What in the restaurant business can surprise sophisticated residents of elite Manhattan, where the competition of gastronomic and entertainment establishments is simply off the charts? A "living" Buddha weighing 13,5 tons made of 245 layers of glass and thousands of details, original drone lamps by Ekaterina Sokolova, a mystical oriental atmosphere with a slight touch of decadence and the magic of the world - a new Buddha-Bar family restaurant has opened in the Tribeca quarter, the design of which was developed by the Ukrainian studio YOD Group and illuminated by the Expolight company. Enrollment in it is already closed for two months ahead.
Nikolay Kabluka, founder and chief lighting designer of the Expolight company
It all started in Paris in 1996, when restaurateur Raymond Vizan and DJ and interior designer Claude Challet opened their first Buddha-Bar on the same street as the most famous Parisian fashion houses — Faubourg Saint-Honore. In the DNA of the set lies a certain bourgeoisness, the aesthetics of decadence, seasoned with a little oriental style. The format of the restaurants is evening. Hence the reigning twilight, the absence of hours and windows, and, consequently, daylight: only artificial illumination of varying intensity and light sources placed at different levels. Fusion is literally in everything, starting with pan-Asian cuisine and interior design, and ending with specially created chillout music. Today, Buddha-Bar hotels, the first of which appeared in Prague, elite spa centers in Dubai, Dakar and Doha, as well as numerous beach clubs at the best resorts, have been added to gastronomic oases around the world. The fact that the iconic concept of a lounge-restaurant with an oriental flair, which appeared 15 years ago, is still alive and flourishing, and as the founder of the established family every time manages to "knock out" the best premises in the historical centers of the world's capitals, still causes some surprise .
Buddha-Bar New York reception area. There are stairs leading to the main hall on both sides
The new New York Buddha-Bar occupies two floors in a historic building on Thomas Street, literally two steps away from the World Trade Center, which was rebuilt after 9/11. In the fashionable district of Lower Manhattan, favored by celebrities and hipster youth, the concentration of luxury boutiques, salons, galleries and restaurants per square meter is simply extraordinary. Therefore, a restaurateur who plans to open his business here will have to try hard to stand out against the background of first-class gastronomic locations that have become popular with local residents. The ambition of the owner of Buddha-Bar New York was neither big nor small — to create the best establishment in the restaurant capital of the country in terms of design, cuisine, lighting of the highest quality, with unique "chips" that produce a wow effect on visitors, but such that cannot be found anywhere else.
When glass wins gold
An integral attribute of any establishment of the Buddha-Bar chain is a Buddha statue. It was difficult to convince the owner to abandon its traditional gold finish. In order for the space not just to stand out, but to make an indelible impression on the guests, it was necessary to conceptually rethink the sculpture. The image of the new Buddha was not formed immediately: it had to go through a difficult path of numerous iterations. "Among the ideas we rejected are stone, LED, metal Buddha; a figure formed from glass spheres that give a caustic effect, as well as an image formed from stretched strings, or, for example, from vertical glass elements resembling rock crystal or stalactites," says the author of the project, co-founder of YOD Group Vladimir Nepiyvoda.
After numerous brainstormings and discussions, we settled on the idea of creating a parametric sculpture made of glass slabs. It was produced in Dnipro by the company "Villa-Decor" and its manager Vadym Myronenko. Vladimir Nepiyvoda met them at one of the construction exhibitions. Despite the fact that the company still does not specialize in the production of sculptures, its TK specialists from YOD Group still tried to work out the right option. Later, they were even involved in conducting tests around the world to understand how it would work best on glass.
The authors convinced the customer to move away from the concept of a golden Buddha traditional for the Buddha-Bar chain
The height of the Buddha is 4,5 m, the weight is 13,5 tons. The figure is made of 245 glass layers and 946 separate elements, and the layers themselves are connected to each other with ultraviolet glue. Before embodying the sculpture in glass, its full-size prototype was created from chipboard. In addition, specialists from the Polish organization Krosno Glass S.A. examined the glass for internal stresses and assessed the stability of the structure and its safety.
A holographic Buddha made of 245 glass slabs, "coming to life" with the help of a three-dimensional projection, became a visual magnet for guests. The digital content is developed by the Expolight team, and in such a way that it is both spectacular and tireless. The rest of the lighting scheme of the establishment is also implemented by Expolight
A holographic Buddha made of 245 glass slabs, "coming to life" with the help of a three-dimensional projection, became a visual magnet for guests. The digital content is developed by the Expolight team, and in such a way that it is both spectacular and tireless. The rest of the lighting scheme of the establishment is also implemented by Expolight
A holographic Buddha made of 245 glass slabs, "coming to life" with the help of a three-dimensional projection, became a visual magnet for guests. The digital content is developed by the Expolight team, and in such a way that it is both spectacular and tireless. The rest of the lighting scheme of the establishment is also implemented by Expolight
Selfies with Buddha and the collision effect
"At Buddha-Bar New York, it was necessary to create a visual magnet and enhance the effect of a large-scale glass sculpture. We caught the fine line between esotericism and futurism, found a deep image that impresses the imagination of the guests of the institution. From the very beginning, we had the idea to illuminate the statue from the inside," says Vladimir Nepiyvoda. It is located in the main hall of the restaurant, in the center of two staircases, which visitors use to get to the main room. To implement the idea, the Ukrainian company Expolight was involved, specializing in architectural lighting and lighting design, with which YOD Group has implemented more than one joint project.
