How Eleven Madison Park’s New Look Came Together

Details

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Main dining room of the redesigned Eleven Madison Park by Allied Works.

Eleven Madison Park just got an upgrade.

Thanks to architect Brad Cloepfil of Allied Works, the redesign of the iconic New York City fine dining establishment (and the World’s Best Restaurant of 2017) is now compete, reflecting the caliber of chef Daniel Humm’s cuisine and restauranteur Will Guidara’s approach to service.

Revamping a space with so much history can be a daunting and, at times, intimidating task. But Cloepfil and his team remained mindful of the Art Deco bones of the restaurant — located in a historic building that overlooks Madison Square Park — and used that to guide the selection and design of custom furniture, upholstery and dinnerware.

“From the very beginning we tried to serve the two gifts of the space: the historic dining room and the light over the park. We made sure that the quality of the light and the sense of the park would be even better,” Cloepfil explained.

During the four-month-long revamp, Cloepfil — whose approach to architecture is focused on intention — zeroed in on creating a complete dining experience. After all, patrons don’t go to Eleven Madison Park for a quick bite; they stay for three hours to dine in the world that chef Humm creates.

Everything from the proportions of the furniture to the space between tables was thoroughly considered to contribute to the atmosphere of the restaurant. As such, nearly all aspects of the dining room were custom-designed by Cloepfil and the team at Allied Works — the candlesticks, rugs, chairs and more.

“Every piece is of equal importance,” explains Cloepfil. “It’s kind of like theater design. You’re creating an environment that’s completely encompassing, where you become a part of the performance.”

Cloepfil’s favorite part of the project? Designing the plates. In the process, he learned how to digitally draw the glaze and print the dinnerware in clay to test them out.

Made of porcelain, with “unique, quiet forms,” they were made explicitly to showcase the beautiful portions of food Humm will serve. And for those who may have doubts, Cloepfil promises they’re “like no other plates in the world.”

We’ll just have to snag a reservation, or splurge on a set for ourselves, to find out.

For more dining design inspiration, check out what’s to come with Blackbarn in Chelsea.

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Detail shot of bespoke banquettes and light fixtures by Allied Works.


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Main dining room.


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Main dining room.

PHOTOS BY Eric Piasecki Photography