AWARDS

• AWMAC Award of Excellence 2021

Client
The Other Bird Restaurant Group

This significant renovation transforms a tired 120 seat restaurant to create a new, vibrant, modern dining experience dedicated to a full nose-to-tail experience.  Much of the original woodwork, inspired by wooden sailing ships, was retained from the long time Portuguese restaurant. The new design resulting from this blend of Old World and New Hamilton is mischievously and cheekily described as “Creepy, Luxe Pirate Ship”, with the design inspiration being the infamous 1989 film noir ‘The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, Her Lover’, with set and costume designer by Jean-Paul Gauthier, which totally revolutionized restaurant design.

The custom bar is a focal point of the main dining area, with its rounded conversation area for flaneurs, dramatically veined ‘Jade stone’ marble cladding and wood veneer with zebrawood accents. The asymmetrically sculptured three dimensional shelving forming the back bar is a space divider, architectural feature, and liquor display / storage rack. Feature niches suspended within the shelving hold art and special liquors, and animate the shelving. A rolling ladder allows staff access to the racking extending to the ceiling.

The custom hostess desk allows for a warm welcome, and its adjacent phone booth provides a unique amenity for clients.

Generous and varied booth designs provide relaxed, highly desirable seating options. Two seat ‘date night’ booths are semi-enclosed for intimacy, while curtained, high back four seat booths have the allure of a private room. Larger ‘Power Tables’ are half round and placed for those who must ‘see and be seen’ at the centre of the room. The bar walls are painted dark to bring to life the wall of paintings, inspired by the famed Bar des Templiers in Coillioure. Washrooms are individual colour coded rooms, with a shared sink featuring faucets by Phillippe Starck.

A multi-colour chevron tile floor, screens with cast botanical resin panels, and unique carpet tile floor areas lend warmth and character to the space.

A continuous mirrored band floats over a long curtained wall in the main dining room, allowing furtive glances, reflecting the clients.