The Gentleman Magazine Issue 9 | June 2018 | Page 46
A Glowing Mediterranean Meze Haz restaurant, London
Located in the City of London, Haz Restaurant provides a fresh
approach to modern Mediterranean cuisine. Leading lighting
design consultancy Nulty, worked alongside architects Mailen
Design and branding agency I-AM to complete the lighting
scheme for the modern and quirky refurbishment of this
much-loved Turkish est ablishment.
Spanning the ground floor of an office building, a large glass
façade surrounds the building’s entrance giving passers-by a
floor-to-ceiling view into the restaurant. An intimate dining
and bar area to the front features a dropped ceiling made
from dark wooden slats. Nestled between are cleverly hidden
bespoke can downlights, positioned to form pools of warm
light above the tables and bar, picking up the sparkle in the
glass and silverware below. An integrated linear line of light
under the bar counter washes light down the copper finish to
highlight the warmth and opulence in the material palette.
The all-LED lighting scheme supports the interior design
concept, which is based on the art of Turkish coffee, and the
balance between the bitter and sweet or light and dark. Two
undulating ceiling features create a strong design statement and
look like luminaires in their own right. Discreetly positioned
LEDs around the edge of the features’ white moulded surfaces
create a wash of illumination reminiscent of rippled coffee and
a strong contrast against the rich timber slats framing them.
Large mirrors mount the burnt cocoa textured walls
surrounding the dining area and have been backlit to create
a warm halo that illuminates the vertical surfaces and entices
people into the space from the street outside.
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A soft perimeter glow that frames the dining area is achieved by
uplights positioned behind the seating, creating an additional
layer of light and highlighting the interior’s different textures.
Two timber walls that frame either end of the venue have
copper bespoke circular disk wall lights mounted to them,
creating a reflective surface that radiates a diffused light around
the edges and draws customers eyes down the full length of the
restaurant. Sparkling neon signage punctuates the walls and
highlights the brand's bold spirit.
The lighting scheme continues into the washrooms, where
mirrors have been backlit to create focal points and contrast
against the dark interior palette. Within the cubicles light levels
have been kept low with cove lighting washing the back walls
adding to the drama. The main circulation area has carefully
positioned downlights to help with wayfinding.
Haz is a dining experience that evolves so a lighting control
system was installed to enable the client to select the right scene
for the right time of day, making light a central component of
the space. Energy-efficient lighting was also key to the brief
and Nulty achieved this through approximately 19 watts per
square metre.
Anna Sandgren, Associate says, “The lighting was carefully
considered to complement architectural design of the
restaurant. The dark interior palette and lighting design details
create a huge dose of contrast for a dramatic, yet chic, feel that
celebrates the brands bold spirit and Mediterranean elegance.”
, Security in Motion”