Studio Frantzen is Björn Frantzén’s newest experience-driven restaurant at the top of London’s most iconic department store, Harrods, serving the Swedish chefs critically acclaimed Nordic gastronomy in a luxurious and contemporary interpretation of Scandinavian design.
Entering the restaurant from the store you are instantly transported from luxury retail to fine dining. The space is an amphitheatre of Nordic energy, spreading from the impressive double-height atrium to the roof terrace overlooking London’s skyline.
Guest experience and dramatic focus were prerequisite to the restaurants lighting design and this ambition went hand in hand with reducing wattages for sustainability. Lighting Design International were appointed to create this lighting scheme, and to meet this brief the studio was very selective about what features were lit and to what intensity. Feature lighting and table lighting boasts precise optics, glare control and meticulous dimming providing further comfort for the guest while subtly highlighting the highly curated art, interior design and food, presenting the restaurants vibrant character.
In the atrium, the lighting emphasises the grandeur of the space with sophisticated concealed lighting. The bespoke atrium chandelier was technically developed in collaboration with the design team following a concept design provided by the interior designer. The fitting was manufactured by Northern Lights and uses dimmable 2W French tip candle lamps, slightly recessed into the tube to give the impression of real candles floating in the space.
The lighting was designed to harmonise with the choice of materials within the space – striking cherry wood panels in the atrium are complemented by colour-tuneable linear LED to harmonise with the timber and changing daylight, warming up for added luxurious deep dimming in the evening. All other linear LED is high colour rendering 2300K extra warm white, with high levels of bespoke detailing to conceal the light sources from view and preserve architectural integrity.
On the mezzanine a ceiling array of bespoke hammer textured disks provides a warm ambient glow by reflecting the light from the crown silver lamp sources. These disks are also visible from the main atrium, ensuring customers viewing from below see an interesting ceiling scape of decorative lighting.
As the terrace roof is retractable for fair days, a suspended catenary lighting system was developed in collaboration with Stoane lighting. The bespoke fitting globes are made from polished acrylic and have a central frosted core to diffuse the light and bring a depth effect to the acrylic shade. The system also includes a family of low glare downlights that provide spotlighting to the walkway. The light sources are 2400K, contrasting against the sky and bringing a cosy atmosphere to the terrace during the evening.
Products for the restaurant were meticulously specified to ensure appropriate wattages were used and that fittings were delivering the light with efficiency. The bespoke chandelier, mezzanine sconces and terrace festoon lighting system were all designed with sustainability in mind, with all parts replaceable on site and manufacturing and assembly in the UK.
