Tanjong Beach Club: Singapore’s Celebrated Beach Club Reopens with a Fresh Look
The iconic Singapore beach club’s renovation by Akin Atelier retains the same beloved spirit with a vibrant Palm Beach feel
Singapore’s Tanjong Beach was a desolate stretch of sand along Sentosa’s southern coast until The Lo & Behold Group opened Tanjong Beach Club in 2010. The destination not only drew sun seekers out to the bay but also built a loyal following of beachgoers craving a slice of island life. Now, fifteen years later, the club has undergone a major revamp by Sydney-based architecture studio Akin Atelier and recently reopened with a new yet familiar look.
While the overhaul could have been a hard reset, Tanjong Beach Club’s regular revellers were a big consideration for Akin Atelier when designing the space. ‘It’s actually harder when you’re not starting from scratch,’ says the firm’s founding director Kelvin Ho, who himself was regular guest before helming the renovation. ‘We wanted to bring a shift in the club’s identity without alienating its existing customers.’
This meant retaining the overall mid-century modern-inspired structure while reimagining the club as more of a beach house. ‘We envisioned the space as a series of interconnected venues that connect and overlap, but, to a degree, have their own identity,’ Ho says. Colour, fabric patterns and seating styles frame each zone, such as burnt orange parasols, daybeds and pool loungers, and striped cushions, salmon-hued sofas and terrazzo tabletops in the bar. The palette is inspired by Singapore’s architecture, from vivid shophouse hues for the umbrellas and canary yellow daybeds, to the pool’s sea-green checkered tiles that echo the surrounding bay and tropical foliage.
While still keeping to the overall colour scheme, the indoor restaurant is more pared back, with timber furnishings and beige flooring. ‘In the past, the restaurant wasn’t activated successfully and felt almost like a secondary space,’ says Ho, so integrating this room with the rest of the club was one of the their biggest challenges. Redesigning the guest flow into this hall proved to be a simple yet impactful change, with guests now able to access and see through the room the moment they enter the club. The team has also added visual interest with a sweeping mural by Singaporean artist Aeropalmics, moodier lighting and a window into the kitchen.
Another underutilised space that has been revived is the retail section. Previously tucked in a neglected corner, it now occupies a prime spot just outside the dining hall. Besides showcasing a thoughtful mix of sunny products — Kaia Nelk from local design store Studio Yono oversees the curation — the capsule-like structure also doubles up as a privacy screen.
Having undertaken the serious task of revamping the iconic location, Ho is pleased with the overall outcome. ‘Everyone feels at home here, and the club is truly an extension of the clients — people who care deeply about hospitality and the guest experience,’ he says. ‘I couldn’t help but smile when I first walked in.’
Text by Joseph Koh
Images by Lisa Cohen
