Bass Studio Architects, based in Columbus, OH, selected the Black Gold Blend from the Tivoli series by Hakatai for the new Thaijindesu Thai and Sushi Bar, a contemporary fusion-style restaurant in beachside Newport News, VA. The iridescent glass mosaic tile, which is produced with recycled content, was employed for the face of an enclosed half-circle bar and two hosting stations in the lounge as well as an island-style service station in the main dining room.

Boston-based Shawmut Design & Construction collaborated with in-house designers from Bass Studio Architects to create the design theme and select materials for Thaijendisu, the second of Thailand native Prasit Khachenrum's restaurants to open on the Virginia Peninsula since 2002. The success of Pattaya Thai Cuisine in nearby Yorktown has the former Grand Hyatt Bangkok chef thinking national with Thaijendisu Thai and Sushi Bar serving as his prototype for expansion.

 

"We've been familiar with Hakatai for a long time," said Tim Bass, AIA, LEED AP from Bass Studio Architects. "We just did a really nice restaurant in Dayton with Hakatai products. We were looking to create an upscale, but interesting and fun setting. The Hakatai Tivoli blend was selected for its combination of color, sparkle and value. We were happy to get it on the project. In fact, we've already specified Tivoli for our next project."

All tile in the Tivoli series is comprised of approximately 70% glass from bottles and/or other waste glass that would otherwise have entered the solid waste stream. This waste glass is a mix of approximately 90% post-consumer and approximately 10% pre-consumer material. The 3/4- x 3/4-inch glass mosaics are mounted on mesh-backed sheets for fast, efficient installation, according to the manufacturer. The tile applications were installed by certified contractors from the Restaurant Group at Imperial Floor Covering, Inc., a coast-to-coast network of construction professionals specializing in flooring.