The Hakkasan New York design reflects the brand’s global philosophy with subtle edits to the interior decor – which include a new motif and deep blue colour scheme with red and pink undertones, tailored to New York sensibilities.
The restaurant is 11,000sq ft with seating for 200 guests with semi-private dining areas available for groups between 15-30 people. A 60ft bar and 80ft entrance lobby are integral features of the restaurant.
“There is a lot of mystery to Hakkasan,” says design team Gilles & Boissier, “experienced on a journey through a sequence of charismatic, yet somehow distinctly varied spaces that are charged with powerful emotion.”
Among the resturant’s stand-out features is the marble which was sourced from a single block in a quarry in Carrara, Italy, and fabricated and installed by Artisan Stoneworks. The restaurant’s stone Ling Ling screens and other stone features are produced from 4885ft of Calacatta-finished marble slabs, carved by a water jet machine. The impressive joinery was made using machining and hours of shaping, sanding and finishing. The restaurant’s signature cage is sourced from white oak harvested in Ohio and Western Pennsylvania.
Blue and red-hued frosted glass, semi-transparent glass, and mirrors are installed throughout the space.
100% natural beeswax, organic aromatherapy Luxe Ylang Ylang candles provide scents, along with Maroma (jasmine) incense sticks with natural essential oils from India.
According to Gilles & Boissier: “Entry is via a long corridor: minimalist, opaque and plainly cast in marble. At its end there is life, the wooden cage animated from day till night by a multitude of ambiance and action – a modern hutong house containing a variety of spaces, linked together by a long bar as the major element that is anchored by a metallic wall as its backdrop.
“The deep blue glass enveloping the kitchen acts as a lantern, emanating a halo of energy and humanity from beyond: glimpsed through the transparency of the wooden and marble panels of the cage, the imagery plays like dentelle lace on a sensual body, a feminine sensation mixing with the strong and massive architecture. A single glance can capture a wealth of different emotions and ambiances, like a snapshot of pure life that builds up frame by frame into a movie, taking you on a trip to a fantastic China.”