Prize(s) Winners in Restaurant and Bar Lighting
Company KGM Architectural Lighting
Lead Designers Martin van Koolbergen
Other Designer's names Dayuan Fu
Architecture Company HBC Architects
Interior Design Company Macaulay Sinclair
Client Hawksmoor
Photo Credits Francesco Sapienza
Completion Date November 2021
Project Location New York, New York
Entry DescriptionClosed for decades, the historic Assembly Room of the United Charities Building sat in disrepair until the current tenant accepted the challenge to take on a very sensitive restoration while changing the purpose to a fine dining steakhouse.
Restoring the 26’ tall central volume to its previous grandeur was the focus of the design team, all while making sure that budget friendly materials, fixtures and lighting controls were installed. The primary lighting objective was to ensure that the historic, highly detailed architectural elements stood out, while also providing a warm and inviting backdrop for dining. Sensitively incorporating high-CRI, energy-efficient sources and very warm white glowing decorative fixtures within the fabric of the restoration, the energy-efficient space takes on different characteristics using a budget friendly and easy to use lighting control system.
Integrating lighting within this historic volume required intense coordination among the design and construction teams with several mock-ups and design revisions in order to minimize further damage to existing plaster ceilings and filigree. The difference between the before and after photos is a clear indication of the success of the project, as is the wait-list to dine!
