Emma Maxwell Brings The Light And Floral Life Of Singapore To Ginger Restaurant At The Park Royal Hotel

Emma Maxwell Design has completed its latest restaurant design project, Ginger, a contemporary Singaporean restaurant at the Park Royal Hotel on Beach Road hotel in the city-state.

The studio introduces its award-winning signature layered, worldly and eclectic style and high attention to detail to the space through natural light and a calming palette as fresh and seductive as meandering through Singapore’s Botanic Gardens and into an evocative “other” ambrosial world.

The design for Ginger captures a uniquely Singaporean story told through the island’s floral and tropical plant life.

Inspired by the Ginger flower, an exquisite species of a herbaceous perennial plant that grows readily in Singapore, Ginger celebrates Singapore’s abundant natural beauty in a cosmopolitan setting. Natural, raw elements like timber and stone are lightly accented with brass and nickel - amplified by a contemporary hyper nature aesthetic. The floral narrative in the specially commissioned wallpapers and furniture textiles by fabric designer Kerrie Brown softens the hard surfaces in the space.

Guests will recognise with delight local flora like Ginger Flower, Simpoh Lak, and Freycinetia javanica artfully woven into layers of detail. The wallpaper and textiles appear to sit like delicate perfumed layers of a patterned floral midian, traversing the walls and handcrafted furniture.

The rich narrative of the space is further articulated by bespoke blush-coloured lighting inspired by seed pods from the Orchid tree that gently float from the ceiling. As guests walk through the space, gentle breeze from rattan fans moves the air above them, cooling them and adding another layer of depth and dimension to the dining experience.

Details on the seating are reminiscent of branches and foliage inspired by native fig trees. The backs of chairs seem to spring branches and spindle details suggest rounded hanging fruit.

The entire space is pulled into a central focus by a raw food counter celebrating local produce and crowned by lighting inspired by the leaves from the Walking Stick Palm. Supported by an open show kitchen, details of local Peranakan culture are celebrated and expressed through ceramic tiles and traditional printed plates and bowls.
“With Ginger, I wanted guests to feel like they have entered a fantastical “other” world that is new yet recognisable through the use of local flowers, welcoming light, and joy,” Maxwell said.