What defines the essence of being Singaporean? Is it the laksa and chicken rice we eat? Our kiasu nature? Maybe it's the way we speak. Whatever it is, I’d argue nothing encapsulates our cultural identity quite like secondary school. For every Singaporean, secondary school was a crucial rite of passage. It’s a time when we are thrust into a melting pot of local culture and self-discovery. These are our most formative and tender years, which harden to form some semblance of who we eventually grow into. In a setting that perfectly embodies the wistful nostalgia and vibrance of Singaporean culture (if you’ve ever revisited your alma mater, you’ll know what I’m talking about), The Lo & Behold group decided to launch New Bahru, a project in this exact place that brings together local businesses to form an artist’s collective.
Brought to you by the folks behind Odette and Tanjong Beach Club, New Bahru repurposes the skeleton of Nan Chiau High School to create a space spanning food and beverage, retail, wellness, entertainment, education, arts and culture. The project's goal is to capture the quintessential Singaporean spirit and unleash our city's untapped creative potential. Despite the easier path of demolishing and starting anew, The Lo & Behold Group chose the more challenging one. By preserving the original framework, they've retained that intangible magic of adolescence. This essence permeates every repurposed classroom-turned-store, echoes through the hallways, and lingers in the parade square.
Home to the infamous SGD18 Nasi Lemak, The Coconut Club resembles how we imagine a Singaporean diner to be. They serve elevated local fare like the Quail Goreng Berempah, made with livestock from Singapore’s oldest family-owned game bird farm. Another standout dish to look out for is the River Valley exclusive Wagyu Beef Roti John.
For everything bedroom, check out SOJAO, a local brand known for 100% ethically made organic cotton products. You’ll find anything from bedsheets, sleepwear and fragrances—one of which White Noise, a collaboration with stillgoods, caught my nose. It’ll have you sniffing the sample paper like an inhaler (in the best way possible) due to its calming effect. I hear they’re collaborating with 50 other local brands, embracing the kampung spirit we’ve grown so out of touch with.
Hearing Nujabes playing in the background of Soilboy told me everything I needed to know about the plant studio. The atmosphere evokes a Zen Japanese garden, with blends of textures—cork on metal, smooth and textured, soft but rugged. Soilboy curates a careful selection of plants that involve intensive research and propagation. The result is a catalogue of flora you probably expect to see in somewhere like Gardens by The Bay instead. Their collection of handmade ceramics is also available for sale in their first experience store, so rest assured your plants won’t go home unclothed.
To effectively sum up what MAKE is, one can only describe it as a kitchen for clothes. Launching as an experience-based concept store, they allow customers to customise a selection of materials and fabric (the seasoning stage as I like to call it) and quite literally, steam them in an “oven” once they’ve undergone the arduous process of this or that. What comes fresh out of the oven is a creation—either a garment or a bag—complete with a beautiful pattern of pleats, a signature design of the studio.
Chef Rishi Naleendra's homage to his Sri Lankan heritage, the restaurant used to be at Wanderlust Hotel but traded it for a bigger space and a thirstier clientele. Now with a bar and a new vigour to the menu, the joint has a new lease of life. Sure, Chef Naleendra may have to travel a little further from his other two establishments—Fool and the two Michelin-starred Cloud Street, both within the Tanjong Pagar district—but you can't really beat the vibe of New Bahru.
Once an online portal, MORNING has now succumbed to having a physical retail space. It's about time though. It's hard to experience the ease of making your own coffee with MORNING's signature Morning Machine. Drop in and the retail staff will walk you through the handling of the machine, as well as, recommend the different coffee profiles that might tickle your fancy. Expect future endeavours like sampling sessions, workshops and events.
What started as an Etsy side hustle has now blossomed into a third physical space at New Bahru. As the first to introduce permanent jewellery (where a custom-fitted piece is welded close without any clasp) in Singapore, Curious Creatures at New Bahru offers fine and demi-fine jewellery collections as well as the only outlet that has a bespoke service.
