Ivory Lounge, Sarasota

1413, Main Street, Sarasota, FL, United States

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Ivory Lounge, Sarasota

1413, Main Street, Sarasota, FL, United States

Firm

Type

Hospitality + Sport › Bar/Nightclub

YEAR

2009

SIZE

1000 sqft - 3000 sqft

BUDGET

$0 - 10K

“It’s super simple but at the same time it frames the life inside…I think it’s a beautiful project." David Zahle, Danish design firm, B.I.G., Juror for AIA Gulf Coast Design Awards 2010 Merit Award for Design Excellence, Ivory Lounge

This renovation transformed an existing 2,500 SF commercial space into a contemporary urban lounge. The challenge was to provide the client with an upscale, South Beach style ambiance for a construction budget of under $150,000. In order to accomplish these goals, the designers balanced rationalism and romanticism. The vision was to apply practical, cost saving solutions while immersing guests in a sensory experience of space, material, light, and sound.

To meet the client’s budget restraints, the designers re-used as much of the existing restaurant layout as possible. The bar, bathrooms and back-of-house spaces were kept in the same location to take advantage of the existing plumbing and mechanical layouts. Each guest area is now defined according to function; the bar/seating area was designed to be open for entertainment and high activity, while the lounge area promotes semi-private centers for conversation.

The new focal point is a folded sculptural plane designed to wrap over the bar/seating area. The plane creates a center of attention and provides intimacy amid varying activities. Recessed into the plane are lines of indirect light troughs that resemble a fast-paced metropolitan environment.

The lounge area features comfortable furniture, industrial finishes, and Victorian patterns for an artful blend that is stimulating and sociable. The abstract artwork and energetic palette clearly expresses the lounge’s dynamic compositions and geometries. Modular furniture systems provide a flexible layout which is easily reconfigured to accommodate the creative needs of any event.

Another cost-saving strategy was custom designing two bar-tables. The 3’ x 8’ tables are high-pressure laminate oak for maximum durability and were engineered to be the same height as the bar for ultimate user-comfort. To accommodate the narrow seating area, they were designed in an “L” shape to promote standing at one end only. Candles are placed inside recesses of the tables to mimic the overhead lighting while also enhancing the feeling of intimacy.

The lounge’s environmental video and lighting designs immerse guests in a flowing, luminescent interior landscape. The outdoor lounge provides the guests with an additional option for entertainment.

The result is an atmosphere for Sarasota’s nightlife where light, form, and ambiance merge together to provide a unique, intoxicating experience.

JPA Design Team: Punit Patel, Chris Leader, Sonia Veleva, Aris Montiel, Michael Bade, Chris Gallagher, Jonathan Parks AIA

Photographer: Camille Pyatte, Camille Pyatte Photography