Italian Steakhouse

Unbuilt

Customer Experience Takes Center Stage at a Las-Vegas Style Italian Steakhouse

Retail and Hospitality

The Unbuilt Italian Steakhouse project showcases a meticulous journey through modern restaurant design, conceived as a high-end, Las Vegas-style Italian steakhouse. The vision was to create a dual-sided restaurant with a vibrant, casual bar area and a formal fine dining space. The Vegas inspiration is not only evident in the high-end finishes, but also in the idea that guests experience a performance through the view into the open, full-production kitchen featuring a live fire grill on the fine dining side. The open and casual bar area on the contrasting side of the restaurant offers a different presentation and less sophisticated experience.

Project Details

Client: Undisclosed
Size: 5,325 sf
Completion Date: Unbuilt
Services: Architecture,
Interiors

We listen.

Initial designs were created for a 9,000+ sq ft space; however, with the ever-changing retail landscape following the COVID-19 pandemic, the client informed the design team of a significant reduction in space at just over 5,000 sq ft in a challenging triangular corner location. This necessitated a complete re-design of the restaurant concept to fit into the new allocated area within the triangular shape while keeping the seating capacity in the 160-170 range. During an initial design charette of the re-design, the “stage in the round” concept was introduced. This discovery reinforced the initial vision for the project to create a dual sided restaurant and the idea of a performance.

We design.

As the design progressed, the 5,000 sf space was bi-sected to create fine and casual dining experiences. The concept of contrast between the fine and casual dining areas comes from the ancient Chinese philosophy of Ying and Yang. This concept describes how opposite or contrary forces may create each other by their comparison and are viewed as complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the world. This approach allows for the guest to experience two totally different dining experience (“shows”) while feeling connected to the other where the finish schemes transform and reconnect at the main entrance of the restaurant. This reconnection happens at the meat aging room which is used as a visual focal point upon entry into the restaurant and a reconnection of both dining experiences.

We deliver.

This concept is further reinforced by the concept of dark vs. light from a finish standpoint along with the changes in ceiling heights. The ceiling design incorporates elevation changes to help define the space, focus the viewer on the show, and create the appropriate mood. Concepts of dark/low vs light/high were incorporated to further enforce the desired experience of the space and the Ying and Yang concept. The fine dining space utilized darker, richer tones to evoke a sense of luxury, intimacy, and of slowing down and rest. This area features deep woods, leathers, plush fabrics, and dark flooring, contributing to an elegant dining experience. In contrast the casual dining features lighter, upbeat colors with high gloss finishes and polished metals, creating a light, active, warm, and inviting atmosphere.