With Odette, bridging the gap between art and hospitality, our approach to creating a space that reflected its placement within Singapore’s National Gallery was guided by sensorial design. Through a soft, organic palette that echoed the purity of the ingredients used to the mix of materiality reflecting the complex combinations of texture, colour and taste seen within the recipes themselves, the transition between interior to plate is as cohesive and seamless as possible. In paying close attention to how the space should reflect the integrity of the chef and his creativity, it has resulted in an experience that offers lasting memories for every guest that visits.

For Norton Folgate, we wanted to lead with a sensory approach to elevate the experience beyond standard workspace environments and to juxtapose the hard exterior of the local surroundings. Focusing on the human behaviour inside the space, we ensured touch points were warm and inviting, with bespoke timber structural elements and brushed steel kitchen cabinets contributing to the comfort and conviviality that exudes within.

Our collaboration with local makers and craftspeople allowed us to intertwine a unique narrative into each space within the building. From handwoven curtains referencing the Hugenot silk weavers who once inhabited the space to enamel tables by AJ Wells that took inspiration from the glass merchants who occupied the warehouses in 1875, the spaces immerse its tenants within the rich, creative history of the site – allowing them to connect with it on a deeper level and giving them an insight into how that legacy is being sustained today and for generations to come. In bringing in these critical touchpoints, it offers new meaning to the spaces we inhabit allowing us all to see the power in connection not only to our local community today but to those that have gone before.