Behind the Scenes: A Closer Look at Bigtime Design Studios’ Latest Design Projects
Emphasizing innovation and thought leadership in every project the firm touches, Bigtime Design Studios has become one of the top cross-disciplinary architecture and design firms in Florida, with both national and international recognition. A seamless combination of Interior Design, environmental art, fashion, music, branding and creativity; Bigtime Design Studios is most known for high concept, high style public space environments. And with dozens of awards across various market sectors, their work in the hospitality space includes Runway 84, Carnival Cruises lines Celebration, Bagatelle Dubai, L’Auberge Del Mar, Postcard Inn Beach Resort, Township, Brightline Orlando, The Betsy, The Gabriel, Pani, Rooftop @ 1WLO, Boatyard, Rivertail, Charlie & Joe’s at Love Street, and Union Restaurant in the Press Hotel of the Marriott Autograph Collection amongst others.
Projects
To design a space that captures the essence of a brand, it requires special blend and combination of Madison Avenue madness combined with a literary twist to craft a story that is witty, unique and scalable. Fortis along with his band of merry men and women, designers, tastemakers and style hounds and branding maestros the team has recently completed two major projects that are disrupting even the most jaded of disrupters. Join us as we take a closer look at Bigtime’s latest design triumphs and the inspiration behind them.
Runway 84
When you are charged with a re-imagining of an iconic concept, iconic owners and a somewhat infamous past, you work hard to preserve what was, what is and what will become. Studying the lower east side red sauce joints beginning with the floor plan, a perimeter dining approach was achieved by introducing “gangster booths” along the two main walls in the dining room. Meant for family, large groups or just because you always wanted to have a view of the dining room and entertainment these lend to an old school approach to how patrons dined when Vegas was a horse town in the dessert and Frank Sinatra was known as little Frankie and the then new Italian America was making a mark in the restaurant world.
A lively concept, and one that is immersive needed to have a color palate and tactile spirit that evoked some of the old school supper club joints that made the lower portion of Manhattan cool and Las Vegas hot. Hues of green, gold and burgundy are combined with an elaborate multi layered walnut coffered ceiling that is reminiscent of a ballroom/piano lounge at the Sands.
Authentic without being a cliche was achieved by designing all custom furniture and seating to represent four generations of dining while creating a sophisticated and chic spirit. The magic of creating a space where nothing matches is because it’s all a match on the purposeful selection of a rose wall covering matched with dark emerald green velvet banquettes.
A circular mini lounge was created between the bar and dining room to serve double duty, both as a natural divider for the bar and dining but to also give a lush sense of intimacy in front of the stage reminiscent of a Vegas sneak joint where a Manhattan was more than an island. Martin Scorsese could have used this as a muse for any of his movie sets depicting a true step into the Italian American subculture that was just just gaining speed in 1882.
Step into the bar and above you is a vinyl stretch ceiling that is both an optical illusion and an excitement generator. What becomes of an already over scale 12 foot ceiling is now punctuated over head and the custom brass back bar and adornments are now part of the architecture enveloping your experience. Custom crystal chandeliers and brass art lights in a cacophony of light that is both intimate and sexy by design. The walls pay homage to the neighborhoods where inspiration and family are found. A touch of whimsy is also present here. Feeling more like a night out than a seat in a restaurant, we attempted to immerse the patron in a sea of colors, textures and light play. All as part of the fresh yet familiar vibe present in the four decades of existence.
John Martins
When a venue is more than the names, they are the real life men who brought their Irish magic to South Florida and their unique vision for hospitality. A four decade hospitality experience steeped in all things Irish. Credited as the original, (OG) Irish concept in Miami, this concept has been charged with how a legend was made. In doing so, meticulous attention was paid, and where available original millwork, and interior details have been craftily repurposed to create something distinctly original yet somehow familiar. To create an unconventional yet purposeful design that evokes the love of the past and lust of the future is the foundation of such a bold re-imagining and a key of experiential design.
Brand design ethos…………….The design speaks to the historic roots of the heritage while we connect with the future of tastemakers and merry makers; for foodies and laymen alike; the quintessential Irish Pub/Restaurant for today and beyond.
To achieve this, attention was paid to many of the original design cues that defined the space. The snugs which are a trademark of an Irish Pub/restaurant were maintained, but the darkness and gothic detailing was replaced with more organic, lighter and whimsical styling. Tone on tone, tobacco hues combined with blackened forged steel and brick were combined with delicate graphic patterns of white, green and orange mosaic tile for the flooring.
The original forty year old bar was preserved and amended to bring light and warmth to an otherwise dark space while the addition of a massive 12 foot by 5 foot industrial skylight to create a true garden experience, with a wall peppered with green moss and ivy typically only found in contemporary spaces in Ireland. The addition of green was achieved using the interior landscaping. A combination of original woodwork presented in a light and contemporary washed woods mixed with graphic traditional tile patterns and light marble. The dried brown moss is in the shape of Ireland with pops of Kelly green. Oversized drawers were designed into the dramatic wood and steel back bar and furnishings from true to the era were repurposed and re-imagined to punctuate the design heritage that was a nod to the past.Attention to detail and combining what was, and what will be led us to create amore open floor plan while maintaining the spaces original intimacy.
In the main dining room, light and semi-transparent snugs are nestled under a distinctly energetic and youthful barrel vault, inspired by the casks that once housed the mash to create Irish Whisky. Blackened steel, greenery, detailed millwork, and subtle graphic cues, keep the casual yet contemporary spirit. The front of the space is now an indoor/outdoor garden created to house the mammoth skylight and massive glass doors that open to Miracle Mile punctuating a true indoor/outdoor experience. Flooded with light and a sense of airiness, a moss-covered brick wall is bordered by contemporary portraits of John and Martin, keeping a watchful and approving eye over this decidedly unique concept.