A glowing sign above the door and a Wayne family crest on the pavement are the only indications of the mysterious world inside 77 Brewer Street – a world of immersive fine-dining inspired by Batman’s Gotham City.
The lighting design for the subterranean destination reinforces the world of DC Comics whilst respecting the listed interiors. Our first job was to carefully upgrade the Art Deco lighting within the walls, pillars and ceiling. The lighting system across the whole space is now totally versatile and can be changed according to the time of day or what’s happening. After that we added lighting details to tell the story of each space within the Park Row experience.
A doorway disguised as a bookcase leads to the Batcave – a deep, black stairwell illuminated by a theatrical 10m long installation made by Nulty Bespoke that lights up in a pulsating sequence. Carefully placed blacked-out pendant lights and discreet spotlights supplement light levels.
At the bottom of the stairs, a dramatic neon light within the ceiling coffer is teamed with a glowing wall of mist to mark the shift from the Batcave to a glamorous world of cocktails, dining and entertainment. In Pennyworth’s restaurant and bar, elegant lamps perch on every table and the blue-toned central bar is accentuated by a wash of illumination. Lighting within the sides of the gold leaf inlayed pillars adds to the warm glow of the space.
In Rogues Gallery, brass picture lights draw attention to “stolen” paintings, yet it’s the illuminated surface of the bar that steals the show. The candy-coloured leather scallops entice the eye, whilst paying homage to the original scalloped ceiling luminaires. There’s a coolness in the air in the Iceberg Lounge, where clear glass plinth lights add an icy touch to the elegant tables that are overlooked by a slightly sinister-looking penguin.
With a totally different vibe to the rest of Park Row, the dark and ominous Old Gotham City bar is illuminated by picture lights, neon artwork, dark pendants and feather floor lamps.
Banner image © Wonderland / All other images © FRENCH+TYE