Buddha-Bar New York from YOD Group studio and Expolight company
"Working on the sculpture became a real creative challenge for us," says Nikolay Kabluka, head of the Expolight company. — We decided to add a hologram effect to it with the help of 3D projection. That is, it will connect the material with the immaterial, something physical that can be felt, with something ephemeral, disappearing. But the main difficulty lay in the nature of the material itself: due to its transparency, the projection did not "cling" to it, but easily passed through it and no image was obtained. If the sculpture were completely matte, all the beauty of the glass would be lost. After numerous experiments with methods of processing the material, they found the optimal solution: they made only the ends of the glass slabs matte. Thus, the Tribekov Buddha became a media screen for broadcasting art content and at the same time preserved the natural attractiveness of the glass structure.
The ceiling is decorated with Gravity pendant lamps with a diameter of 120 cm, created exclusively for this establishment by Ukrainian designer Kateryna Sokolova. Oriental style can be guessed in them, and at the same time they resemble drones suspended in the air
To bring the Buddha to life, Expolight designed two lighting modes for the statue. The first of them called "shining light" makes an accent around the sculpture due to directed sliding light. It is more restrained and implemented with the help of a complex track system of spotlights with different optics, located at different angles. Such lighting emphasizes the structure of the glass as effectively as possible. RGB light sources are also installed under the statue itself, which create a mystical glow of a certain color around the figure of the Buddha.
The second mode is projection, more complicated and spectacular. The image from three laser projectors is assembled into a single image and controlled by specially created software. "A big plus of our company is that we, as they say, under one roof, do both lighting design, conceptual creativity, and digital content, understanding what we want to say with light," says Nikolai. — Thanks to the fact that the sculpture is made of glass, and not of a second material, we can, with the help of light, look inside, accentuate the form and create the illusion that something is happening inside it. For this, the collision effect is used, that is, English. collision — collision of particles". Due to it, the Buddha becomes voluminous and looks like a kind of vessel, which is alternately filled with water, then with some kind of gas or smoke, then with luminous particles that collide with its "walls" in Brownian motion. Consisting of a similar illusory flow of one substance into another, a visual transformation of one of its types into another, a dynamic change, the authors of the project made a reference to an integral part of the philosophy of Buddhism - reincarnation, and at the same time strengthened the effect of the perception of the sculpture. At the same time, the projection image covers no more than 30-70% of the surface of the statue, that is, not all of it, so that it does not turn into a completely virtual figure, but retains its material nature.
"Working on the sculpture became a real creative challenge for us. With the help of 3D projection, we decided to add a hologram effect to it: it will connect the material with the immaterial, something physical that can be touched, with something ephemeral, disappearing," - Nikolay Kabluka.
Modes smoothly replace each other every 15 minutes, and the art content itself is selected in such a way that it both attracts attention and does not tire even with a long stay in the establishment.
The holographic Buddha became a key feature, a magnet for visitors. No one leaves the restaurant without taking a selfie with him, which, by the way, has become the main element of Buddha-Bar New York's promotion thanks to social networks. "The owner even canceled the official opening," Nikolay shares, "because after a cold start, literally in a couple of weeks of operation, without advertising, the establishment became so popular that tables here were booked two months in advance."
Lighting scenarios or city and darkness
The fact that lighting is the key accent in the interior of the restaurant is a common truth. It is not only about the atmosphere, but also about the interaction with the visitor. With the help of bright light, thought out in a certain way, you can make sure that guests do not linger, and you can create a cozy and calm atmosphere that encourages leisurely communication and a long meal.
In the center of the main hall is a sculpture of Andrei Woznitsky, assembled from cubes of charred wood. For its illumination, Expolight invented special lamps: they are recessed and hidden in asymmetric boxes, due to which the light sources themselves are not visible
The rest of the lighting schemes of Buddha-Bar New York, developed by YOD Group and implemented by Expolight, correspond to the scenarios of the life taking place here. Since the establishment operates in the mode of late lunch or dinner, that is, as an evening lounge bar, for the psychological comfort of the guests, the lighting design should correspond to the time of day and biological cycles of a person. For example, the proposed "lunch" scenario is designed so that a person can still return to work after visiting a restaurant. "We should not switch the ego to evening time. Therefore, preserving the ideology of contrasting light accents on the tables, the drama of the light, the mode is built in such a way as not to cause the desire to drift off to sleep. In other words, it should be sufficiently invigorating so as not to put visitors in a sleepy state," says Nikolay Kabluka. The second scenario "evening" is used when people come to have dinner, after work, when the person can smoothly sink into a more relaxed state. The light accents remain, but they become warmer, gradually moving to the extreme warmth of the glow. The third "late evening" scenario is for sedentary people. The focus shifts to the bar, and light shades of red and orange are added to the lighting of the Buddha, and the light itself becomes quite night-like, almost candle-like.
