Studio N designed a lighting scheme for Studio Frantzén Social Dining & Bar, by celebrated chef Björn Frantzén. Located at Atlantis, The Palm, the brand’s refined cuisine meets an immersive interior by Bishop Design that pays homage to the Nordic reverence for light. Studio N’s scheme enhances the narrative and helps to add a sense of moody theatre and standout decorative elements to the immersive experience.
The storytelling aspect of the lighting design is evident in the main dining area, where a bespoke chandelier alludes to the Scandinavian tradition for candlelight during winter months. Minimalist black spotlights concealed in the feature ceiling above the chandelier create a subtle layer of ambient light around the piece, preserving the delicacy of the aesthetic. Soft cove lighting and diffuse lines of light were then used along the walls and wood panelling to wrap the space with warmth and intimacy.
In the dining booth adjacent to the restaurant, the lighting design is deceptively simple. Here, a single downlight embedded in the ceiling above the table produces a subtle but striking beam of light, which ensures all eyes are drawn to the all-red drapery and seating.
The less-is-more design philosophy is repeated in the private dining room, where indirect lines of light and minimalist downlights highlight the decorative ceiling and form a soft, radiating quality of light. As the fittings in this space have all been concealed in the architecture, the lighting blends into the background when the retractable wall is pulled back and the space merges with the main restaurant.
The atmosphere ramps up in the open kitchen, where bright, space-enhancing light enhances the visual intensity of the culinary experience. A rhythmic arrangement of downlights directs functional illumination onto the chef station, while an illuminated ceiling panel turns the circulation route along the kitchen into a focal point.
The bar area is equally magnetic and glows with the intensity of a stage – cove lighting and narrow-beam downlights emphasise the materiality of the red ceiling, a backlit glass surface adds depth to the bar counter, and integrated joinery lighting makes the whole setting pop to highlight the bottles on display.
