Specialist in the development of innovative surface and sculptural design, Giles Miller Studio, was commissioned to create the artwork for Buddha Bar’s new luxurious bar front and other areas within the venue.
Buddha Bar approached Giles Miller Studio wanting to create something truly opulent that referenced the Far East and the heritage of the bar. Buddha Bar had an idea of something sweeping that could be repeated throughout the venue.
They also wanted to utilise the studio’s subtle techniques of using light, reflection and texture to create something special and bespoke to them.
Giles Miller Studio’s initial mood boards included research and images of reptile skins, which was a success. The scheme was based on a Chinese dragon to fulfil Buddha Bar’s request of a repeated piece of art that could sweep through the venue. The Wellington tile was selected for this job, to evoke the feeling of a Chinese dragon’s beautiful and reflective scales.
The tiles attributed to the desired look and feel of a Chinese dragon; the surface undulates, twisting and turning with each individual tile reflecting the scales of the surface. There is a subtle pattern which shows a gradient running through the surface, once again referencing to a Chinese dragon’s skin.
The artwork has been applied to a variety of bar fronts within the Buddha Bar, including all four sides of the Roberta grill counter and two long undulating bar fronts. In total, the artwork’s combined length is an epic 33m. The Wellington tiles were applied to a specialist MDF backing. Resulting in each tile simply slotting together onsite to create the seamless, expansive artwork.
The project was based on one cohesive piece of artwork that could be repeated throughout the Buddha Bar; something that could be instantly recognisable and striking in different areas throughout the venue.
Giles Miller Studio selected three different glazes to enhance the organic undulating pattern which sweeps across all the bar fronts. The pallet is a mix of bronze and gun metals, this colour range was selected to fit within the wider interior design scheme that the Buddha Bar informed the studio of. The rich colour tones further enhance the feeling of dragon skin/scales and oriental opulence.
This diamond tile is laid facing in one of two directions to enable large scale imagery and are composed to accentuate a wave of texture in the surface. The pattern in the scales can only be seen if the tiles are installed in order and correctly. Each tile is supplied with a number on the panel which is then slotted together and installed onsite by contractors.
As is always the case with the studio’s work, the tiles were initially assembled by hand in its studio space in Hoxton, East London. Here teams of artists and creatives came together to assemble each individual piece to create this large-scale composition.
Texture is an important part of Giles Miller Studio’s process as texture aids to create each individual piece of artwork. Clients can base a design on its existing range of surfaces – like the Wellington tile – but it is the texture and orientation of the tiles that create each bespoke piece of artwork.
Giles Miller Studio composes thousands of sculptural components in such a way that they illustrate imagery purely through their composition and reflection of the surrounding light. Buddha Bar’s reference “a wealth of sensory experiences awaits – colours, textures, taste,” is reflected in its surrounding environment. The venue’s unique design details combine to create a truly immersive and playful dining experience.