Lightswitch was asked to provide architectural lighting design for Ci Siamo, the newest restaurant venture from Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. This eatery is located in Hudson Yards, the iconic development revitalizing Manhattan’s west side.
Lightswitch was asked to provide architectural lighting design for Ci Siamo, the newest restaurant venture from Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. This eatery is located in Hudson Yards, the iconic development revitalizing Manhattan’s west side. Ci Siamo puts the focus on its food, showcasing the chefs as they prepare dishes among tasteful furnishings, including a large exposed custom-built wood fired grill. Dining at Ci Siamo is an experience that draws on a sense of togetherness, inspired by the communal atmosphere of eating on a terrace in Italy. Our team approached the project with the goal of highlighting and supporting the elegant, welcoming ambiance of this new restaurant.
In designing for Ci Siamo, our overall goal was to tell a story. In order to reach the restaurant, guests enter a rather discreet door at ground level and make their way up a flight of stairs to Ci Siamo’s location on the second and third floors. One of the first decorative elements they encounter is a large chandelier formed out of organically-shaped slumped melted glass. The finishes all the way up the stairs continue to communicate the space’s refinement, until the guests arrive at the open floor plan of the restaurant itself.
Through collaboration with interior designer Goodrich and Danny Meyer’s hospitality group as a whole, Lightswitch created a design that supports the theme of the space and allows for all decor elements to shine equally. Our team’s main concern was ensuring that each detail of our design was thoughtfully and thoroughly crafted, in order to meet the high standard of excellence required by this world-class restaurant. The resulting lighting is not flashy — rather, it supports the fire-centric theme of the space, focusing on the slumped melted glass lighting fixtures and the open fireplace.
Despite supply chain issues catalyzed by the pandemic, Lightswitch was able to come together and collaborate with the other teams of designers to create a space worthy of Ci Siamo’s excellence. Our team supported the restaurant’s vision of an experience based on community, focusing on the most important element: the food. We listened to all parties to craft a design that revolves around the fiery theme of the space and the beautiful terraces of Italy, ultimately providing Union Square Hospitality Group with architectural lighting that lovingly highlights their newest restaurant venture.
Photography by Read McKendree
