Wine Bar Helena
BARANOWITZ + KRONENBERG UNVEILS INTERIORS FOR BAR HELENA – A NEW CULTURAL OASIS IN THE HEART OF TEL AVIV: WINE BAR WITHIN THE NEWLY INAUGURATED EYAL OFER PAVILION IS A DESIGN RESPONSE TO THE EVER-CHANGING CIVIC AND NATURAL LANDSCAPE THAT SURROUNDS IT.
HELENA IS THE BEATING HEART OF THE PAVILION, LOCATED WITHIN THE DOUBLE-HEIGHTED ENTRANCE HALL UNDERNEATH THE NEWLY ADDED MEZZANINE. RUNNING IN PARALLEL TO THE GALLERIES, IT ENJOYS A SURPRISING INDEPENDENCE AND AN INTIMATE SPATIAL QUALITY THAT SETS IT APART FROM ITS COUNTERPARTS. EMBRACED BY LUSH GARDENS, HELENA PROVIDES A WELCOMING RETREAT WHERE ART ENTHUSIASTS AND LOCALS ALIKE CAN IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN A CULTURAL SANCTUARY.
OPEN TO ALL, IT IS A RELAXING SPACE TO MEET, CONNECT AND BREAKS PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS OF ‘ART’ IN THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD. THE THOUGHTFULLY DESIGNED SPACE IS A TRUE INTEGRATION OF DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS IN TIME AND SPACE; B+K HAS TRANSFORMED IT INTO AN AGORA OF SORTS THAT INVITES ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES. AFTER HOURS, HELENA KEEPS THE ENERGY ALIVE IN THE PAVILION BY INFUSING THE SPACE WITH ‘THE ART OF LIVING’ AND AN INVIGORATING DJ.
RESONATING WITH THE OAK BARRELS USED FOR THE FERMENTATION PROCESS OF WINEMAKING, HELENA INTERIORS ARE CONCEIVED IN OAK AND SIMILARLY TO THE ARCHITECTURAL VISION, IT ‘CONTAINS NOTHING THAT IS NOT NECESSARY FOR IT TO CONTAIN.’ THE SPATIAL PROPORTIONS HAVE BEEN METICULOUSLY CALCULATED BASED ON THE SIZE OF A WINE BOTTLE, WHICH NOT ONLY SHAPES THE DESIGN BUT ALSO GOVERNS THE AVAILABLE SPACE. WHILE THE LOWER LEVEL OF HELENA RESONATES WITH THE FAMILIAR RHYTHM OF CITY LIFE, THE MEZZANINE LEVEL OFFERS A SLOWER PACE OF LIVING WHERE VISITORS CAN ESCAPE THE HUSTLES AND BUSTLE. HERE, SOFTER FURNISHINGS AND AN INTIMATE BAR RENDER THE AREA WITH AN AIR OF AN INCLUSIVE MEMBERS CLUB.
CREATIVE DIRECTORS: IRENE KRONENBERG AND ALON BARANOWITZ
PROJECT LEADER: EMMANUELLE COHEN
LIGHTING DESIGN: RTLD
PHOTOGRAPHER: AMIT GERON
