Business Times 17 Jul 09;
By next March, Tanjong Beach at Sentosa will be revitalised by the 20,000 sq ft Tanjong Beach Club, reports MELISSA LWEE
SENTOSA looks set to be quite the destination next year, and it's not just the integrated resort that's creating the most buzz. While much smaller in scale, the revitalisation of Tanjong Beach - thanks to The Lo & Behold Group (of Loof, The White Rabbit, and OverEasy fame) - isn't to be sniffed at, especially with the group's track record of creating uber hip F&B destinations.
Tanjong Beach used to be home to the popular beach club KM8 but come March 2010, the 20,000 square feet of space there will be turned into the Tanjong Beach Club (TBC), its name for now.
'We saw huge potential in the location, given that it is situated on what is arguably Singapore's most tranquil and picturesque beach,' explains the group's spokeswoman, Cheryl Ho. 'We liked that Tanjong Beach is hugely popular on the weekends with a crowd that wants to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life and the more bustling high tourist traffic areas within Sentosa.'
Miss Ho adds that the plan is to make TBC 'an iconic and world class beachside destination' that will combine a restaurant, an outdoor bar, infinity pool and deck-chaired beach space. 'In designing TBC, we wanted to steer clear of overly sleek and ultra-modern elements which can look stiff,' says Miss Ho. 'We decided to combine retro-modernist architecture with warmer and natural raw materials to blend with the beach surroundings.'
Designers Takenouchi Webb will draw inspiration from iconic 1950s beach homes and fashion a contemporary space that will be exciting yet timeless and intimate, adds Miss Ho.
In the interim, the group erected a temporary bar called The Shack in May with the aim of creating a 'distinctive, uncontrived beach hideaway that is a departure from the many polished options in Singapore', she says.
A quirky homage to Robinson Crusoe, The Shack is an unpretentious beach bar perfect for those looking for some sun-soaked fun and fruity cocktails, away from the humdrum drone of office life. Though simple in its concept, it is a welcome throwback to the more laid-back days of Sentosa before it grew more commercial and is the ideal location for beach bums looking to play ball or throw some frisbees around.
To create the rustic, raw look that the bar now boasts, they transformed a used 20-foot shipping container by cladding it with wood recycled from the previous KM8 building structure. They also modelled used shipping pallets into day beds and created temporary bars and high tables from recycled oil drums and wooden planks.
Miss Ho reveals that the decision to launch The Shack rather than concentrate fully on renovations was made as 'Tanjong Beach has a loyal following and is a naturally thriving location, so we wanted to continue to service these regulars and also market The Shack to a broader audience who wanted to enjoy Singapore's best beach.
'In fact, the Shack has proven to be so favourable with patrons, we are actually considering integrating it into TBC's concept as a more rustic option to the main bar.'
