Thursday, February 12, 2009

Time for the old Switcharoo

Why change the decor every five years when you can do it daily. Greg Morago's article about
Switch and pop up restaurants explores an emerging trend.

there’s a small segment that has taken change to heart in ways that are dramatic and offbeat. Some might even say kooky.

Switch, a fine-dining establishment at the new Wynn Encore in Las Vegas, pulls a big switcheroo every night. The restaurant transforms itself about every half hour during dinner service: The lighting changes, music changes, and walls go up and down, creating completely new décor and atmosphere. While you’re tucking into your lobster salad, the landscape around you changes in a grand flourish.

Theatrical? Almost beyond. “It’s the difference between good theater and bad theater,” says Wynn’s in-house designer, Roger Thomas, during a recent tour of the space. “We’re creating a dialogue with the customer using scenery, music and lighting