Bespoke Curved Ceiling Lighting: Inside BAO City, London

BAO City’s design is a careful balance of luxury, intimacy, and playfulness, with its sculptural curved ceiling lights serving as a defining feature. Inspired by old-school whisky and karaoke bars in Taiwan, New York, and Tokyo, the restaurant’s design embraces rich materials like glossy cherry wood, red leather, and oxblood-painted walls. However, it’s the lighting that truly shapes the atmosphere.

Suspended over the banquette seating, the curved light fixtures create a sense of enclosure in the large dining space. “The main dining area is quite big compared to most of our other sites,” said Maths designer Priscilla Wong. “We wanted to ensure the space still felt immersive but introduce the moody, cinematic feel that our mood board depicted.” The sculptural forms of the lights contrast with the structured seating, softening the overall ambiance and reinforcing the nostalgic yet contemporary aesthetic.

Interior Design

Maths

Location

London

Photography

Ollie Tomlinson

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An immersive ambience that extends beyond the cuisine

Lighting in BAO City is not just decorative but also functional, with brightness and temperature adjustments to suit different times of the day. “A large light feature was something we landed on quite early in the design process,” Wong explained. “It was a case of exploring the form and how it impacted the dining experience.” This adaptability allows the restaurant to shift from a casual daytime setting to a more intimate, dramatic atmosphere in the evening.

The curved fixtures also play into the restaurant’s cinematic influences. “The karaoke and whisky bars we looked at had this precision with their material palettes,” Wong said. “They struck the perfect balance between seedy and luxurious, playful without being too kitsch, elegant and refined without being cold.” The soft glow of the lighting echoes this sentiment, referencing the neon-lit vibrancy of classic karaoke lounges while maintaining an air of sophistication.

By incorporating these dynamic light fixtures, BAO City achieves a modern reinterpretation of traditional Asian hospitality spaces. More than just illumination, the sculptural lights shape the dining experience, creating a moody, immersive environment that captures the essence of BAO’s signature aesthetic.