Le Lapin
Macau, China
In Chinese folklore, the rabbit is the companion of the moon goddess. This relationship fueled every element of the design, from the entryway to the private dining rooms and restrooms.
Not only would guests leave talking about the savory French cuisine, but they would also leave talking about the venue’s symbolism and playful design narrative.
Influenced by the restaurant’s circular shape, the owner’s Chinese zodiac, and Macau’s status as an intersection between East and West, the Wilson Associates team arrived at one prominent design narrative: Jules Verne‘s story of traveling to the moon, and the beloved Chinese fairy tale of the Jade rabbit in the moon.
The Flow
Like the moon, Le Lapin is laid out in a perfect circle.
Guests exit the elevator and arrive in a French art gallery setting with a piece of tongue-in-cheek hanging artwork: flying candles! Artist Hsiao-Ai Wang created the metal sculpture on the wall, Moonlight at Le Lapin. The gold color in the piece represents the light of the sun, and the moon is depicted by shades of black and gray in the background.
The Wine Room
The marriage of French and Chinese elements lies in the universal language of art, fable, poetry, design… and the love of wine.
Monsieur Rabbit, the inspiration for this tale, is a French sophisticate, a wine aficionado and a distinct blend of polish and playfulness.
The wine tasting wall is 16 meters high and features three levels of catwalks and LED/fiber optic starlight elements that play into the lunar design motif like stars in the sky.
The wine tasting room is a double-height space with a floor-to-ceiling collection of books, thematic artwork, accessories and wine refrigerators.
The Bar-Lounge
Guests walk along the wine wall and into the bar-lounge area, which exudes French sexiness.
The tables are tall, the floor is dark marble, and the bar itself is designed to be a floating crescent moon of backlit onyx.
Crystal whiskey bottles are housed in floating mirror boxes behind the bar so they wouldn’t obstruct the views of the Macao skyline.
Glo-mesh fabric reminiscent of the 1960s and 70s was used to separate the bar from the main dining area.
The Private Dining Room
Illustrator Helen Ting contributed artwork for the private dining rooms. The intent was to create a truly interactive dining experience that leaves the patron with enduring memories.
The carpet in both dining rooms is a piece of conversational artwork inspired by poetry. The carpet in the large private dining room is based on Jules Verne’s De la Terre à la Lune (From the Earth to the Moon) and features a collection of custom-designed hot air balloons.
The carpet in the small private dining room features Chinese poet Su Shi’s Mid-Autumn Moon. In fact, the poem is angled in such a way that guides one’s eye out over the Macau skyline.
The playful restrooms inside Le Lapin possess an Alice in Wonderland eccentricity, which draws the guest deeper into the rabbit’s hole.
Monsieur Rabbit and his more reticent counterpart Mademoiselle Rabbit mark the doors to his and hers washrooms.
The Artwork & Branding
A hand-painted and gold-leafed double-height mural by Wilson Associates gives the dining concept visual language. The Wilson design team developed the menu, logo, typography, signage, artwork and mural inside the wine room.
The Wine Bottles & Labels ▾
The Printed Pieces ▾
The Graphics ▾
Scope of Work
- Lobby
- Wine bar
- Bar-lounge
- Dining rooms
- Restrooms for private dining rooms
- Branding
- Packaging
- Artwork
Awards
- darc Awards, Best Interior Lighting Scheme – High Budget