, Zenco Casa has built an extensive portfolio of projects for more than 1,000 star-rated hotels across China. These span properties under global hospitality giants as well as high-end and ultra-luxury hotels.

The track record is backed by a 100,000 sq m (1.08 million sq ft) production base, a nearly 2,000 sq m operation centre, and six major service centres nationwide.

The company employs more than 600 staff in China, including over 500 skilled craftsmen and carpenters.

"Many of our artisans have been with us for years, combining traditional woodworking expertise with modern production capabilities," says Wang.

She adds that this unique integration of traditional craftsmanship with advanced machinery sets Zenco Casa apart as they are able to deliver both artistry and precision.

Moreover, "we invest in our team through fair practices, continuous training and a supportive work environment", Wang shares.

From design and product R&D to manufacturing and on-site installation, Zenco Casa can deliver both fixed and loose furniture across the full project cycle.

Catherine Tan, chief impact officer at Ngee Koon, says: "What impressed us was that they’re able to do everything end to end, from the materials and cutting to even metal processing, upholstery, assembly and painting."

"It’s really a one-stop shop for bespoke furniture," Tan adds. "They don’t have an off-the-shelf catalogue, as it’s all custom-made."

Meanwhile, Wang says the two companies found common ground in their approach to long-term partnerships, attention to detail and ambition to deliver distinctive, high-quality projects — an alignment that gave Zenco Casa confidence in the collaboration.

Building trust and learning together

Their first project together was a relatively small job, though it came with a demanding eight-week deadline.

Ngee Koon engaged Zenco Casa to produce a boardroom table for a new corporate office for Singapore Energy Interconnections (SGEI) at Labrador Tower that would welcome key government stakeholders and industry partners.

Zenco Casa took on the job despite the tight turnaround, and "even though it’s only one table, not like the entire six-star hotels they usually furnish", Goh says.

Things did not go according to plan, however. Along the way came challenges with sizing, drawings and constructability. For instance, at one point, the table did not fit in the lift.

The Zenco Casa team immediately stepped up to find solutions and took responsibility for the additional work — including the redesign, changes in pricing, shipment and reshipment.

"That's how we knew they would be a true partner who would go through not only the good times but also the tough times with us," Goh says.

After the SGEI project, the two firms went on to larger assignments, including one spanning several floors for the Singapore Contractors Association. The scope was more complex, covering carpentry as well as marble, acrylic, metal and glass.

Again, not everything went smoothly, as a misalignment in the marble tiles was spotted during the project. When that was flagged, Zenco Casa rectified the issue without passing the additional costs on to Ngee Koon.

"It's the second time we saw our partners take responsibility," Goh says. "This shows that they really want to serve their customers well, and that's how great businesses can last."

Zenco Casa also sees the partnership as a chance to learn as it expands globally. Wang says they wish to bring their craftsmanship to a wider audience, while also learning from international markets and standards.

In turn, Ngee Koon hopes to deepen its understanding of constructability and craftsmanship by working closely with the Chinese firm, learning firsthand from the latter’s detailed technical drawings and manufacturing processes.

Goh hopes to put these lessons into practice as the two firms take their next step together into hospitality through Zenco Global.

Hospitality and the next opportunity

The move comes as Ngee Koon seeks new areas of growth amid softer demand for commercial interior projects in Singapore, particularly in the office and retail sectors, and rising construction costs.

While many other contractors and designers he meets are cautious about the outlook, Goh believes there are still "reasons to be hopeful" and ways forward if businesses are prepared to look for them.

"We cannot be crazily optimistic, but we have to be very practical," he says.

His message to industry peers is not to lose heart, but to stay realistic about market conditions, look ahead to where demand is heading and prepare early for the next opportunity.

The hospitality sector is one area where Goh sees continued activity — spanning refurbishments and repositioning of existing properties, conversions and adaptive reuse, as well as new developments.

Ngee Koon would not be starting from scratch. Through Zenco Casa, the partnership already has decades of luxury hospitality experience to draw on, from bespoke manufacturing to the demands of large-scale hotel projects.

Co-living as Zenco Global's first step

Through Zenco Global, the partners are starting with Singapore's co-living market, drawing on Ngee Koon's local interior build experience and Zenco Casa’s hospitality manufacturing capabilities.

Goh sees co-living as a practical entry point for the new venture to understand local requirements and nuances in the city-state, build up its portfolio, and fine-tune how the Singapore and China teams work together.

Zenco Global has won its first co-living project and is in talks with a few other operators in Singapore.

The early conversations will enable Zenco Global to gauge pricing and response times, and refine how the teams work together as enquiries and projects roll in.

"We're slowly opening up in steps to let the market know we are here, because our customer service and response rate are still important," Goh says.

Over time, the goal is for Zenco Global to take on a wider range of hospitality projects in Singapore, including serviced apartments, and boutique and larger hotels. Scaling across the rest of Southeast Asia, such as Indonesia and Thailand, can then follow.

Ngee Koon has committed a percentage of carpentry works from its own projects to Zenco Global, with a portion to be undertaken by the China team.

The allocation will also depend partly on project timelines: those with shorter lead times may continue to be managed in Singapore, while those that allow for Zenco Casa's slightly longer production and shipping timeline can be done in China.

This collaboration could also give both firms access to a wider pool of clients. In China, Zenco Casa has worked with Singapore companies such as Ascott, CapitaLand Investment’s lodging arm, in Chongqing, as well as Perennial Holdings in Tianjin.

"We're hoping to cross-refer, to tap into each other's network,” says Tan.

At the time of writing, the partners are still finalising the manpower arrangements for Zenco Global, including how the Singapore and China teams will be structured and work together.

Bringing traditional techniques to new markets

As the partnership develops, Wang hopes it can introduce more of Zenco Casa's traditional woodworking techniques to overseas projects.

Among them are joinery methods that emphasise precision and durability while minimising the use of mechanical fasteners.

"These methods reflect a long-standing philosophy of craftsmanship that values both function and form," she says.

Zenco Casa is looking forward to bringing its capabilities to more projects beyond China.

"We are excited about the opportunity to see our work integrated into developments around the world, especially in Southeast Asia," Wang notes.

"It is both humbling and motivating to contribute to diverse architectural contexts," she adds.