How Asia’s most beautiful Starbucks stores have been designed as places worth travelling to

Travellers have flocked to Starbucks outlets around the world as that familiar constant—a place for their favourite frappuccinos and other recognisable signature drinks, and also a place to people-watch and enjoy a leisurely afternoon. It’s no secret that the interior design of these cafés has gotten even more noteworthy, with some of these coffee venues becoming noteworthy destinations that locals and tourists alike would especially visit for photogenic coffee breaks.

The Seattle-headquartered beverage brand has its own regional design team, led by talents the likes of Lucas Torresi, managing director of the store design studio at Starbucks Asia Pacific, and Sheena Wong, store design director at Starbucks Asia Pacific. Argentinian-born Torresi was influenced by his architect parents to enter the profession, and has been based in Asia for two decades after a life-changing stint in Vietnam. The architecturally-trained Wong, on the other hand, moved from Scotland to Asia to reconnect with her roots, and switched her focus from designing skyscrapers to retail design. Both talents are currently based in Hong Kong. 

Presently, their design team is designing several new stores across Asia Pacific in different formats that include the Starbucks Reserve, which is a site that houses a roastery as well as food, beverage and bar facilities, and the Starbucks Community Store, which works closely with social organisations to aid disadvantaged communities. “Our aim is to create new and interesting experiences while making a positive impact on every community where we open or renovate a store,” explains Torresi.

For Torresi, the Gala Place Starbucks Reserve store in Mong Kok, Hong Kong, was one of the first Reserve stores that the team designed. “We had the freedom to envision it as the dream coffeehouse that we would personally love to visit as customers or to run as owners, while creating a great platform for the Reserve coffees. These factors, as well as building the connection to a very busy and unique neighbourhood in Hong Kong, made it special. We paid meticulous attention to every detail, and that laid the foundation for what our Reserve store program is today. I still enjoy visiting this store, even many years after we first opened it,” he says. 

While one of Wong’s more memorable projects was collaborating on the design of an earlier iteration of the Starbucks Reserve store in the Philippines, specifically at S.Maison in Pasay. She explains: “What left a lasting impression was the remarkable way my team collaborated with our business partners in the Philippines to conceive a captivating ceiling design. It was a truly memorable experience.”

In our latest story, Torresi and Wong tell us more about the finer details that go into the making of each venue’s design concept and shine light on some of the recent store openings in Asia.

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Roses are in the air and chocolates are abound, which means February 14 is rolling around the corner. You don’t need Valentine’s Day to show how much you really care for your partner, but it certainly doesn’t hurt with an array of impressive Valentine’s Day dinners by many of Singapore’s top restaurants. Curated meticulously for an experience you’ll both treasure, there’s something for everyone, including perfectly-cooked steaks, Italian delicacies, and exquisite desserts as sweet as your romance.

Serenade your partner with a delectable four-course feast at Luce by Davide Giacomelli on Valentine’s Day. Starting off with a glass of champagne, you don’t want to miss Italian highlights like the gnocchi tossed in parmesan cheese and crowned with shaved black truffle. Pan-seared Hokkaido scallops served with seaweed, capers and organic baby spinach make for a moreish main, as will the breaded lamb tenderloin. The meal ends on a truly romantic note with dessert, a rose chocolate mousse cake with wild berry sorbet, that is as soft as it is fragrant.
 
But, if your partner prefers Thai flavours, visit Sarai Fine Thai for a five-course menu that sees innovative dishes curated just for the special day. Take the watermelon salad, an excellent starter to whet the palate with a zesty-sweet tamarind-palm sugar dressing, or the dry green curry with Wagyu beef and white turmeric for a hearty main. It wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without roses, and it shows up here with the refreshing mango pudding, accompanied by rose coconut jelly.

Lovers of seafood, head down to Marcy’s, where chef-owner Ryan Choo will be presenting a Valentine’s Day menu spotlighting seafood from February 13 to 14. The Aomori ice fish, for example, is served with hasselback potatoes and enjoys a savoury boost from its accompanying grana padana pesto and Kaluga caviar. The crispy scaled sea bream is just as delicious, juxtaposing its delightful crunch with wood ear mushrooms and grilled edamame. Wash it down with exclusive Valentine’s Day cocktails like the “Lady Marmalade”, a raspberry-forward twist on the Aperol spritz. 

Those looking to dine against a view can book a table at Level33. Here, dig into plates flavoured with Level33’s own beers, like the applewood-smoked stracciatella cheese over confit tomatoes and drizzled in a balsamic vinegar made with its own stout beer. Seared Murray cod atop baba ganoush is a fine choice for a main, as is the Wagyu tenderloin that comes with a truffle and celeriac purée. 

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Imagine a peaceful, tropical oasis right in the bustling heart of Orchard Road. That’s exactly what Artyzen Singapore delivers. The new modern lifestyle hotel marks Artyzen Hospitality Group’s debut in Singapore, and pays tribute to our little red dot’s heritage and cultural nuances through its luxury architectural design.

