LEADING interior architecture and design studio Macaulay Sinclair has been appointed to deliver the second venue from Cantonese kitchen and pub brand, Duck and Rice.
Building on the success of the standout Soho restaurant on Berwick Street, the team is currently working on its first project with the brand to continue its iconic story at Battersea Power Station.
A 4,000 sq ft unit is currently undergoing a transformation into a 185-seat restaurant, including an open kitchen and raised bar area, with Macaulay Sinclair’s design taking influence from the aesthetic and style of the Cha Chaan Teng and tea houses of South China.
With references in the materiality to the original Soho space, the design has also been intertwined with the comfort and familiarity of the British pub, which gives Duck and Rice its unique dining and drinking experience.
Overseeing the design project, Ian Roome, director at Macaulay Sinclair, said: “Duck and Rice is a hugely exciting brand to be working with, and our project is already well underway to deliver the new, highly anticipated restaurant.
“During our research and design development, we were drawn to a collection of photographs taken in 1949, including bars and social gatherings. This captured an element of nostalgia and faded elegance linked with this area during a significant period in South Asian history.
“The much-loved Cha Chaan Teng are an integral part of South China’s culture stemming back to the early 1950s. Our British pubs and cafes hold a similar connection to our societal past. There is evidence that these Western influences crossed paths with the traditional teahouses, and this is what has inspired our design approach.”
Ilir Caushi, CEO of The Duck and Rice, said: “Macaulay Sinclair were selected to help deliver the second interpretation of The Duck and Rice which celebrates its tenth year in Soho this year, taking inspiration from the Cha Chaan Teng tea house of Hong Kong.
“Macaulay Sinclair have delivered the second birth of The Duck and Rice, a British Pub and Chop Suey Kitchen for Battersea Power Station all within the context of a new more contemporary space, managing to combine these design features seamlessly – we are delighted with the outcome. We look forward to welcoming customers in 2025.”
Macaulay Sinclair began work on the project at the end of 2023, with the interior fit-out of the space having begun in Autumn 2024. The restaurant is due to open its doors in early 2025.