Bistro Guillaume at Crown

The Project

Bistro Guillaume is a two level restaurant and bar located in the Crown Entertainment Complex, Melbourne. The head chef, Guillaume Brahimi, is a three star Michelin recognized chef who is renowned for Guillaume at Bennelong, his restaurant within the Sydney Opera House.

Brahimi conceived of Bistro Guillaume as a bistro rather than a restaurant, a more relaxed and informal dining space but with the same exacting culinary standards as the Sydney establishment.

Electrolight was asked to create a flexible lighting system that catered for different table configurations and that was suitable for day and night time operations. Different areas serve different purposes with the upstairs being a more formal dining room whilst downstairs includes a bar and lounge area with an emphasis on intimacy and comfort.

Lighting Design Concept

The lighting concept had as a key aim to mediate the relationship between lighting and interior design. Creating a warm atmosphere with quite cool interior finishes, including textured white tile work, mirrors and paintwork required a delicate touch to be applied to the space. From the promenade a tiered approach to the arrangement of light in the space allows for views through to the curved entrance wall. The space is in effect read from both front to back and vice versa by both patrons and observers from without.

In the basement level a very low ceiling height constrained possible responses. Free standing lamps create discrete pools of light while a focus is maintained on the bar. The result is a space that can transform from an informal dining setting to a late night bar as the evening progresses.

Design Development

Working in collaboration with Hecker Phelan Guthrie and the client meant we were involved in every design decision that concerned the lighting to the space. Various options for custom pendants were proposed with our ideas being morphed into other interior design ideas. The implementation of a comprehensive control system was vital to the smooth operation of the restaurant, allowing the maitre’d to call up a range of lighting settings appropriate to the various modes of the restaurant.