014 | PROJECT | ZERO BOND
Members Only Zero Bond, one of NYC's newest exclusive social clubs, was designed by Studio Sofield with lighting design by Focus Lighting. The lighting scheme adds elements of contrast, highlighting the architectural details and bringing a hospitality vibe to the space. Images: Caprice Johnson
Zero Bond is an exclusive, high-end, private social club set in the heart of the Noho neighbourhood in New York City. The club was founded by Scott Sartiano, renowned restaurateur, and opened its doors in Autumn of 2020, after a delayed design journey halted by the global pandemic. The 14,000sqft space exudes elegance with architectural and decorative lighting elements bringing a warm and welcoming atmosphere to the original tall-ceiling architecture of the tradition New York structure. darc caught up with Brett Andersen, Partner at Focus Lighting, to find out more about their design concept for the club, and how they incorporated decorative features alongside the architectural lighting. “We started work in October 2018, and the project opened in October of 2020 after delays due to the pandemic,” says Andersen. “The goal for the design of this social club was always to use light to celebrate the landmark interior details including the windows and the brick
arches, which also create warm and intimate moments for the club members to gather and relax – all within a very open and tall space.” In addition to the lighting being used to highlight the landmarked architectural shell, it was also important to accentuate the private rooms and clusters of seating to create a hospitality feel due to the exclusive clientele of the club, including celebrities, artists, corporates and more. In turn, this design choice proved beneficial to the postpandemic world, ensuring visitors could maintain a comfortable distance and sense of privacy between each other. The architectural lighting elements used in the space included linear white LED strips hidden within the window frames with a paired valance that obscured the fixtures from sight. This allowed the windows to stand out in contrast to the warm accents of light illuminating the seating areas. Recessed, amber-filtered LED uplights with tight beam spreads were used to illuminate the brick arch openings to each room, creating a framed view of each space. In
