The Ash – American Steak House
Fire and Vintage – Extraordinary Atmosphere for the Steak House „The ASH“ in Troisdorf
Inspired by the concept of American supper clubs of the 1920s, the high-quality steakhouse “The ASH” opened in spring 2016 as the first concept restaurant of a new system-catering gastronomy chain.
The design by the architectural office Oezen-Reimer + Partner from Bonn is characterized by its facade of dark bricks and generous glazing, recalling an industrial-style look. The restaurant’s interior features an open double-height space with galleries on two sides, accommodating up to 300 visitors. The perimeter walls are covered with black bricks both inside and out. The remaining walls, ceilings, and floors are finished with wood. Solid wood tables and vintage leather seating complete the interior concept.
The “glowing” centerpiece of the restaurant is the imposing, bottle-filled shelf wall behind the bar which expands over a length of 12 m. The backside of the shelf units are illuminated by RGB LED modules, which are integrated flush into the underside of the individual shelf segments. This location simultaneously allows the displayed bottles and glasses to be filled with light. As a result, the entire back wall is immersed in a red-orange light, playing with the association of fire and embers, while corresponding with the company logo. According to various user scenarios the light color can be individually adjusted. The face of the bar counter, made of black steel, is featured with concealed linear light profiles. Individual table lights as well as ceiling recessed downlights serve to illuminate the countertop.
In the bar area, guests can enjoy the impressive height of the space. Decorative glass pendant fixtures with brushed metal shades and red cables are suspended at different heights, bathing the bar area in a warm and pleasant light atmosphere. These glass pendant fixtures are suspended on steel cables below the skylight, which horizontally span across the space. The colored interior finish of large half-dome clay pendant lights further embrace the theme of ember above the restaurant seating area. The circulation zones are illuminated by well-shielded, adjustable ceiling recessed downlights. The fireplace room, which is fitted with comfortable lounge furniture and decorative slate-optic pendant lights, is displayed in a warm, dimmed light and creates a cozy and relaxed atmosphere.
A freestanding steel staircase leads to the gallery level, its center displaying a floor-to-ceiling light installation of bare LED retrofit lamps. Fixtures with swivel arms and large metal shades are discreetly attached to the facade profiles and give single-storey areas direct light. Additionally, pendants with the same formal vocabulary illuminate the seating areas near the balustrade on first floor. All luminaires are equipped with a horizontal swivel arm, allowing them to flexibly align with various furniture layouts.
All decorative metal light fixtures were designed with Licht Kunst Licht and specifically customized for the gastronomy chain. By using solid steel, the fixtures blend perfectly with the vintage design language of the steak house.
The restaurant is illuminated exclusively with LEDs – predominantly with LED retrofit lamps – in a very warm light color of 2,600 K. All luminaires are dimmable and various lighting scenes for day, evening or party mode can be intuitively selected by the staff via touch panels.