With interiors by Ab Rogers Design, Park Row is London’s first DC Comics inspired restaurant and offers an immersive fine dining experience build around iconic characters. The lighting scheme reinforces the world of DC Comics and is respectful of the historic listed building. Art Deco lighting within the walls, pillars and ceiling was upgraded to preserve the original features of the building. After this, lighting details were added to help bring all of the different design narratives to life.
Outside the restaurant, lighting serves to create intrigue; an illuminated sign above the door and a Wayne family crest on the pavement are the only indications of the mysterious world inside. Once within, guests enter ‘Wayne Manor’, a ‘gentleman’s club’ style room where picture lighting attracts the eye to the portrait of Batman’s father and the Gotham-esque objets on the joinery bookshelves. Here, a secret entrance through the bookshelf leads to the Batcave, a deep, black stairwell lit by an imposing 10m long central chandelier made by Nulty Bespoke. The structure features blacked-out pendant lights and discreet spotlights that help visitors travel down two storeys to the main hospitality area. The chandelier consists of 25 transparent discs balanced within a twisting helical structure. 400mm discs edged with LEDs light up in a pulsating sequence, which references the echolocation frequency ability of bats.
A dramatic neon light within the ceiling coffer at the bottom of the stairs teamed with a wall of mist, marks the transition from Batcave to the bars and restaurants on ‘Park Row’, a notorious street in Gotham’s dark history. The main area consists of four separate bars, a stage area and two enclosed spaces – each with its own distinctive identity and atmosphere.
In Pennyworth’s Bar, brass-coloured table lamps perch on every table and the central bar is illuminated under the counter to highlight the blue surface beneath. LED strips tucked within the sides of the gold leaf inlayed pillars help add to the warm glow of the space.
To the left, sits the Rogue’s Gallery where ‘stolen’ paintings are lit by brass picture lights. Hidden LEDs illuminate the playful scalloped pink surface of the bar, echoing the original scalloped glass ceiling fixtures.
Towards the back of the grand space is the Iceberg Lounge, where a central sculpture of a penguin (representing one of Batman’s arch-rivals) towers above the bar and is illuminated from below. Clear glass plinth lights on the tables reference the icy theme of the space.
In the dark and ominous speakeasy-style room, Old Gotham City, illumination comes from the neon wall lights, dark pendants, burlesque-like feather floor lights and picture lights.
