Mui Kee

Mui Kee Congee

A finalist F&B interior feasibility study

From its origins as a humble Hong Kong dai pai dong in Mong Kok in 1979, Mui Kee Congee carries forward a distinctly Cantonese food heritage rooted in sheng gun congee-making techniques and multi-generational recipes, where rice is transformed through long, attentive cooking into a silky, sustaining broth.

Its venture into Singapore extends this lineage beyond Hong Kong, introduced through collaborations that translate its street-honed tradition into a contemporary dining context while retaining its essential ethos of craftsmanship and simplicity.

the site

Raffles Place underground dining sits beneath one of Singapore’s most concentrated financial districts, embedded within a dense subterranean network that channels the daily flow of office workers, commuters, and city infrastructure. It is a compressed urban condition where circulation is continuous, time is fragmented, and movement is largely directed rather than paused.

The environment is defined by efficiency and proximity, where multiple cuisines and fast-moving service models coexist within tightly structured spatial limits.

vISUALISING WARMTH

We learned that the owner of Mui Kee pays particular attention to the temperature of the food. This deeply resonated with us. Temperature is not only a matter of taste, but also of care.

This led us to ask:

What if warmth can be felt not only through taste, but also seen?

In a bowl of congee, warmth reveals itself most clearly through steam, rising gently, carrying the aroma of fresh ingredients and softly awakening the diners’ senses. The design therefore focuses on a cinematic presentation of this moment: allowing the steam to be revealed through subtle and dimmed light and a carefully composed spatial setting, where warmth becomes visible and the simple act of dining becomes a quiet theatre of comfort. With subtle light and shadow, the space is composed like a film scene.

There is a bowl of warmth for you

MUI KEE MOMENTS

project background

This concept design proposal presents Mui Kee Raffles City, a quick dining restaurant.

It offers a distinct Hong Kong porridge experience for the urban crowd: tourists, professionals and families alike. Materials and tonality reflect the brand’s heritage and identity, bringing warmth and familiarity to the space. The restaurant accommodates over 60 diners. Seating and circulation are organised to ensure comfort and operational clarity.

The design begins with a simple idea: to create a home for Mui Kee at Raffles City, and a place where city diners may pause, gather, and feel at home.

Founder

Red, Refreshed

Traditionally, Mui Kee features the colour of red, reflecting its brand history in its logo. We take red as a base, expanding its shades and spectrum, while copper acts as an accent — defining edges and tracing the space with clarity. The result is a balance that honours Mui Kee’s heritage colours while introducing a contemporary, urban twist.

Introducing Copper Shades

Through our research, we feel proud of Mui Kee’s ability to preserve its heritage over decades; and we were delighted to discover that our journalist friend, Ms. Meryl Koh, wrote about Mui Kee, highlighting the brand’s dedication to copper pot cooking. No shortcuts, no tricks — the secret of wok hei lies in patience and care. This tradition informs our design, bringing the warmth and authenticity of Mui Kee’s culinary practice into the space.