Former First Lady Michelle Obama, Madonna, the Kardashian clan, and Beyonce have all been to this popular Pan-Asian restaurant and nightclub. This September, TAO Chicago opens its doors in the city’s historic River North stone castle, revealing a completely transformed space featuring a multi-level restaurant, lounge and separate, adjoining nightclub designed by Rockwell Group. Forbes has exclusive renderings of what’s inside this 1892 landmark building and what's to become TAO Chicago.
Originally designed by Henry Ives Cobb, the Romanesque Revival granite-clad building was once home to the Chicago Historical Society (which later would become the Chicago History Museum and move to Lincoln Park), the Chicago Institute of Design, recording studios, and a series of nightclubs before TAO’s takeover of the 34,000-square foot space. Determined to preserve the building’s glory, TAO Group is restoring the landmark – known by locals for its haunted legends – by bringing good karma through its Asian-influenced DNA.
A series of arches that once covered the vaulted library are restored and fitted with LED strips, creating the primary lighting feature in the club.TAO Group/Rockwell Group
TAO Group has partnered with Rockwell Group to design the space, with the goal of maintaining the structure’s soaring stone-walls, arched windows, and special geometry and sightlines to offer guests a distinct sense of arrival and discovery.
“This building is one of Chicago’s most recognizable landmarks–a fantastic icon of the city’s Romanesque Revival style architecture,” says Shawn Sullivan, partner with Rockwell Group. “Rockwell Group was inspired by the building’s voluminous brick-walled spaces, arched windows, and monumental roofline, infusing TAO’s Asian sensibility to create a dynamic nightlife destination. The restaurant and nightclub are vertically stacked, occupying multiple levels and creating a sense of surprise and discovery.”
The space features 20-foot-tall Hush mural and a 10-foot-tall custom-made Japanese bell with a disco ball.
The Chicago iteration of TAO’s iconic subterranean vibe is intended to look and feel as if it had been there for centuries and only recently unearthed to reveal the magnificent artifacts within.
Determined to preserve the building’s glory, TAO Group is restoring the landmark – known by locals for its haunted legends – by bringing good karma through its Asian-influenced DNA.
Here are a few of the design highlights guests will see once the restaurant opens in September:
The subterranean dining room’s ceiling features a round black panel with carved, large-scale gold Chinese calligraphy in a nod to the space’s original domed ceiling.
The entrance to the nightclub is through a lantern-lit exterior alley inspired by Japanese temple gates.
The spiral staircase hovers over the restaurant and looks like a floating spindle, mimicking the building’s neo-Romanesque turrets.
On the second floor, guests are greeted by a “host wall” of traditional Chinese lucky cat figurines (i.e. Maneki-Neko) to bring prosperity.
A series of arches that once covered the vaulted library are restored and fitted with LED strips, creating the primary lighting feature in the club.
The subterranean dining room’s ceiling features a round black panel with carved, large-scale gold Chinese calligraphy in a nod to the space’s original domed ceiling.
The spaces look stunning and unlike anything we’ve seen in Chicago. There are so many details throughout that are a feast for the eyes but I especially love the levels in the dining room that provides intimate dining along the spatial steps that provide their own drama. The exposed brick lends a level of warmth that is hard to mimic in such large spaces.
Originally designed by Henry Ives Cobb, the Romanesque Revival granite-clad building was once home to the Chicago Historical Society and a series of nightclubs over the years.
TAO Chicago is dressing to impress. It’ll be a welcome addition to Chicago’s outstanding dining scene.
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