Born – Singapore

Born was set to be a fine-dining restaurant serving contemporary cuisine with the design brief related by the owner to create ‘the best restaurant in town’, in which challenged every design detail, all in the name of good design that would enhance a guest’s overall experience.
The location is within Singapore’s iconic heritage building, the former Jinrikisha Station, located at the entrance of Tanjong Pagar Road. The main challenge arose upon designing against a triangular shape of the building and its strict codes and measures due to the heritage status of the site. The landscape tested greymatters team with the spatial planning and design process as we carefully developed the design to enhance the heritage architecture. Fortunately there stood a beautiful courtyard inside which has been embraced and preserved, as well as the arches that surround the expansive double volume space of the main dining hall, which were also designed around their original structure and details.
It’s an interconnection between a unique space and a unique chef. The approach was to emphasize and integrate the connectivity of all principles into an outstanding, ‘outside the box’ project that extends an ultimate experience under well-choreographed and innovative cuisine.
The concept is sublime and poetic, and therefore patterns/shapes/colors are organic, simple, delicate and exquisite. The idea is not to overwhelm the guest but awaken their senses. There is a subtle Chinese reference throughout the space visible on artwork, accessories, kitchen feature wall, floor patterns, furniture details and fabrics.
Industry-renowned artisans were chosen to take part in this project. We collaborated with a furniture manufacturer in Singapore to bring our designs to life, as well as the best fabric suppliers from Europe who selectively handpicked ethically sourced fabrics designated for this project.
Peter Gentenaar’s sculpture in the double volume space is definitely the highlight of the dining hall. Also it’s important for our team to bring different layers of light – from concealed low-level light on skirting and steps, to medium level on counters, shelving, arches and decorative wall lamps, and finally to high level with feature ceiling lamps and atmospheric lighting.