Project Name: Yi by Jereme Leung

Location: Singapore

Date Completed: July 19th 2019

Designer: Aedas Interiors

Adapted from the Chinese Creation Myth; the story depicts the creation of Heaven and Earth by the god Pangu, the restaurant celebrates the concept of family roots and values passed on to future generations through storytelling.  By taking the concept of storytelling and reinterpreting it in a modern progressive way, lead Interior Designer – Aedas aimed to create a hidden world for guests to explore within this historical landmark.

For the restaurant entrance, where the guests journey begins, a whimsical art installation was created from thousands of handcrafted floral elements depicting a Chinese creation story – this adorns the space in the form of a garden. The bar is designed in a living room setting situated in the corner of the garden. One will find floral and refined natural materials in the finishes and furniture pieces that picks up on the garden concept.

After going through the tunnel of garden, guests are greeted with the main dining hall where the concept of world creation is revealed. A conceptual representation of the various parts within the sky will create a blanket over the guests, featuring a plaster ceiling sculpture. A refined yet humble palette of natural materials like marbles and timbers in the surroundings brings the earth concept to life, continued with playing on the concept of narratives. The restaurant is walled with soft hued lacquered surface, moon gate on the beautiful textured stone dividers and custom modern chinoiserie artworks expressing natural elements.

The private dining rooms are for those special occasions. With operable acoustic wall systems between the rooms, the private dining room provides space flexibility. Inspired by an egg shape where the God Pangu was born from Chinese creation myth, a bespoke egg-shaped chandelier trickles down into the space from a champagne gold leaf dome, with a Chinese style armoire and glass screens interpreted in modern way completes the room.

One of the most successful elements of this project is that the restaurant design concept and the chef’s culinary concept is very well aligned. Similar to the dining experience created by Chef Jereme Leung, which is influenced by the deep-rooted culinary traditions in Chinese cuisine.