Po
The modern Singaporean is born from heritage, immersed in culture, yet upgraded with contemporary sensibilities.
Po is a restaurant for the modern Singaporean.
320 Havelock Road,
Robertson Quay, Singapore
Year: 2016
Strategy, Branding, Space
Building an elevated, modern Singaporean restaurant that reframes the narrative of our cuisine.
Honouring the heritage, culture, traditions, and nuances of our food, preserving but updating the narrative with a contemporary perspective.
Our Asian grandmothers are some of the most vivacious women known to mankind. We've taken this as inspiration and created a whip-smart character to bring life and personality to the identity. ‘Popo’ radiates playfulness, elegance and is even a touch intimidating at times (she might bend the rules of Mahjong occasionally, but she loves to entertain and be surrounded by family and friends).
Po’s brand palette and typography choice draw from our memory of Popo’s home; the soft pinks on her dress, deep greens of the foliage on her kitchen counter and dining table. The humanist sans serif font emulates the fluidity and irregularity of the handwritten word, using varied thickness, curves, unusual shapes to add a touch of personality.
Imagine a warm, loving meal in your Popo’s kitchen. The modern elegance of polished marble countertops, accented with brass. Rattan chairs around the dining table. Crystal glass lights overhead. Nostalgic yet a contemporary experience at once.
A modern Singaporean brand like Po needs to capture the vibrancy of Asian cuisine… its colours, textures, and bold flavours. Our photography often employs a dark ambience to spotlight the food, giving focus to the quality of the ingredients——a key point in the elevation of our cuisine from “ordinary” Singaporean food to an outstanding dining experience.
We also gave Popo a vibrant, spunky personality. Popo is a cheeky matriarch who knows her way around our cuisine (she’s had more salt than you’ve had rice) and has no qualms about saying exactly what she thinks about you and life. She is candid yet charming. Spirited and unabashed. Just the kind of character who will make you feel right at home.
Po is our dining room—warm, comforting, and inviting at any time of the day. And from our hospitality to the way we speak, to the food we serve, Po will always echo the heart and soul of home.
