Restaurant & Bar Design Awards | August 5, 2023
2023: Surface Interiors – Short & Club/Night Venue – Category Winner
Giselle reigns as the city’s newest, most desired, prized
possession, emulating mystery, temptation, and undeniable charm. Imagined by international
award-winning South Africa-based interior architect Tristan Du Plessis, Giselle is an
unprecedented haven of bold design, modern elegance, and uninhibited experiences. The aim
was to create an over-the-top and engaging rooftop space, a space made to be unraveled and
discovered. The space tells the story of an enigma – Giselle – whose story is told through
thoughtful design details and fittings from all around the world: from the solid alabaster lights
made in Paris and outdoor furniture made in Cape Town to the feature pendants from London
and handmade bar lamps crafted in New York. As well-traveled as Giselle may be, she is also
complex and layered, as seen in the juxtaposition of the graffiti-covered bathrooms and the
whimsical french lace-inspired dream room.
The venue hinges on voyeurism, where each guest is invited on a journey into the world behind
the eyes of Giselle. This journey starts at the ground-level entrance, where a hand-carved solid
bronze and chrome-plated ‘Giselle Miami’ 3D emblem hangs like a delicate piece of jewelry.
The door surrounding is bordered by Italian-imported marble and made of pristine wood
carpentry (“boiserie”) with French lace-inspired accents. This Calacatta Viola Italian marble can
be seen throughout the entire venue, from the hostess stand and dining room tables to the
bar top and chef’s open prep table in the Dream Room.
Extending a whimsical sense of arrival, once guests enter through the “door,” they are taken
up by elevator and let out into a luminous custom mosaic-tiled tunnel that leads into Giselle’s
foyer. This expertly crafted entryway evokes the feeling of escaping reality and entering a new
world – the fantasy world of Giselle.
Topped with pristine Italian marble and encased in sleek mirrored tiles, Giselle’s 14-seat bar
offers an intimate area for guests to convene. Hand-selected lamps, imported from New Yorkbased
interdisciplinary design studio, Apparatus, illuminate the space with sultry
sophistication, while custom-made barstools from South Africa wrap the bar, each
embroidered with a personalized quote by Giselle: “It was the best reason for losing sleep.” ⬪
“The beauty was devastating. And it kept me alive.” ⬪ “I’ll be waiting.
An animated digital art display cases the wall behind the bar, showcasing the work of Miamibased
filmmaker and producer Frank Kelly. Kelly produced a custom short film series for the
space that reveals snippets of Giselle’s persona with a seductive cinematic eye.
Extending from the bar, Giselle’s lounge/terrace area sits against Miami’s elegant skyline,
complete with custom-upholstered seating and refined black marble embellished dining
tables. The lounge tabletops are decorated in tiles handmade in South Africa and tattooed in
Giselle-branded insignia. Separating this space from the central dining area, a double-sided
mirrored sign spells out, in neon fluorescence, the spoken words of Giselle: “I’ll be here, if by
chance, you’ll be here too.”
While exploring the central dining area, a strong tension between glamour and edgy design
is expressed through contrasting design elements from the strategically arranged antique
mirrored pillars to the custom-made carpeting produced by the Dutch creative luxury design
brand, Moooi.
A modish curation of customized Italian marble table settings is constructed to accommodate
varied restaurant-goers party sizes. Chairs are custom-made with silk fabric from Milan and
adorned with hand-sculpted crests in the form of golden bees, a signature insignia of Giselle.
Refined with sleek wood paneling and delicately hand-carved French lace-inspired trimmings,
three large-party custom-built round tables make up a partially enclosed space bordered by
lush greenery and marble scaffolding made of Solid Alabaster from Paris. Dangling from the
ceiling, gracefully tailored light fixtures imported from London radiate with pure opulence.
Following an entrancing design narrative, the restrooms are thoroughly veiled in the work of
New York-based graffiti artist Bisco Smith, who was tapped to “vandalize” the space for an
entirely immersive underground tunnel / Berlin feel.
Leading us to the crown jewel within Giselle’s artfully devised layout, we meet the Dream
Room. This high-design main dining room space is engulfed with impossibly oversized French
lace and elaborate baroque detailing, whereas the walls and ceilings are ornamented in 3D
wood-carved architectural detailing and underlit with a subtle backlight glow. At the heart of the Dream Room, an open interactive kitchen offers an exclusive experiential element for
guests. The chef’s prep countertop is made of Italian marble, and the seating within is custom-made
in South Africa.
From her presentation and evoked aura of mystery to her unparalleled culinary offerings and
perfected libations, Giselle exudes indulgence. Worldly design elements from Italy,
Netherlands, Paris, London, Greece, New York, South Africa, and Miami lend to the exceptional
foreseen experience that awaits.
