Incorporating aviation as the primary theme, the ‘R12’ bar at Bahrain airport can be best described as being ‘industrial, vintage & classy’, with well curated spaces to create lasting first impressions. The unit has an eclectic mix of materials & design features; with its exposed, reclaimed brick cladding, concrete effect flooring etc. all contrasting well, with a bold industrial bulkhead and other aviation themed design embellishments. The unit has a few design features that create great recall value for the unit; be it the ‘Beer barrel’ wall – an entire wall lined up vertically with beer barrels or the mono plane engine on the wall, harking back to a different era of aviation or the imposing bulkhead which is visible even from the concourse below.
On the floor, in line with the aviation theme, we have a mini-runway on the floor replete with floor lighting to simulate the feel of a flight landing. The unit has a great height, further emphasized through design, to improve the visibility of the unit from different points in the airport. The signage and branding are bold, bright, and cannot be missed even from the lower concourse level. Usage of other design elements like ribbed glass, rustic metal elements, offbeat light fittings, and unique furniture choices, further enhance the character of the place, providing the unit with a warm appeal, reminiscent of a time gone-by where drinks & fine-dining were celebrated with more of a show and pomp.
With ‘R12’, the focus is on offering customers a wide array of spirits along with a few nibbles so the overall ambience is more of a bar lounge rather than a dine-in. The plan of the unit is very functional with clear demarcation of the small BOH, bar, non-smoking & smoking areas. Overall, we have circa 137 covers with a quarter of them being in the smoking section and a mix of perch, banquette & sofa seating along with community seating catering predominantly to the single traveller, couples, and the occasional group of friends.
The focal point of the space, is of course the bar, welcoming the patrons and offering a wide selection of liquors, beers on tap and coffees on full display. Prominence has been given to the bar design, by using a dominating multi-tiered bulkhead and a rivetted-metal clad counter, in line with the industrial theme of the bar. A great emphasis has been provided to the branding of the stores not just with the aviation themed design features as described above, but also through a lot of graphics. We have used quirky quotes, bold images, stamping on the beer barrels all to pique the interest of the patrons, while large TV screens on the wall continuously stream the latest in the world of sports keeping the customers well engaged.
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