Tucked on the 17th floor of Raffles Boston—the Singapore-based brand’s first property in North America—is the Studio Paolo Ferrari-designed Long Bar & Terrace.
Inspired by iconic institutions like the Harvard Club, the 1,700-square-foot bar and its adjoining 805-square-foot terrace are anchored by curvilinear seating, a proportioned bar, and alcove-embedded table settings. The design also incorporates low-lying furnishings and built-ins to emphasize the grandeur of the double-height venue’s south- and east-facing exposures.
“Our goal was to create a future classic—honoring Boston’s heritage while also looking forward,” says Paolo Ferrari, owner of the Toronto-based design studio. “This was about creating an establishment that both hotel guests and locals would love to return to again and again.”
All elements—from lighting and furniture to hardware and finishes—were custom made by master artisans, Ferrari’s long-time collaborators. “Our ambition was to also create something much more than what’s expected,” Ferrari reflects. “This was achieved by harnessing the quality of age-old craft traditions and the sculptural treatment of materials like solid wood, precious stone, and cast plaster.”
Upon arrival, guests are guided through an entryway enveloped in Verde Antico marble. Green upholstered banquettes upholstered are anchored by herringbone-pattern oak wood floors in the lounge area.
The space is also characterized by a series of alcoves delineated by travertine block arches milled with a volumetric complexity of curvilinear and rectilinear recesses.
The main bar, made of honed Paonazzo stone, features a sculpturally organic profile, while a fluted bronze front bar takes cues from Georgian architecture. The centerpiece in Long Bar is a high-gloss wood cabinet, tethered to the bar, that nods to Art Deco and 1950s amoebic modernism aesthetics.
An adjoining balcony complements the timeless quality of the project, with a black and white floor, rectilinear planters, gridded metal chairs, and curved banquette seating.
“We wanted Long Bar to express a quality of longevity, to feel as though it’s always been around,” Ferrari adds.
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