After four months of renovations, San Diego’s iconic Bali Hai Restaurant on Shelter Island has reopened. Architect Graham Downes derived inspiration for the redesign by the sentiment and nostalgia surrounding the restaurant, which has carried a Polynesian aesthetic since it opened in the 1950s. "The community has great affection for this harbor landmark," says Downes. "The Bali Hai is like a house you’ve lived in your whole life. Patrons want that homeyness and comfortable familiarity. We strived to maintain that pride and history while contemporizing and freshening the environment."
For the circular two-story structure, Downes’ goal was to make Bali Hai’s signature building feel sleek with modern lines and consistent use of materials and finishes, such as integral-color cement fiber board siding and a new standing-seam green metal roof to match the Hawaiian Village outdoor pavilion that Downes completed last year. The architect and his team also restored two famous original tikis: the "Goof on the Roof" with its vibrant King Kamehameha colors, and "Mr. Bali Hai," welcoming guests at the front entrance.
Out front, Downes created a dramatic "arrival experience," heralded by a redwood art screen façade by artist Miki Iwasaki, inspired by ancient stick charts of the Pacific Islands and tidal movements. The piece will display 85 synchronized white LED lights, preprogrammed to create a series of patterns such as night stars and ripples across the surface of the water. New signage, cantilevered wood-louver awnings, and decorative tiki torches define the entry. Other exterior elements include a ground floor patio shaded by a pergola structure and an outdoor redwood deck just off the upper dining room.
Inside, Downes restored the original internal timber structure comprising 15 types of wood by sandblasting away years of paint layers. He chose a palette of complementary warm colors, including light sage green, to infuse throughout the interior and complement the energizing aqua blue colors of the bay.
In keeping with the Polynesian concept, natural materials such as grassy and bamboo wallcoverings/flooring are in place. Bali Hai’s extensive collection of Polynesian artifacts—including tiki figures, statues, antique tapa cloths, wood weapons, ocean charts, maps, and native pictures—have been refurbished to adorn the entire restaurant. Most notable are Iwasaki’s re-creation of a framed map of the Pacific Ocean with tikis representing different island cultures and patterned tapas cloths pressed between glass panels to create room dividers. Other interior additions include a private dining room upstairs, a resort-style lounge featuring a backlit honey onyx bar, and classic-style Hawaiian light fixtures over the bar and staircase.
