The Grand Café

The Grand Café is in the third stage of a five stage refurbishment of the Casino interior. The Café is a key element in positioning Christchurch casino as an entertainment destination. The Restaurant was briefed to be elegant, theatrical, welcoming, fresh, flexible and functional.

Christchurch Casino's elegant boutique feeing has been enhanced throughout the refurbishment with a strong and consistent design where each space references the others while maintaining its own unique identity through careful use of surface finishes, detailing and lighting.

Traditional dark timber panelling is contrasted with sparking white lacquer and bevelled mirrors throughout.

Bespoke carpet patterns and custom built feature lighting inject colours and a sense of playfulness that is all so important in an entertaining gaming environment.

These established design themes have been brought through to The Grand Café and given a subtle twist to maintain the space's unique personality without divorcing it from the other interior spaces.

High level white lacquer and bevelled mirror panels visually connect The Grand Café to The Main Gaming Hall while bouncing around natural light from the six existing double height windows. Pale ash raised field timber veneer panels at low level create a more human scale in the double height space with a warm welcoming glow that make the restaurant appropriate for breakfast and lunch as well as evening dining and entertainment.

The Grand Café was previously detached from The Main Gaming Hall. The new design planning enables connection by opening up the Diamond Bar to The Grand Café via a series of dark timber and mirrored sliding panels and full height pivot doors. The private dining space created can also be accessed by an over scale timber pivot door from The Grand Café entry lobby. Multiple access points, ample storage and a new bar give this space ultimate flexibility. Closed off for exclusive private dining, opened up for large events, veiled for intimate desert after the Theatre or extending the Diamond Bar for lively cocktail parties.

Guests are welcomed to The Grand Café by a warm glowing timber panelled wall and long marble counter that handles day to day transactions, and transforms into a pre-dinner champagne bar for large events.

The bespoke carpet pattern playfully references the playing card façade with scatters of over scale abstract flowers made from diamonds, clubs, hearts and spades in vivid green and electric blue. Bespoke furniture finishes the space in rich dark stained solid oak and vibrant green leather.

The star of the show hovering in the double height space is an over scale 'paper' chandelier designed by Antwerp design firm 'Studio Job' for the Dutch design house Moooi, which perfectly captures the heart of the interior design scheme, Dramatic, elegant and playful.

Colours used: Resene Buttery White, Resene Nero.

Architectural Specifier: Warren & Mahoney
Building Contractor: Fletcher Construction
Interior Designer: Richard McGowan, Aaron Harvey, Kathryn Ellis
Photographer: Stephen Goodenough
Project: Resene Total Colour Awards 2011

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