The Armani Ristorante
Saturday, February 1, 2014 at 12:54AMWhile I was in New York for the BDNY show in November 2013 a dear friend invited me for lunch at the Armani Ristorante, which is located on Fifth Avenue in the heart of the city.
I entered a not so posh looking elevator (which honestly I think needs an uplift). As I arrived at the top floor of the Armani building I looked over to the right and found myself intimidated by the vibe of the space, Up market, stylish and extremely classy! I must confess I felt a little less posh like the elevator that carried me there, but I tried to stay true to my calm demeanor and waited for the friendly face to come rescue me. Of course two lattes later I was much more comfortable in my surroundings.
The concept is very clean, the colors are simple, black floors and white walls and the same scheme follows on the furniture too. But I believe there is a reason why the rest of the interior is subdued; it is because it houses one of the most spectacular staircases I have ever seen. Right in the center of the building connecting all the floors stands this breathtaking sculpture! Yes that is what it is, it’s not a staircase but a striking sculpture that seems hand crafted to perfection. The beauty is in its fluidity and abstract form, from different angles it is a different shape. It is cleverly colored white which again stands out from the black floors. It almost reminds me of a sea creature emerging from the black waters, or like the world tree from “Jack and the Beanstalk” that connects the earth to the heavens above. Ok wow, I thought this post was going to be boring, but for those who do not get me please ignore the last statement. In my defense as designers it is helpful to have an imagination when conceptualizing.
The other design element that is striking is the LED curtain that lights up the glass façade. According to me it is a remarkably clever feature because it separates the Armani building from the sea of buildings on Fifth Avenue. It can be spotted from a distance, and that is crucial for any brand to be able to stand out from the rest of the crowd.
What always amazes me is how certain spaces, even though simple, are able to create an ambience that might either intimidate you or make u feel comfortable , hence I say spaces should evoke emotion!
Until next time…. “Stay true… Stay Funky”
Reader Comments (1)
Very informative for a topic that has very little reliable information available. Interesting post with really good images. .