Located at the corner of a 60s building in the Kau U Fong neighbourhood, Dio offers artisan cuppa by day and curated wine and spirits at night. The design brief asked for a retail-driven space with coinciding functions of a cafe and a bar. The add-on structure on the facade and interior was stripped down to its original state, characteristically revealing the scars left behind from the demolition. The facade was left unfinished on purpose, embracing the imperfection and manifests the transience nature of the commercial occupancy.

The imperfect white wall was framed by the building’s pink paint and the grey finish next door. We employed these two colours in the design of the brandmark as a tribute to the context at the time of its existence. Situated on a narrow sloping street, the new shopfront was a setback to allow a buffer for passersby to linger and be curious about what Dio offers on the overhead menu.