Ding Dong Singapore

Music from the Seventies and Eighties, vintage film posters and shocking colours: this is how Viewport Studio imagined the interiors of Singapore Ding Dong restaurant.

Viewport Studio, Ding Dong restaurant, Chinatown, Singapore, 2016

London and Singapore based design agency Viewport Studio have designed the interiors of Southeast Asian restaurant Ding Dong, in Singapore’s historic Chinatown. Located on the ground floor of a shophouse on Amoy Street, Ding Dong’s playful and eclectic take on traditional Asian cuisine is designed to take diners on an experiential journey of culinary and libation surprises.

Every aspect of the restaurant, from the interior design, food and drinks menus, serveware and soundtrack, contributes to the fun, retro and kitsch atmosphere. The immersive atmosphere conjures up a nostalgic familiarity for the Chinatown of the seventies and eighties, a time when Viewport Studio architect Voon Wong was coming of age in the city.

The starting point for the eclectic decor came from the menu itself, which shows surprising reinventions of traditional flavours. From the five spice lamb tongue with pickled cucumber and black pepper sauce to the homemade banana bread with duck liver and kimchi, the modern take on Asian Fusion by Head Chef Jet Lo makes for a fun and playful dining experience. “We felt that loud food needed a loud backdrop,” explains Viewport’s Ian Macready. “Inspired by Singapore’s vibrant food court culture, we sought to marry this bustling dynamism with a more traditional approach to fine dining, and create an environment in which every element can take centre stage. It is a sensorial overload, but in a good way.”

The walls throughout are wallpapered with a custom design composed of vintage film posters with an Asian cinematic theme, creating a “white noise” backdrop that provides immediate intrigue before fading into the background, with a soundtrack from the seventies and eighties.