060 FOCUS
Below The Duck & Wafle Restaurant in Edinburgh has an edgy and colourful interior
Different flavours of light
Michael Curry, senior associate of dpa lighting consultants, compares the contrasting lighting approaches to two very different types of restaurant, each with its own unique narrative
Below, left Each table at Woven was carefully curated with a sculptural conker shell and stem as a focal decorative element
RESTAURANTS COME in very different guises and often evolve in very different directions. Tey are stagesets for the theatre of the brand, the Michelin-starred chef or the culinary theme. With restaurants springing up daily in a highly competitive market, it is lighting designers who play a key role in fulfilling the vision of those who create them, making each new one memorable and unique. An enjoyable aspect of the process for a lighting designer is being part of that journey from inception, steering the project to arrive at a unique narrative to suit the space, the chef, the owner and, of course, the food and clientele. Whether the restaurant has a Michelin star and
fine dining aesthetic or an edgy ‘street food’ vibe, the clear path of the lighting is creating a particular identity for that space and, where possible, introducing innovative ideas to help sustain the restaurant for many years to come. As a lighting consultancy, we have been transforming restaurants and bars all over the world for decades, and have had the benefit of being immersed in the overall vernacular differences from country to country and city to city. Our work has entailed countless interesting and varied projects so we have avoided any ‘cookie cutter’ design direction. Perhaps ironically, two recent projects that stand out as being significantly different in terms of market, brand and approach are both in the UK. Woven by Adam Smith is a reimagined Michelin- starred culinary experience set in the luxurious spa hotel Coworth Park in Ascot. Te lighting scheme was designed to complement the new calm and sophisticated interior design scheme by Martin Hubert Design (MHD). In addition, Studio Umut Yamac was engaged to bring new feature sculptural elements in the form of ceiling ‘loom’ features and screens which follow the design narrative or ‘thread’ of the Woven concept. Client expectations were nothing short of perfection for all aspects of the restaurant.
By contrast, Te Duck & Waffle Restaurant in Edinburgh has an edgy and colourful interior with lighting that further exaggerates the fantastical theme of the spaces. Neon and dayglo are peppered throughout, though in a sophisticated way, reflecting the radically different ‘beat’ to its heart and ethos compared to Woven. Te restaurant uniquely operates 24 hours a day so the lighting plays a large part not only in maintaining an appropriate mood but also complementing the time of day. Te original Woven restaurant featured a main restaurant space and conservatory. Te replanning involved retaining the conservatory and creating a new main restaurant, but also introduced a dedicated and memorable entrance space with two climatised wine rooms and an exceptional cheese room, which transforms from lunch through to dinner with the offering. Te subtle, understated design required a seamless and sophisticated lighting approach. We therefore proposed integrating lighting into every aspect of the design, carrying out tests on each element to ensure that exactly the right lighting effect was achieved.
MARK BOLTON PHOTOGRAPHY
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