Located in the Midtown East section of New York, the Hugh is a unique new F&B destination that hosts a variety of food vendors within a laidback, sociable atrium space. The park-like design by local firms Bentel & Bentel and Home Studios echoes piazzas found in Italy and across the globe, complete with terrazzo floors featuring a leaf pattern and trees accented with string lights to establish an alfresco ambiance.
“Years of failed efforts to create something special in this building testify to the difficulty of achieving intimacy within the void. We embraced the light, the volume, and the remarkable variations in scale,” says Bentel & Bentel partner Carol Bentel. “This powerful verticality of space reinforced by the dramatic lighting from above inspired us to embrace the notion of this as a courtyard within the building.”
Color from each food kiosk pops against the natural material and color palette. Light wood and leather surfaces inject tactility into the setting, while seating clusters—ranging from banquettes to communal tables—promote community. A sleek clock adorns one wall to further position the Hugh akin to a town square.
“The Hugh is a place of many places and the design is a result of our hoping to create a consistent base rhythm to support the high notes of the kiosks,” adds fellow partner Paul Bentel.
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