Located at the Big Block, Alma House's nomenclature is taken from "alma mater" as the building was once Nan Chiau High School. It's a new-to-market serviced apartment concept that's designed by local design studio FARM. With furnishings supplied by Commune, there are six room tiers to stay at; with the Deluxe Room (18sqm) that's fitting for a single traveller or the largest Alma Family Suite (55sqm) that... well, the whole family can enjoy.
If MAKE by Ginlee is a kitchen for clothes, it only makes sense to liken Crafune to a kitchen for leather handbags and accessories. Here, they offer a series of hands-on workshops focused on leather craftsmanship, but there’s also an emphasis on upcycling. That old leather bag you just can’t bear to part with? Under Crafune's guidance, your own hands can transform it into a stylish wallet, cardholder, or any number of creative accessories.
To understand what ÁTIPICO is, look no further than the name itself. Defined as “different from all others of the same type,” ÁTIPICO has had its background as a bakery and caterer for high-end fashion brands. At New Bahru, Room #15 will be its first foray into the restaurant industry, and it seems poised to make a splash in fine dining with a fresh perspective. Based on the tantalising samples I’ve tried, I have no doubt ÁTIPICO will transition just fine into the industry—albeit a little disruptive with how unique it promises to be.
Opening its doors as Singapore’s only Makkoli bar and restaurant, Odem takes pride in its curation of meticulously handcrafted makkoli that’s been brewed with local ingredients and free of preservatives—a far cry from your typical mass-produced rice wine. As someone who struggles to finish a pint of beer, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying a flight of five makkoli glasses without much resistance. Though we must admit, we’ve always had a soft spot for makkoli. Pairing each sip with a warm and comforting bite of their Soy Glazed Brioche and Gamtae Seaweed Butter hit every spot for us.
Traditional Korean dishes are refined using modern techniques, resulting in a menu featuring comfort food such as the Gulim Mandu and Barbequed Kalbi. The ambience is bathed in soft light, creating an intimate atmosphere that’s sure to get those long conversations going. If you do decide to visit, don’t leave out the Brioche, seriously.
Expectations for the Christmas season: carollers; oversized socks; a red-suited invader who is, for some reason, rewarded with milk and cookies. And trees, ah yes, Christmas trees. Nothing like the forceful extraction of an evergreen conifer and watching it succumb to the tropical elements after drabbing its corpse in fairy lights, baubles and an inaccurate angel (sorry folks, I'm OT [Old Testament] when it comes to my many-eyed wheeled beings).
The conventional yuletrees are erected at our local malls but Millenia Walk embarks on a meaningful sustainable route. This year, you'll find a special tree at their establishment; one that isn't made out of leaves, bark or plastic. Instead, it is made out of… chairs?
Called the The Millenia Walk Seed Tree, this structure is designed in collaboration with Timber Actually and Charlotte Puxley Flowers. Made from upcycled wood by Timber Actually, the 7-metre tall installation doubles up as a photo op and as a resting area. Held together without nails, the tree is made up of 800 seating blocks (or "seeds"); arranged in alternating layers of Angsana and Mahogany African Mahogany wood.
There will be programmes that visitors can partake in. Explore the evolution of Singapore’s verdant landscape and discover the symbiosis between nature and humans. Learn about native tree species that lined our streets and how you can contribute to the preservation of nature in our daily lives.
Venture through the Neighbourhood Tree Trail, which combines visionaries from the fields of architecture, art and design. Installations from creatives like MM (Marcus Yang and Milon Goh), Aeropalmics (Dawn Ang) and Pass it On will be on display.
The ethos of sustainability goes beyond mere displays. Millenia Walk tenants are in on the action—Commune, OVAS and Flower Matters. With activities like sustainable dinner party setups, these programmes encourage shoppers to reconcile responsible hosting practices and environmental consciousness.
Millenia Walk's Seed Tree isn't just about the commercial aspects of the season. lights and festive cheer—it's a celebration that honours nature's precious gift while inspiring us all to embrace sustainable living in the most joyous ways possible.
Millenia Walk's Seed Tree will run until 31 December.
