Studio 1200 wins AIA Silver Medal!

Studio 1200* wins the AIA Silver Medal for the design of the Park West Tavern, a new restaurant in Ridgewood, NJ.  The award was presented at the Newark and Suburban AIA Design Awards event held on Friday night, September 16, 2011 at NJIT in Newark, New Jersey.

In 2010 Greenway Realty Holdings & Food First Restaurant Group retained Studio 1200 to design a new restaurant call Park West Tavern.  This thriving venue is located on the site of the former Winberies Restaurant at 30 Oak Street in Ridgewood, New Jersey.  Studio 1200 worked intimately with Executive Chef and the rest of the ownership team to create this upscale tavern that is brimming with soul.  It was very important to John Halligan, the Executive Chef, that Park West Tavern have a more casual dining atmosphere than his fine dining venue, The Park Steakhouse, which is located in Park Ridge, New Jersey.

One of the key program requirements was the "must have" fireplace, which has become the focal point of the design.  This fireplace is clad in stone, and is anchored on both sides by low curved wood walls.  Everything else in the space evolves from this central design feature, which helps define the lower and upper levels of the space, and separates the bar area from the dining tables.

The ambiance of the space is clean, and fresh, yet still a bit rustic and warm.  The tables are exposed slabs of wood with hand hammered edges, which sit in front of tailored banquettes with luxurious striped backs.  Black boards over the bar and cork boards in the dining area lend themselves to creating a casual, yet well tailored, atmosphere.  Very quickly, Park West Tavern has become the "go to" place in town for patrons to enjoy simple, yet sophisticated, Modern American Cuisine.

In addition to the design, Studio 1200 was responsible for developing the branding and graphics for Park West Tavern.  The restaurant's logo was inspired by drink rings on the bar coaster, and has been interpreted for the building signage, the menus, and other types of collateral.

* Studio 1200 is a full service Architecture & Interior Design firm whose primary practice areas include restaurant, hospitality, corporate, and residential design.To see more of our work, please visit our website at www.studio1200.com .