Year of the Rabbit at Hakkasan
2023 began with a magical installation for Hakkasan to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit. One of our first big projects of the year, it felt serendipitous to start it with something so adventurous and exciting.
At the heart of the installation is The Wishing Tree, giving us the opportunity to put down the flowers and work with something different.
The two Hakkasan spaces in London, Mayfair and Hanway Place were transformed into wish-filled wonderlands, with a Wishing Tree installed at Hanway Place and a Wishing Arboretum in their Mayfair restaurant, along with beautiful lanterns and lightboxes featuring the majestic rabbit.
Hakkasan already uses a rich blend of materials and textures in its décor. You’ll find glass, leather, wood, metalwork, granite and more, so our installation had to complement it. We had previously worked in steel with Julian Carter Design, so called upon their expertise for this special project.
After preliminary sketches were drawn, the final wishing tree designs were made from steel that’s internally lit for a soft glow. The designs were hand drawn into the steel using a plasma cutting technique for a truly artisan finish.
At Hanway Place, the large Wishing Tree’s trunk is made from over 100 different hand cut pieces of steel to create an ethereal bark-like effect. This is layered with rabbits as a subtle nod to the zodiac of the year.
In Mayfair, five twisted steel trees line the staircase adorned with hand cut lanterns each featuring rabbits gently bouncing from tree to tree. You’ll even find the Chinese symbol for the rabbit at the base of every lantern. As well as these pieces, laser cut lightboxes are also part of the installation, and the finished effect is intricate and magical.
Jessica was invited to a tasting of the Chinese New Year menu hosted by Hakkasan’s Global Corporate Executive Chef, Andrew Yeo for key Chinese media. The event took in the exclusive menu, a traditional dragon dance, and a few words from both Andrew and Jessica, and really brought the project to life.
Asked by one of the journalists what the Spring Festival meant to her, Jessica replied that she is blown away by the wishes themselves. Almost all of them are wishing for prosperity, health and happiness for friends and family. It’s this inclusive, generous spirit of family, sharing and togetherness that sums up the festival.
To have played a small part in such an occasion, was not only incredibly special, but also offered us the best, most creative start to 2023.