The Alchemist

Cosmic Design

The Alchemist is a well-established cocktail and restaurant chain with 20 venues across the UK. DesignLSM was responsible for creating the new interiors for The Alchemist’s Spinningfields location in Manchester.

Speaking with Karen Taylor, Design Director at DesignLSM, darc finds out more about their design intentions and stunning decorative lighting pieces selected for The Alchemist's moody and atmospheric destination in the north of the UK. Thanks to the design firm’s extensive experience in hospitality design, The Alchemist team approached DesignLSM to transform and refresh their site located in the heart of Manchester’s Spinningfields. “The brief included achieving greater operational efficiencies and updating the aesthetic to create an engaging and dynamic guest experience that transitioned through the day and better blended the bar and dining spaces,” says Taylor. “From concept to completion, the project was a very quick turnaround; we were only on site for one month! “Usually we work with lighting designers, but for this project we successfully managed this in-house, working in collaboration with the manufacturer. We worked around the existing architectural lights within the venue, carefully curating a strong variety of additional feature lights to create the ambience and visual interest that we envisioned for the space. We worked closely with an electrical consultant, Nebro, to ensure we were using the right lamps to create a warm and glowing atmosphere.” DesignLSM’s brief took the Manchester location in a new direction for the brand. “It was important to understand the DNA of The Alchemist and what their future aspirations were from a strategic perspective before establishing the design narrative,” explains Taylor. “The site needed to work from day to night, but with extensive floor-

to-ceiling glazing around half of the venue, it was a challenge when it came to ensuring an organic ambience was created throughout the day. “The typical challenge with refurbs is that you’re having to work with some existing elements whilst delivering a new look and feel for the space. In this venue, it had extremely high ceilings so it was essential to create big-scale drama otherwise the design would get lost. We selected decorative and immersive features and lighting that could hold the space, whilst embracing the layering of beautiful lighting (suspended lights, wall lights and integrated lighting) to create an intimate ambience in the evening. “It was important for us to play with the drama of the narrative, reflecting the brand’s theatrical offering. It was key for us that the space felt immersive and reflected the playful DNA of the brand,” she continues. “Addressing the operational objectives of the brief, a lucid identity was well-thought-out for the two main spaces – the bar and main dining area, as well as designing an additional intimate PDR (private dining room), improving the fluidity of movement between the whole venue whilst also creating engaging zones.” Understanding The Alchemist’s commercial, operational and experiential objectives ensured the team stayed on brief consistently throughout the project. These elements helped to “define a clear and thorough foundation for our team to work from”. “The Alchemist pride themselves on creating theatrical experiences, showcasing their creativity and innovation through mixology.