Chicago, Illinois
Seats : 420 / 15,500sf (designed while at Rockwell Group)
TAO Chicago could only be located in one of the most iconic buildings of downtown Chicago : the landmarked Chicago Historical Society building which was built in 1896. The juxtaposition of the Romanesque architecture with the hip, underground Asian aesthetic of TAO made for a challenge spatially and programmatically. The restaurant is located on the first two floors and required eliminating part of a 36 inch thick load bearing brick wall in order to achieve the dramatic double height grand space of the restaurant that houses the symbolic statue of TAO restaurants, the Quan Yin.
Components of the lounge and restaurant follow cues from other TAO locations, including a featured sushi bar and Hush murals throughout. Bold yet delicate light fixtures range in size throughout, inspired by Asian lines and materials. A 30’ long bar in the Ink Lounge anchors the room and can be seen through the private dining rooms and the patterned metal screens of the dining steps.
https://michiganavemag.com/tao-chicago-design-spotlight
https://rddmag.com/design/2001-tao-chicago-takes-advantage-of-impressive-space