Bar Design Draws on the History of the Hotel – Stories, Architecture and People

This week’s instalment of Project of the Week series features an intricate historical bar design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, SHH.

SHH created new design strategies for The Bar at The Dorchester alongside proposals for transforming an adjacent under-utilized space into one that complimented the function of The Bar. Proposals needed to ensure that each of the spaces be versatile in that they could be used comfortably by guests, and that these guests’ needs could be functionally provided for, during mornings, afternoons and through into the evening, guaranteeing constant usage of the space throughout the whole day.

The requirements for The Bar included an ability during the day to operate as a lounge serving small plates and bar snacks, and doing so without compromising its essential use as an evening cocktail venue. The design proposal balanced display, visibility, intimacy and privacy with seating flexible enough to adjust to smaller pairings and larger groups.

Making use of a richly detailed palette of materials, the design interwove references to the history of the bar and hotel, references to the sites pre-hotel past, and to the stories and events that have taken place within its walls.

What was the client’s brief? 

A significant amount of time had passed since The Bar had been refurbished, so the first part of the brief called for a new design that better reflected the character of the hotel and its brand, the buildings architecture, and the interiors of the other public areas within The Dorchester.

Secondly, a solution was needed that would allow the space to extend its operating hours beyond solely evenings, enabling it to be used comfortably by guests throughout the whole day.

The third part of the brief was to propose uses for an adjacent mezzanine area, and for which we designed a day-service tea room that could transform into an intimate evening whiskey and cigar bar.

What inspired the design of the project?

Honestly, we were spoilt for choice when it came to inspiration.

There was the personality of the bar manager Giuliano Morandin and stories of past guests and long-term residents like Sir Percival David, the collector of Chinese porcelain who kept large parts of his collection in his suite at the hotel and which was subsequently bequeathed to the British Museum.

There is the building itself which is that hybrid of Art Deco and Classicism. And period interior details such as fluted panelling; hand-painted wall panels depicting equestrian activities in Hyde Park; colour palettes combining gold, blues and greens.

And then there was Dorchester House that use to occupy the site and was the home of the Earl of Dorchester, the 3^rd Marquess of Hertford, and towards the end of its life the home of the American Ambassador whose guests included Mark Twain and Theodore Roosevelt. When the house was demolished one of its chimney pieces entered into the collections of the V&A.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

The Bar at The Dorchester was last refurbished in 2006 and whilst the refurbished bar had a character of its own it felt alien to the rest of the hotel. The bar manager emphasised that existing guests and patrons were very attached to spaces in The Dorchester, meaning that any proposed changes needed to be done with sensitivity, addressing the desires of these existing guests at the same time as creating new appeal to attract a new generation.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The most amazing thing was designing a space within a building that had a history of its own, with its own stories to tell, architecturally and about the people who have and continue to pass through its doors. Digging into this past created extremely fertile ground around which we could build our design.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

The SBID provides a great platform for recognition to practices who wish to showcase their work to a talented audience by bringing together high standards of work from across the world.

Questions answered by Brendan Heath, Director Hospitality & Commercial Interiors, SHH.