< PreviousFirst look commercialinteriordesign.com November 2020 50 Marta Bar Signature red Famous faces How Design Studio brought French institution Fouquet's to the Louvre Abu Dhabi IMPOSSIBLE N'EST PAS FRANÇAISFirst look 51 November 2020 commercialinteriordesign.com Bordeaux-based creatives Design Studio imagined the ninth Fouquet's at Louvre Abu Dhabi, a cultural signature in 'the city of contrasts' between tradition and creation, past and future. Didier Rey, CEO of Design Studio and project manager, Mouna Daoudi tells Commercial Interior Design magazine how they embedded the brilliant and festive spirit of Fouquet's – the historic Champs- Elysées brasserie in the most prestigious French institution - in the Middle East's Louvre museum, which has a distinctive structure imagined by the French architect Jean Nouvel. Founded in 1899, for many years, Fouquet's Paris has been a place where people from the culture industry would meet. It has strong ties with the cinema, and every year hosts the traditional gala dinner after the César ceremony, France's equivalent to the Oscars. Such is its heritage that the restaurant was listed as a historical French monument in 1990 and the most frequent guests earn personalised silver napkin rings and discrete brass plaque to mark their favourite table. How to bring this history-steeped landmark to the United Arab Emirates? After the delivery of Fouquet's Enghien- les-Bains in France and Fouquet's Montreux in Switzerland, Design Studio sought to reinvent the classics of Fouquet's restaurants for its new Middle Eastern fl agship. For its team of architects, interior designers and stylists, the challenge was to incorporate the aesthetic codes and the special atmosphere of the Fouquet's brand into an extremely contemporary setting. It's a place where the guests are immersed in a 'Parisian red carpet' ambience from the entrance to the sea-facing terrace. Visitors are welcomed into a warm and upscale atmosphere; chic and relaxed with the Fouquet's signature red seats, the traditional portraits of celebrities from the famous Parisian Studio Harcourt and the silver napkin rings engraved with the names of the celebrity hosts of the eight other Fouquet's around the world. Elegant, chic and 'couture,' this ninth opus marks the rapprochement between French and Middle Eastern cultures. We see this in the sumptuous chandeliers, designed by Jean Nouvel. In contrast to the Parisian venue's gold fi xtures, they are inspired by traditional candlesticks found in mosques. On the terrace, good fortune and weather brings us the Arabian Gulf, as the sun sets behind the palmettos and the discrete lighting shimmer like fi refl ies. To expand on the al fresco experience, Design Studio has also recreated an outdoor garden dining space and inside, there are intimate marble tables for duos or comfortable banquettes for groups. Post-dinner relaxation can be found above the restaurant at Marta bar, where the interior design refl ects of the glamour of Parisian nights in cosy haunts. Here the walls are clad in metallic curtains – a nod both to the moucharabieh or mashrabiya architectural elements and the haute- couture dresses of French designers. Paris in the UAE? Nothing is impossible. Suppliers at a glance Bespoke belted banquettes & screens designed by Design Studio SOCA Fabrics LELIEVRE, DEDAR & DESIGNER GUILD Bespoke 100 percent wool rugs LIMITED EDITION Lighting HISLE, BOCCI, PARACHILNA, FLOS, CERAMICHE BATTOCCHIO, IGUZZINI Furniture CASSINA, ROCHE BOBOIS, KNOLL, PEDRALI Calacatta marble table with leather-wrapped legs CASAMILANO Terrace EXPORMIM, KETTAL, MANUTTI & CALMA Joinery AL TAYER STOCKS Latest products commercialinteriordesign.com November 2020 52 Studio Avni is a multi disciplinary creative studio that focuses on the design and production of bespoke lighting, textiles, statement furniture, installation environments and eye-catching objet d'art that are both organic and sculptural. With a keen ecological approach, Coastal Hybrid Lighting Sculptures references a conch, waves and bird in fl ight INTRODUCING STUDIO AVNI Talented Mumbai designer brings light to commercial projects using inspiration from the natural world P h o to c re d it s: P H X In d ia the Mumbai-based studio explores design innovations through research and recontextualizing traditional and unconventional materials, exploiting their inherent qualities. Avni Sejpal founded her eponymous studio in 2011 and has since used her collective experience from various design fi elds to create delicate yet striking artworks for public spaces, corporate environment and exhibitions, as well as private homes. Every exquisite piece is hand assembled by the team and inspected by the designer.Latest products 53 November 2020 commercialinteriordesign.com Convergence at Tresind Mumbai Intricate wire mesh clusters make up this site-specific experiential installation, depicting fluid patterns in water Swarm installation in Chennai Comissioned by Urban Studio, 3,000 pieces of origami-inspired birds in brass, copper and are steel hang as if in flight Hive Clusters for GN Architects 'Jewellery for the ceiling' builds on the notion of the organic growth patterns of beehives, using semi-precious metals Flaming Dandelion at VAKS This vivid and organic copper chandelier was created for a jewellery store inside Mumbai Royal Opera Housecommercialinteriordesign.com November 2020 54 FOLLOW US YODEZEEN transforms the interiors of a Soviet-era building into this Instagrammable restaurant WORLD VIEW55 November 2020 commercialinteriordesign.com Visual motifs for the Insta Eclectic, eccentric and modern – Follower restaurant is designed as a place for social-media mad millennials who still hanker for an analogue experience. Find Follower on Velyka Vasylkivska, one of the oldest and longest streets of Kyiv, or Kiev, the capital of the Ukraine. Here the 153 sq m restaurant takes over the two-fl oors of the brick historical building with the panoramic windows on the central façade. The