MORE THAN A SPACE, a place
52cc is a private cultural space and home studio, dedicated to presenting contemporary singapore through cuisine, art, and everyday culture.
in the restored loft of a midcentury shophouse, marked by distinctive tropical modernist bones — angled concrete fins tempering the light and horizontal slats ventilating the space — 52cc explores how material culture, foodways, and daily rituals continually shape the singapore identity today.
through private exhibitions, dining experiences, and curated encounters, 52cc draws directly from its specific place in the neighbourhood: the rich border between joo chiat and geylang serai, a stretch of land long shaped by both peranakan domestic traditions and the commercial life of the maritime malay world.
co-designed and realised with homegrown design practice ordinary builds, 52cc is a space built for curious individuals to engage thoughtfully, and slowly, with singapore as it is today.
52cc is open by appointment only.
AN INTENSE FASCINATION WITH THE WORLD
52cc is curated by singapore-based host renjie wong. trained as an anthropologist, he draws on an enduring interest in cultural and social life, shaped by time spent living in as varied cities as rangoon and naples. his work is grounded in curiosity and observation, and unfolds across of food, photography, writing, and collecting, using hospitality and the domestic space as tools for cultural inquiry and exchange.
in 2020, renjie founded SALON, a nomadic supper club that began in san francisco’s mission district as a way to engage with individuals outside of his own social background. he later brought the project to colaba — in the heart of historic south bombay — where he explored deeply nostalgic flavours through dialogue with indian ingredients and culinary histories, using food as a medium for dialogue rather than translation.
alongside these projects, renjie has contributed writing and photography to a range of lifestyle and cultural publications. he is also the author of jambu dwipa, a collection of photography, essays, and recipes examining contemporary india as aesthetic subject. through 52cc, he continues to work across disciplines, presenting singapore through food, images, objects, and gatherings that celebrate wonder in this city’s everyday.
