Hook & Ladder Bar

Connected via a secret passageway to the client’s bustling Halligan Bar, the new Hook and Ladder bar offers a composed atmosphere for its upmarket customers. The client is a passionate volunteer firefighter for the Chicago Fire Department, and every element of MA’s design echoes with the history of this illustrious institution. The charred cedar wall paneling, Old World dark oak bar, black iron piping details, exposed industrial Edison lighting, and chalk-painted white brick all echo the interiors of historic firehouses of Chicago.

The seating clusters are at the center of the functional design, and are arranged to create an inward focus, convivial atmosphere, and increased conversation among customers. Extensive study of how furniture impacts human interaction gave rise to stepped platforms of varying heights for booths and bar stools, all cascading toward the bar’s center.