Time Out Market is one of our ongoing clients – an iconic brand with multiple global locations that we support by producing lighting schemes that are tailored to their locations whilst upholding an atmosphere that feels consistent and familiar.
We were tasked with designing a lighting scheme that brings warmth and vitality to the upper floors of Corvin Palace, one of the city’s most historically treasured buildings. As our third collaboration with the Time Out Market team, the project invited us to honour a neoclassical landmark while expressing the brand’s distinctive energy.
The 540-seat food hall sits at the centre of the experience, framed by 11 kitchens from some of the region’s most celebrated chefs. With a vast skylight presiding over the space, our key focus was to protect the intricacy of the ornate ceiling. We integrated light within the architecture, concealing floodlights above the glass and working carefully around the lattice of beams. Angled precisely, they cast an even glow across the frosted surface, creating a soft wash of light that feels deeply rooted in the building’s classical character.
At eye level, we shaped the visual rhythm of the kitchens with layers of targeted illumination. Black spotlights and tracks outline each counter, while linear inserts lift signage and menu boards for clarity. Warm colour temperatures and high CRIs tie the food stations into the wider hall, allowing them to stand out as focal points while remaining cohesive within the overall space.
Across the seating areas, programmed lighting scenes guide the day-to-evening transition. Bright, lively settings give way to a gentler ambience as the space shifts into a relaxed night-time mood. In our design it was essential to create a sense of flow for guests, encouraging them to linger socially while providing wayfinding light that encourages people to explore.
There are three bar areas that each required their own lighting narrative. In the more traditional bar, uplighting accentuates the columns, cornices and fireplace, celebrating the craft of the original architecture. The contemporary bars play with contrast and intimacy, using discreet spotlights, illuminated mirrors and green-tinted pendants to build atmosphere and draw the eye.
Credits:
Archicon, Light Embassy
Photography: Courtesy of Time Out Market