“We aspire to offer more than just warm, inviting hospitality. It’s about connecting the guest to the locality in a genuine way,” says Jeff Crowe, general manager of Artyzen Singapore. “Our aim is for each guest to feel cherished and at home whether they are locals on a staycation, or international visitors who seek out unique experiences.”

Situated within walking distance of the Singapore Botanic Gardens and the Orchard Road shopping belt, the hotel is a striking tower of lush greenery that provides a slice of tranquillity in one of our city’s busiest districts.

A thoughtful celebration of Singapore’s culture is evoked from the minute we step through the grand doors leading into the lobby. Paying tribute to the prime estate “Villa Marie” that once occupied the space—built by Tan Hoon Siang, avid botanist and great-grandson of philanthropist Tan Tock Seng—we are met with bold floral motifs and swirling textures. Drawing deep inspiration from Singapore’s vibrant tapestry of culture, its design echoes the site of the former tropical garden villa.

We were offered the Terrace Suite for our stay, an elegantly designed space that is a perfect blend of modern aesthetics and outdoor serenity. In the bedroom, which boasts a four-metre-high ceiling, a plush king-sized bed promises a restful night’s sleep, made even more luxurious with the gentle breeze from the ceiling fan. A bright and spacious living room area leads to a private Sky Garden, a landscaped terrace offering unobstructed views of the city below.

No hotel stay is complete without gastronomic experiences, and guests will surely be satiated by the variety of options to be found within the grounds. Menus across the hotel’s food and beverage offerings are imbued with local flavours, from the eclectic and comforting spread at Café Quenino in the mornings to the contemporary Asian fine dining destination Quenino by Victor Liong as night falls.

In place of a continental buffet spread, Café Quenino presents hearty mains like local favourites Nasi Lemak and Congee served with traditional condiments (this one comes as a bottomless portion!). But if you’re in search of breakfast pastries, the cafe also has a selection from homegrown patisserie Le Matin on hand. Bask in the sunlight from the floor-to-ceiling windows, and watch as the space transforms into a lively cocktail bar with locally inspired refreshments as the sun sets.

Despite being conveniently located in Singapore’s embassy district, and in the heart of Orchard Road, the hotel goes above and beyond with a complimentary chauffeur service. Guests staying at Artyzen Singapore can request a courtesy car between 8am and 8pm, which will ferry you to any destination within one-and-a-half kilometres of the hotel.

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A new year calls for an upgrade on beauty routines. But among the abundance of innovative products, all designed to offer indulgent yet efficient beauty experiences with groundbreaking formulas, futuristic technologies and the likes, which ones should you reach for? For those who are feeling confused because of never-ending beauty trends or simply don’t know where to start—look no further. 

When it comes to skincare, Chanel Beauty’s Sublimage L’Extrait de Nuit has been reformulated for even more potent brightening, firming and plumping effects with the addition of a complex obtained from Himalayan swertia, harnessed for its skin‐rejuvenating properties. This serum, now housed in a refillable double‐walled glass vessel, delivers active ingredients— including polyfractioned Vanilla planifolia and a naturally derived chronopeptide—into the skin throughout the night, so you wake up with fresh and radiant skin.

The latest launch from La Prairie, the Platinum Rare Haute‐Rejuvenation Mask, marks a new milestone in what the Swiss beauty brand terms the science of haute rejuvenation. This two‐step night treatment starts with the application of the Ultra‐Potent Concentrate, housed in single‐dose vials, followed by the Ultra‐Sensorial Cream. These work synergistically to smooth and plump skin, restoring its firmness and elasticity—promising visible rejuvenating results after a single application.

Doll up and start the year right with Dior Beauty’s upgraded Rouge Dior lipsticks, which now come in new satin and velvet finishes, as well as refurbished packaging. There are 35 colours available in Singapore, including 999—the iconic Dior red. When you want to add radiance to your complexion, reach for Tom Ford’s Beauty Soleil Neige Glow Highlighter. One or two swipes with a brush is all you need to impart a sun‐touched shimmer to your skin. Lightweight and long‐wearing, it comes in two sheer, luminous shades: 01 Rose Irisé, a pink hue for cool tones, and 02 Gran Paradis, a bright gold that blends seamlessly into skin. 

If you can only choose just one eyeshadow palette this year, let this be your pick. Comprising nine colours in three finishes, it offers endless possibilities for every occasion. The four matte hues—pink, taupe, and two variations of brown—with creamy and easily blendable textures are perfect for everyday use or as transitional colours in your eye make -up routine, while the five complementary shimmering and metallic hues are great for both “opening up” the eyes (apply a dash of the glittery bronze or champagne to the inner corners or under the eyes) and creating more striking looks (cue the vibrant pink, lilac and silver).

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