Indochine

In a 10,000 sft asian restaurant complex titled ‘Forbidden City’ we created 3 distinct zones; an Al Fresco dining and lounging area facing the expanse of a golf course, a lower level bar called ‘Bar Savahn’ and an upper level fine dine restaurant ‘Madame Butterfly’.

In the Al Fresco area we demarcated seating within 5 pavilions interspersed by pebbled pools and stone spouts. With fixed cement seating, wooden fans and modern interpretations of Chinese lanterns, the space has a feeling of warmth and intimacy.

The grey and black slate shell inside Bar Savahn was livened with splashes of bright red from the silk and brocade lamp hanging above a rough log table, while the long bar counter was dressed with a backdrop of marching terracotta warriors illuminated in a red glow. Silk panels in tones of garnet, fuchsia and red were sandwiched between glass and backlit forming the bar front. The ceiling was the highlight with hundreds of jute flags suspended by cables, each flag screen printed with ancient Chinese calligraphic symbols of the five elements – metal, wood, water, fire and earth.

In ‘Madame Butterfly’ the upper level fine dine restaurant, we used the voluminous pitched roof to good effect by suspending a lustrous black glass chandelier at its centre with burgundy silk shades and tassels. With a myriad of clustered bamboo staffs forming an installation, high back seats forming circular seating clusters, the walls were clad in a rough grey slate and the flooring in a warm timber.