6 minute read
Studio Franzén’s Scandinavian Design at Harrods
A 14-Arm Sculptural Chandelier Defines a Dramatic Dining Area
By Vilma Barr , Images courtesy of Ǻsa Liffner
Retail organizations for decades have promoted dining destinations in their stores to build store traffic and contribute to the bottom line. In the U. S., from casual tea rooms in Lord & Taylor and its branches to the classic grandeur of the Walnut Room in Chicago’s Marshall Field, these dining facilities built customer loyalty and corporate image.
While most domestic department and specialty store dining destinations today do not have the upscale aura of their past status, in Europe, particularly London and Paris, they enjoy high volume from residents and tourists alike. At the top of the list with the most number of dining options is Harrods flagship in London’s Knightsbridge. Here, a total of 15 different themed restaurants and bars are located in the 1.1-million-square-foot landmark on Brompton Road. The latest to open on the fifth and sixth levels is Studio Frantzén, a creation of award-winning Swedish chef Björn Frantzén, specialist in Asian-influenced Nordic cuisine.
Stockholm-based designers Joyn Studio were appointed to transport guests from Harrods’ retail floors to fine dining gastronomy at Studio Frantzén, completed in November 2022. Indoor dining accounts for 4,200 square feet, with an additional 2,000 square feet for the terrace. Contemporary Scandinavian design integrates materials, wall coverings, furnishings, and lighting within the restaurant’s five areas which can seat up to 112 guests. From the double-height atrium to the roof terrace overlooking London’s skyline, everything from the luminaires and custom tableware to a hand-painted mural combines for a harmonious style.
Walls are glass, and the ceiling is copper. The expansive dining room features light warm wood and a specially designed dome with Nordic motifs. Helena Eliason, a cofounder, interior architect, and a creative director at Joyn Studio, coordinated the works produced by Swedish designers and artists, lighting fixture producers Front Design, Stockholm, and Northern Lights, and lighting design consultants, Lighting Design International’s (LDI) London office. Joyn has worked with Frantzén venues since 2012. Architects Woods Hardwick has served Harrods for 30 years.
Lighting emphasizes the sheer grandeur of the atrium space with a 2W French tip candle chandelier, created from a collaboration between designers, consultants, and suppliers. Artisan fabricators at Northern Lights worked closely with concept creators Front Studio, Joyn interior designers, LDI, and Harrods’ project management team to realize the ambitious piece in less than eight weeks.
Inspired by the beauty of traditional Swedish Christmas lights, the statement chandelier suspended below the wavy white ceiling was engineered by Northern Lights to give the impression of real candles floating in mid-air. “Mild steel was used for the construction of the 14 arms to maintain structural strength, keeping each arm ‘floating in space’, and finished in a custom powder coat chrome finish to subtly reflect the light,” explained Ives Bryan, design engineer at Northern Lights. “Each candle section houses individual mini connectors inside to minimize visual impact and facilitate ease of maintenance. One of the slimmest lamp holders available was used inside the vertical tubes to keep the candles as thin and as delicate as possible, capturing the essence of twinkling floating lights to the double height space.”
To complement this statement piece, the mezzanine ceiling houses 50 hammered flush mount chrome pendants, originally designed by Alvar Aalto. Diners on this level have their own source of illumination that provides both functional and decorative lighting.
“One of the key challenges was to balance the lighting throughout the space. Dramatic focus creates the correct ambience day and night across the restaurant, despite varying effects of daylight, use of spaces, and the architecture,” said Eliason. Warm linear LED is used throughout, and color-Tuneable LED harmonizes with the changing daylight. Using high-color rendering LED, precise optics, glare control, and dimming of the lighting brings the Nordic interior design visually alive, Eliason pointed out.
Graham Rollins, creative director for Lighting Design International, said, “Lighting is such an important creator of ambiance in a space like this. The fusion of sumptuous dark cherry woods in the atrium and the warm color temperatures of the dimmable LED fixtures make for a luxurious and intimate feel, reflecting the flavors on the menu, and the style of the venue.”
All other linear fixtures are high-color rendering 2300K, detailed to conceal the light sources from view. Feature and table lighting were selected for precise optics, glare control, and dimming, providing further comfort while subtly highlighting the curated art, interiors, and food. Ceiling-hung pendants with colorful flared pleated fabric shades can be positioned so that the wider end is either up or down by adjusting the attached strings. The customized design was by Svenskt Tenn.
Overhead on the terrace roof is a suspended catenary lighting system featuring polished acrylic globes with a central frosted core. Downlights are beamed on the walkway. All fittings are fed on a suspension-by-suspension basis by a single power cable, allowing two control channels per wire for dimming globes separate to downlights. Light sources are calibrated to 2400K.
“Lighting control allowed us to dramatically lower lighting levels through the day from an appropriately balanced day scene to a low and dramatic ambience in the evening, ensuring features are never overlit, and energy is minimized through considerate control,” Eliason said. The chandelier, mezzanine sconces, and the terrace festoon system were all designed as part of the sustainability emphasis; all parts are replaceable onsite and manufactured in the UK. British manufacture sources provide a localized supply chain and a reduced logistical carbon footprint.
PROJECT TEAM
Studio Frantzén Harrods, London
Architect: Woods Harwick
Interior Design: Joyn Studio
Lighting Design Consultants: Lighting Design International
Custom Lighting Fixture Suppliers: Front Design; Northern Lights
PRODUCTS USED
• Atelier Areti
• Artek
• DGA Lighting
• FolkForm
• Gloster
• John Cullen Lighting
• KKDC – Stoane Lighting
• Light Graphix
• Marset
• Michael Anastassiades
• Northern Lights
• Precision 11 Lighting
• Santa & Cole
• Svenskt Tenn
• Zivo
