34 MARCH 2018 | Commercial Interior Design www.designmena.com

CASE STUDY

1

CASE STUDY

Commercial Interior Design | MARCH 2018 35www.designmena.com

1

The restaurant's

biophilia-inspired

atrium.

2

Shelf alcoves display

vintage collectibles.

Storytelling in interior design is probably the most under-rated element. Lately though, there has been an increased

emphasis on strong narratives in inte-riors. Design rm Stickman Tribe took it to the next level in case of Little Miss India, a specialty Indian restaurant in Fairmont The Palm hotel.

The studio developed a complete story with a lead ctional character, location and even a historic back-ground, going beyond the client's (IFA Hotels) original brief, which was to convert the private dining room of the all-day dining restaurant within the ho-tel and enclose its partial terrace to cre-ate a standalone Indian restaurant for the group. The plot’s central character is Mohini, an heiress to a rich business dynasty in colonial era India, who has inherited rare antiques and artworks along with a mansion, which she has now thrown open to the public.

“We created the ctional brand and identity of Little Miss India — a story that allowed us to create a very unique and cosy space that everyone can eas-ily relate to and feel at home within,” says Marcos Cain, project designer and founder of the design rm. “But the design did not just stop at the interior, but also needed to carry through to the show kitchen and tableware to ensure every element is authentic and be tting of the concept.”

Having said that, Cain and his team didn’t want to explore the colonial theme through a pigeonholed vision. Their approach was to reinterpret the classic in uences associated with East India Company, give them a contem-porary twist and weave them into the story. So even the kitschy characteris-tics come across as part of the narra-tive and do not seem contrived.

While this mélange may feel busy, it creates an environment that relates to the premise. “We wanted to enhance the space by providing unexpected moments that set the design apart from the norm. The unusual approach came with its own set of challenges, and the team worked around them to keep the thematic continuity. “The original space used to be the private dining room of the all-day dining restaurant

which was quite small, limited on natu-ral light and overall at a disadvantage to become a standalone venue, a chal-lenge we welcomed with open arms,” says Cain.

The team tackled this issue by enclosing the terrace space and trans-forming it into the atrium of the ‘man-sion’. “This naturally entailed a lot of MEP work that needed to be integrated subtly without the guests noticing,” says Cain.

Other challenges, which the team had to address, included visually and physically separating the space from the all-day dining restaurant and

2

Project: Little Miss India

Location: Fairmont The Palm

Size: 520m2

Type: Food and beverage

Date of completion: January 2018

creating a front-facing entry point to entice the guests. The 4m-high solid wooden door frames the entry to Little Miss India’s lush garden, heightening curiosity about what lies ahead.

A colonial theme can often seem

CASE STUDY

36 MARCH 2018 | Commercial Interior Design www.designmena.com

4

3

The 4-m high wooden

door at the entrance

provides a peek into

the eclectic interiors.

4

A lush garden sits

out at the front

of the property. 3

coerced, and at risk of playing on old clichés. But when reimagined in a contemporary form, the effect can be outstanding, as in the case of this res-taurant. “Colonial design tends to be rich in details and pro les which, when re ned to suit the current context, can truly transport the guests to an effort-lessly glamorous time,” says Cain.

Keeping this in mind, the team has been able to create an old world charm with quirky and eccentric pieces, which complement as well as challenge its surroundings. This comes through in details such as the handmade bronze bird, custom-made oral screens, a peacock-shaped wall sconce, and the vintage brass replace screen, which was retro tted to create a rich and vibrant environment.

The wall panelling has been simpli- ed from its usual elaborate pro le to

a clean geometric recess with piano lacquer dado skirting adding an unexpected twist. Similarly, vintage patterns and motifs have been subtly etched on to the brass sheets in the show kitchen.

Seen throughout the restaurant, the artwork and accessories play a huge role in authenticating the narrative, as

CASE STUDY

38 MARCH 2018 | Commercial Interior Design www.designmena.com

5

Bentwood ceiling

fans, ceramic lighting

and geometric

wallpaper balance out

the rich, velvet sofas.

6

A Bedford truck

was retro tted and

transformed into

the feature bar.

5

6the design story focuses on how Little Miss India gathered unique and eclec-tic pieces from all over the globe to display it in her family home. Every piece ranging from the limited-edition oil paintings to the velvet-lined saxo-phone case and the vintage Wilson tennis racquet were handpicked to re ect the lead character’s peripatetic life. “The artwork was personally cu-rated and sourced by our own design-ers ensuring that every item is worthy of the design ethos. The pieces were sourced from all over the world includ-ing India, UK, Thailand, Pakistan, USA, Australia, and of course, the UAE.”

Even the decorative elements, such as the geometric wallpaper and wall-mounted monkey-inspired lights, add a playful touch to the serious colonial setting in the atrium space.

There are lots of biophilic attributes in the interior space, a conscious attempt on the part of the designers, given how strong the trend is currently. “There was a strong advantage to this space by enclosing the outdoor terrace,

one being the generous ceiling height, and another is the abundance of natural light, which in return made it the perfect atrium space for the concept. The layered greenery con-trasting with the natural bentwood fans and white clay beaded chandeliers add a lively and lush atmosphere to the space,” says Cain.

One of the main highlights and talking points of the restaurant is the signature jingle truck which is, in fact, a vintage Bedford truck refurbished to become the feature bar within the restaurant. “We commissioned a truck artist based in Pakistan, and ew her over to Dubai along with her team to hand-paint the truck and restore it to

CASE STUDY

Commercial Interior Design | MARCH 2018 39www.designmena.com

7

7

The HAWA-Concepta pivot/slide-in hardware system makes space in front of the cabinet and

facilitates multiple uses of rooms. Makes the doors disappear and creates elegant storage

solutions in modern living and work environments with doors weighing up to 50 kg. For additional

information visit: www.cabrio.systems

Hawa Middle East FZE, Phone +971 4 887 3694, infome@hawa.com, www.hawa.com

Concepta

HAWA-Concepta

Vanishing doors

cladding on the show kitchen, while the deep navy-blue walls of the atrium are balanced with the mustard velvet curvaceous sofa that sits in front of the replace.

Spatial ow is extremely important in dining venues, especially in a ne dining destination such as this, to direct the movement of staff in a more discreet manner. The team made provisions for the operational aspects of the restaurant in their design narra-tive. Not only did they link the previously disconnected indoor and outdoor spaces spatially, but also de-termined the various functional areas, ensuring they align with the overall concept.

Cain says that working with a scripted story allowed the design team to create a relatable persona by manifesting her passion for arts and travel, her fond family memories as tangible moments that stay with the guests long past their departure from the restaurant, making it a story worth revisiting time and again.

glass matched and complemented its corresponding dish perfectly,” explains Cain about the highly detailed presen-tation.

While the theme remains consistent throughout the property, the effect and the mood have been given a modern luxury spin. Cain and his team combined contrasting nishes in the space that play well off each other. For instance, the dark hardwood ooring is met with the polished and etched brass

its former glory,” shared Cain. The British colonial era leitmotif

extends to the dining room, where the design team has installed custom-made hammered brass tandoor ovens, creating a focal point within the main dining room. Even the tableware has been carefully picked to include an array of mismatched copper and chrome cutlery. “We worked closely with the operations team at Fairmont hotel to ensure every plate, bowl and

7

Artworks were sourced

from around the world.