WINNER
Housed in a recently upgraded, multi-level 1980s shopping centre, located in the heart of an iconic town is this classy, vintage looking bar. Its unique ‘halo’ sculpture feature drop of bronze architectural chainmail mesh suspended above an impressive 21 metre curved White Attica stone engineered bar leaner makes it an attractive central place to gather to and enjoy a selection of some of New Zealand’s iconic wines, delicious cocktails or refreshing beers.
For those looking for non-acholic beverages, outstanding coffee and cold drinks are also on offer.
Impressively built with around 150 bronze heavy aged stained Metalier battens which have been individually joined around the entire bar, while approximately 70 oak veneer fins have been fixed precisely at regular intervals to not only add an element of interest but also act as a structural component to holding up the heavy stone bar leaner. The highly polished brass foot rail also adds to the antiquity and serves purpose for patrons to rest their feet. The centre island of the bar features a brushed stainless steel drinks trough that is decorated with a matching high polished brass trim. The polished stainless steel column in the centre of the drinks trough is one of three erected around the bar and these hold up the chainmail ‘halo’. Deco style oval shelves on the centre island have been constructed with slim bronze powder coated steel rails then lined with strip LED lighting and look as if they are seemingly floating above the bench and below the ‘halo’. Challenges included having to work in a complex area of space requiring careful planning and navigation around existing structural building columns. This meant that the bar needed to be manufactured and built in sections in our factory, transported from the Central North Island to the South Island and finally reassembled on site.
Being an intricate project with a lot of different components to consider to run the bar, our team needed to meticulously design, detail and install the joinery around electrical wiring, plumbing and beer lines. Finally, there was the crucial communication aspect of relaying plans and ideas between four parties – the bar owner, principal client, our client and the architectural designer.