lyf Chinatown
Set within conserved shophouses, the project sits next to Masjid Jamae and Sri Mariamman Temple, both almost two centuries old. Here, cultures, faiths and histories have long overlapped, giving Singapore's Chinatown its distinct layered identity. The design responds not by recreating the past, but by remixing its many influences into something new.
FARM was the branding agency behind the creation of lyf. We named the brand, developed its identity, designed its first property at Funan, and subsequently created the spatial brand guide that shaped its international rollout. Since then, lyf has expanded across cities around the world, pioneering new models of co-living, co-working and social hospitality.
For this new property in Chinatown, we returned to lyf with a very different context.
Set within conserved shophouses, the project sits next to Masjid Jamae, and just steps from Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore’s oldest Hindu temple. Both are built almost two centuries ago. Few places express Singapore’s layered cultural identity as vividly as this part of Chinatown, where different communities, faiths, languages and histories have long existed side by side.
Rather than creating a singular interpretation of Chinatown, the design celebrates this richness through a deliberate remix.
For this new property in Chinatown, we returned to lyf with a very different context.
Set within conserved shophouses, the project sits next to Masjid Jamae, and just steps from Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore’s oldest Hindu temple. Both are built almost two centuries ago. Few places express Singapore’s layered cultural identity as vividly as this part of Chinatown, where different communities, faiths, languages and histories have long existed side by side.
Rather than creating a singular interpretation of Chinatown, the design celebrates this richness through a deliberate remix.
Materials, colours, patterns and details draw from the visual character of the neighbourhood and are brought together through the bold, eclectic language established for lyf. Familiar elements are reinterpreted, exaggerated and recombined, while recurring ceiling features and articulated doorways create a consistent rhythm through the public spaces.
The guestrooms continue this approach in a more intimate way. Each palette is carefully composed across finishes, furniture, fabrics and graphics, allowing seemingly spontaneous combinations to feel considered and cohesive. Even the more random wall graphics are calibrated as part of the overall room composition.
Signage has always been central to the lyf experience, and here it becomes an even stronger expression of place. Each space carries its own identity, with signage taking cues from the streets, shops and visual languages of Chinatown. Mirrors appear repeatedly as wayfinding and communication devices, overlaid with multilingual phrases that reflect the diversity of the neighbourhood.
The result is a lyf that remains recognisably part of the brand we first created, yet feels unmistakably of Chinatown—layered, colourful, multicultural and constantly mixing old with new.
The guestrooms continue this approach in a more intimate way. Each palette is carefully composed across finishes, furniture, fabrics and graphics, allowing seemingly spontaneous combinations to feel considered and cohesive. Even the more random wall graphics are calibrated as part of the overall room composition.
Signage has always been central to the lyf experience, and here it becomes an even stronger expression of place. Each space carries its own identity, with signage taking cues from the streets, shops and visual languages of Chinatown. Mirrors appear repeatedly as wayfinding and communication devices, overlaid with multilingual phrases that reflect the diversity of the neighbourhood.
The result is a lyf that remains recognisably part of the brand we first created, yet feels unmistakably of Chinatown—layered, colourful, multicultural and constantly mixing old with new.
LOCATION
Singapore
YEAR
Completion 2026
DISCIPLINE
INTERIOR & ENVIRONMENTAL GRAPHICS
TYPOLOGY
HOTEL/CO-LIVE
SIZE (SQM)
1,870
TEAM
Peter Sim, Torrance Goh, Nina Arily, WARIYA CHEERSIRIKUL, Emillia Lee, Khor Wei Ling, Wei Sin Low, Le Yi Ng,
COLLABORATORS
Architect & C&S: RSP Architects Planners & Engineers |
M&E Designer: Squire Mech |
Lighting Designer: Ambiguous |
Quantity Surveyor: Northcroft Lim Consultants |
Contractor: Sunray Woodcraft Construction |
Mural Artists: Benedict Tay & Lucas Goh |
Photographer: Finbarr Fallon
