Defining design processes create award-winning projects

With Siddharth Mathur - Director of Studio Lumen

At Studio Lumen, our goal is to use lighting to showcase the uniqueness of individual spaces and structures. Our full scope approach to design means that we are completely engaged in the process from concept development all the way through to installation. Each project is a testament to our unwavering dedication to creating not just lighting solutions, but immersive experiences.

These crucial elements to our design process have proven success, as seen in our award-winning scheme for Chic Nonna, which took home 'Project of the Year' in the MEA Restaurant category at the recent Light + Intelligent Building Middle East Awards.

Creating a lighting design perfect for this traditional Italian-themed restaurant involved combining aesthetics, atmosphere and functionality, evoking the charm of an Italian ‘piazza’ while blending seamlessly a venue for live entertainment and outdoor areas.

What sets us apart from other designers?

Our commitment to originality and authenticity plays a significant role in capturing the essence of the client’s vision through the location and culture of each project. For Chic Nonna, the lighting design aimed to expand on the balanced interior brief features of grandeur, modernity, and tradition of a grand Italian home, while ensuring that zones within the open plan retained their exclusivity for a seamless experience.

In this project, the lighting design played a crucial role in ensuring authenticity, especially when creating an atmosphere that reflected so strongly the theme and cultural context. By combining research, collaboration, thoughtful design choices and a commitment to maintaining the essence of the theme we took on the responsibility for creating the desired lighting effects to match the vision the interior designers and client envisaged from the very beginning.

We are proud to implement a collaborative approach with other key stakeholders on each project, including interior design teams, architects, and contractors. This allows us to create a close harmony of design ideals, gaining inspiration from each team to contribute to a finished result that is successful from each design standpoint. With the Chic Nonna project, close collaboration with the interior design team ensured the lighting solutions and equipment were discreet in this space, with effort made to approach and utilise innovative techniques wherever possible.

The combination of culture and modernity was an important factor in the lighting concept for this incredible location, and our dedication to aesthetic quality was integral to curating settings that evoke emotion and visually appealing spaces. The lighting for this hospitality space wasn’t just about visibility, it was about curating an atmosphere that perfectly complemented the fine dining culinary journey and which fully immersed diners.

The key to the lighting was to identify the elements that transported guests from the bustling DIFC next door to the village in Italy – olive gardens, artworks, accessories, and traditional joinery and moulds. Whilst the architectural lighting subtly accented these elements, the focal point was a trio of grand Italian chandeliers that filled the space with its brilliant glow.

The Studio Lumen team’s knowledge and technical expertise also played a crucial role in this project. Different levels and styles of lighting fixtures highlight architectural features and accentuate artwork to set the mood of the different zones in Chic Nonna – ranging from the chef’s table to the live music. The design incorporates different lighting combinations to allow for flexibility and fluidity from one location and scene to the next, leaving a lasting impression on guests by immersing them in each part of the experience.

Home to live entertainment, the first floor has a modern twist with a similar design language as the ground floor. The lighting techniques are subtly tweaked to accommodate the change. A ‘molecular’ glass chandelier spreads its wings over the expansive bar, creating a statement of its own. Architectural lighting subtly complements the entertainment and decorative lighting, set as the backdrop to all the action. The expansive wine cellar is a feature wall that spans over all the floors, creating a connecting backdrop between them.

At Studio Lumen we create lighting schemes that complement architecture and ambience and ensure that our designs feature a seamless integration with the visual environment both in terms of the lit effect and the material substance of the light fixtures themselves. It is through our ingenuity, compassion, and true dedication to the craft that allows us to best achieve our primary aim, which is the fulfilment of the client’s vision, and the unrivalled experience of the visitors to these spaces.

Project credits:

Interior Design: LW

Lighting Design: LW and Studio Lumen

Lighting and Lighting Control Suppliers: Acoulite Environmental Solutions

Contractors: Bowyer Wick Building Contracting LLC