newly-renovated building itself is well-known locally as a 'stalinka'. Built during the reign of Stalin by Ukrainian architect Osip Kryvoglaz, it has become a part of the entire ensemble of Soviet architecture in Kyiv. As designers, YODEZEEN, was faced with two essentials tasks: maximum preservation of the historical past of the building, but at the same time, creation of a restaurant space where the offl ine and online presence of visitors is strongly intertwined; a space that leaves no opportunity not to post it on social media. Arranged over two levels, the eatery serving American/Italian food has a communal table, a cocktail bar on the fi rst fl oor and a second fl oor that offers more intimate seating. Wood/metal armchairs and wood/ concrete tables – some custom-made and others delivered from Denmark – furnish 84 spots for diners to sit at. In the restaurant, fi ve metre high ceilings meet walls of terracotta bricks, and honey-toned wood adds warmth the commercialinteriordesign.com November 2020 56 Mirrors help expand the space authentic atmosphere, contrasting against fi ve millimeters hot rolled steel cladding found on the fi rst level. In the cocktail bar, the drinks list scrolls on three huge mirrors that stand at four metres. The bartenders' counter is made from cast-wood and is framed by a stylised ceramic bookshelf with 300 books. The theme of books is traced throughout the concept of the interior, defi ning Follower as a collective image of a generation Y living in two parallel worlds - virtual and real. The books are stylised in the design of the bar, in the format of an art-library on the second level and metal letters literally hanging on the columns of the fi rst level. Directly opposite of the cocktail bar is a custom artwork created by YODEZEEN designers: the personifi cation of generation Y created by 200 kg of books. Another work of YODEZEEN designers is a set of metal letters spelling the word 'Follower' on the columns of the restaurant. The use of metal as a motif echoes the staircase connecting the two fl oors of the restaurant. Upstairs, visitors will fi nd the same interior colour palette, with the addition of comfortable seating. The main accent of the second fl oor is the custom design of the bookcase bar, with glass books illuminated in dark blue. As well as books, wood is a main material theme in the implementation of design language throughout the interior of the restaurant. Joining the large communal table are wooden countertops, a European-style bench to relax on, natural parquet with a pronounced texture and large wooden frames around vintage mirrors on the bar, which cleverly positioned to create a feeling of space in the room. The aforementioned communal table is located in the middle of the fi rst level. Made from wood and massive metal supports, it's dedicated to the constant desire of millennials to communicate offl ine and IRL. An Instagrammable theme continues to even the smallest room of the restaurant, where the bathrooms have blue partitions and washbasins are made of basalt in the form of a rough piece of stone, compositionally complemented by a mirror with a gradient. In current digitally-savvy era, business owners are increasingly recognizing the impact of social media on the way their interior spaces look, says the creative team at YODEZEEN. "The design-for-Insta strategy is becoming essential in such commercial project as Follower, where we were trying to meet the needs of local businesses and to create the space that perfectly suits generation Y; the end goal obviously being in creating a more enticing environment for consumers," says YODEZEEN lead architect Artem Zverev. He adds: "Seeking the very idea for space, we were trying to World view57 November 2020 commercialinteriordesign.com Wood is used throughout the project Copy here Meet the team YODEZEEN: Artem Zverev, Artur Sharf, Alesya Ryamova, Julia Klyahina Photographer: Andrii Shurpenkov implement graphic visual motives with lots of honest materials as steel, glass, wood, putting big attention in creating an authentic sense of eclectic style by adding things with meanings everywhere in the restaurant. "The vivid colour and material palette of the interior – including greens, deep navy, wood, silver, and terracotta – is meant to evoke an atmosphere that every visitor wants to share [on social media]." The bookcase barObjects of desire commercialinteriordesign.com November 2020 58 1SPANISH CHAIR BY BORGE MOGENSEN Always a classic for me!. The Spanish Chair is so simple yet elegant; it is Danish design at its purist form. The use of leather to construct the seat brings comfort, timeless beauty and function all together. 2GEO LOW TABLE by CHRISTOPHE DEL COURT I am a big of fan of how Delcourt fl irts with shapes and materials to create such fascinating object. This table can be a striking piece in any setting it is invited to. 3CURIAL CHAIR BY RICK OWENS The curial chair by Rick Owens is my fi rst fascination with handcrafted products and the product design fi eld. It's a statement piece in any home or space. MESHARY ALNASSAR A Kuwaiti designer with a passion for conscious minimalism and Danish design. AlNassar studied interior design at the American University of Dubai before returning to Kuwait and starting his eponymous design studio. See his installation 'Pardis' at Dubai Design Week 2020 1 2 5 4PLASTER WORKS C BY CC TAPIS The irregular shape, the architectural pattern, the earthy colours, what's not to love about this rug? David and Nicolas excelled in this collaboration with CC Tapis. There is so much attention to detail – even down to the choice of Himalayan wool as the fabric. 5APPARATUS TASSLE 57 CHANDELIER This lighting fi xtures reminds of classic Hollywood movies and the Art Deco movement. I love how modern it is, yet reminiscent of that era. I feel like it brings warmth and elegance into any room it resides in. 3 4 5THE MARKET-LEADING PLATFORM FOR THE INTERIOR DESIGN AND FIT-OUT INDUSTRY COMMERCIALINTERIORDESIGN.COMNext >