The role of chandeliers in the interior is played by Gravity pendant lamps designed exclusively by Kateryna Sokolova for Buddha-Bar New York. For a large room, commensurate objects were required that would fit into the general canvas. The diameter of Gravity is 120 cm. They have an oriental style, but at the same time they look like futuristic drones hovering silently in the air. And the lamps were manufactured by the French brand Forestier, which has already launched them into serial production.
Since the philosophy of the institution concerns Buddhism, reincarnation became the central theme of the project. It manifests itself here, for example, in the fact that table tops and parts of wall panels are made of unique wood. This is a moraine oak, the age of which, according to the results of the examination, is 800–4000 years. Compositions of dry flowers also reflect the idea of reincarnation. In addition to wood, steel, brass, glass, and oxidized copper are also used in the interior design.
Bar on the upper level of the establishment. In the background is a round panel made of oxidized copper plates. The wall of the sushi bar is made of the same material, and its blue shade symbolizes the ocean
Bar on the upper level of the establishment. In the background is a round panel made of oxidized copper plates. The wall of the sushi bar is made of the same material, and its blue shade symbolizes the ocean
Every detail of the space is carefully worked out by the light. For example, a sculpture made of charred wood in the very center, resembling a dragon in flight, which, by the way, is another permanent attribute of Buddha-Bar. It was created by the sculptor Andrei Voznytskyi from Transcarpathia especially for this project. Assembled from wooden cubes, as if from pixels, it symbolizes the rebirth of the material. The black matte three-dimensional art form had to be illuminated so that it played against the dark background, and every element of its surface could be examined in detail. For this purpose, Expolight invented special lamps, carefully hiding them in asymmetrical boxes. As a result, an outside observer does not even notice where exactly the light is coming from, but at the same time, the entire sculpture is delicately illuminated, but in such a way that every edge is visible, every crack of the surface is visible, plus the possibility of glare is excluded. The back wall of the sushi bar, lined with sheets of oxidized copper, was designed in a similar way. They have a characteristic cracked texture of turquoise color, symbolizing the ocean. Thanks to clearly structured illumination, all their microrelief is revealed. By the way, there is a round metal panel on the wall of the lounge area, made of the same oxidized metal plates as individual grids.
Since the philosophy of the institution concerns Buddhism, reincarnation became the central theme of the project.
It should be noted that the residents of New York calmly relate to low lighting and the theatrical exhibition world in institutions. "If in Ukraine, when we made a similar scheme in BAO, it was a real revolution, and the owner then took a risk and allowed light only on the tables, although before that there was bright lighting everywhere in our restaurants, now the accent light on the countertops serving dishes has become the norm for us, - says Nikolay Kabluka. - In New York, compared to us, visitors sit, one might say, in the dark. The active rhythm of life in Manhattan, the proximity of Wall Street and the business center encourage them to look for places where they are practically invisible, where they immerse themselves in a completely different world, measured and calm. Therefore, we had to "re-flash" the levels of enlightenment based on the tastes and mentality of the New York public. In terms of restaurant lighting, this is one of the most complex and delicate objects, where we simply made filigree settings."
The hall on the second level of Buddha-Bar New York. The main materials used in interior design also "work" on the idea of reincarnation: moraine oak, which according to experts is 800-4000 years old, glass, steel, brass, oxidized copper
Projects as iconic as Buddha-Bar New York without false modesty evoke a sense of pride in our specialists: that incredibly powerful creative destiny, concentrated here on every square meter, contributed by Ukrainian engineers, sculptors and designers. Sensing the conceptual idea of the bar itself, the authors of the project managed to create a special atmosphere, mystical, mysterious, with its own lounge rhythm, which the viewer can perceive on both a macro and micro level, unraveling layer by layer. And the main thing is that people do not just talk about it, but experience the magic of the created atmosphere for themselves, feeling high, and joyfully immersing themselves in new sensations, in a new emotional experience.
Vladimir Nepiyvoda, co-founder of YOD Group
"We cooperate with Mykola Kabluka when there is a need to implement a unique lighting design. The first joint experience of cooperation with them was the BAO project in Kyiv. In New York, we have a lot of competition in terms of light. Visitors will appreciate how unique the lighting design was. We are now carefully following feedback from guests who have already visited the restaurant. It's interesting that there were a few comments about the food, as the Manhattan crowd is very picky, but about the interior design, the lighting and the Buddha sculpture as the main attraction - everyone is absolutely delighted! We are glad to cooperate with Expolight. Their team is as "crazy" as we are. If we already work in the creative field, we strive to do it to the fullest."
Text: Nadezhda Bogataya
Photo: Andrey Bezuglov
