May 2011 - Illuminating Engineering Society

BAR BASQUE/FOODPARC
Photo: Philip Koether Architects Rendering: Syd Mead Inc. Sketch: Syd Mead Inc.
A CONCEPT TAKES SHAPE
The sequence shows the progression from
Mead’s early concept for FoodParc, to a
more developed rendering, to the final
installation, where fluorescents backlight
computer chip-style acrylic ceiling panels and
theatrical fixtures produce abstract colored,
moving images on the white floors and walls.
terrace on the opposite side of the windows.
The illuminated architecture adds warmth to
the edgy décor, making the red fuselage the
perfect place for guests to enjoy a glass of
wine . . . poured from a built-in, self-service
wine vending machine, of course.
BASQUE TO THE FUTURE
For a wider beverage selection, patrons
can visit the Whiskey Bar at the end of the
restaurant. Though the bar is a continuation
of the futuristic red lounge and dining
area, its conceptual design also pays homage
to the Basque region of Spain. Rising
behind the bar, a glass wall with an applied
leaf pattern represents the region’s famous
Bilbao tree. Initially, the wall design
called for four layers of glass. After four
panes were valued engineered down to
one, the team was tasked with maintaining
the perception of depth achieved in the
original rendering and “had to mix sources
to create the layered effect,” says Hennes.
Three colors of light were combined to
create the appearance of depth: Cool-white
LEDs uplight the bottom of the glass panel,
red LEDs graze down from the top and recessed
blue fluorescent T5s illuminate the
whiskey bottle glass storage display in the
background. The LED-backlighted acrylic
bar provides additional ambient illumination,
while a half-hidden hologram created by a
ceiling-mounted framing projector adds a
decorative surprise to a nearby column.
The Bilbao tree reappears in the private
dining room, where it is depicted in a painting
by artist Andrew Schoultz. Unlike the
rest of the interior, the private dining room
was not included in Mead’s concepts. “We
wanted to keep the same space-agey feel
so that it looked like it belonged, but we
didn’t want it to be a continuation of the
red room,” says Bettridge. CBBLD distinguished
the space by creating a custom
chandelier. Suspended next to a fiber-opticilluminated
skylight, circular mirrored reflectors
of different diameters are hung at
varying lengths. Light from stem-mounted
MR16 monopoints bounces off the reflectors
and illuminates the dining room below.
FUTURISTIC FOODCOURT
Nature-inspired accents and sci-fi interiors
are an unlikely combination, but they
complement each other at FoodParc, the
downstairs restaurant. What else would
you expect from an eatery that boldly
pairs quirky gourmet snacks like pastrami
egg rolls and artisanal bacon burgers with
cafeteria-style dining?
“It’s interesting because on one hand the
architecture is very techy looking, but on
the other a lot of the patterns are very natural
and leafy,” says Hennes. “Syd really
liked the idea of a dappled quality of light,”
so CBBLD created foliage patterns using
robotic theatrical fixtures (Martin) with
150-W T6 metal halide lamps. Mounted in
the black ceiling space between hanging
translucent acrylic panels, the luminaires
project abstract, moving, color-changing
patterns onto the white floors and paneled
walls. A similar leaf pattern is echoed
on the multi-colored glass feature walls,
which are grazed by warm-white LEDs.
FoodParc’s “techy” elements are likewise
enhanced by lighting. Fluorescents with
specular bottom louvers backlight undulating,
hanging, acrylic ceiling panels to reveal
their computer chip-style patterns. “We
didn’t try to evenly light the panels,” says
Hennes. “We didn’t mind that the light would
be a little stripey looking,” since the intention
was to create the impression of light shin-
66 May 2011 | LD+A www.ies.org