Henry Chebaane's Razzmatazz: A Journey Inside a Magic Carpet

Immersive Night Club Experience Inspired by Persian and Azeri Rugs

Traditionally, Oriental rugs served as storybooks, with patterns, colors, and symbols woven into them to convey meaning. Chebaane has taken this concept and magnified it within the interiors of Razzmatazz. The result is a late-night cocktail bar with a DJ, offering an intimate yet innovative experience full of surprises.

The unique properties of Razzmatazz lie in its design realization technology. The floor is covered by a custom wool carpet, and the same pattern is used for walls and ceilings, which are covered in specially designed leather panels shaped like flowers. Behind these panels, over 2,000 meters of RGB LED lights were installed. The entire lighting scenography is controlled by DMX protocol linked to the LED circuits and low-resolution video screens.

Razzmatazz is a 150 square meter space of lounge seating and a cocktail bar. The design process, which took place in London, lasted five months. Much of this time was dedicated to modeling lighting in various configurations. The programming of all lighting scenes took 38 hours on-site.

Research for the project was conducted in several Middle Eastern and Central Asian countries to learn about the cultural and fabrication aspects of carpet making. Additional research was done on how to tell a story without using words, just through changes in lighting scenography.

The design faced challenges due to the space's lack of daylight and street access. The aim was to create a speakeasy destination, a secret place where people could forget the outside world for a moment of magic. The challenge was to take a craft that has remained the same for thousands of years and transform it into an innovative experience using modern technology.

Razzmatazz has been recognized for its unique design and innovative approach, winning the Silver A' Hospitality, Recreation, Travel and Tourism Design Award in 2017. This award is given to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that demonstrate outstanding expertise and innovation.