The client instruction was simple, put the ‘crazy back into ‘crazy golf’…it’s exactly what Shed did and won the 2020 Restaurant & Bar Awards for outstanding hospitality design!
A burgeoning scene of Competitive Social Play has burst into the millennials weekend agenda. Hospitality businesses have to evolve to remain relevant, a day through to night attraction. Come to drink, come to play the course, come to eat Mex-Asian fusion food. Unique, inventive with a kick, established through the a creative interior design scheme that Shed conceived.
In fact, Shed tore up the crazy golf rulebook and as a result Birdies leads the charge in competitive socialising design with its hybrid cocktail and crazy golf venture. Electro, oversized graphics, hot pink neon, a kaleidoscope graphic landscape. All in a disused railway arch next to the gigantic Battersea Power station re-development.
Nine holes, nine slightly surreal ideas, each hole born from a loose golf idea but pushed through the Shed filter and abstracted. Not always obvious to the player, it meant each hole experience relates to golf even when turned on its head.
The outcome? A successful, immersive and energetic experience that plays with optical sensory. Unique to hospitality design in its undulating landscape of fun, chaos, and immersive experiences. Pushing the boundaries of gameplay and a social go-to for the people.
Hole 1 – Hole in One (Three sides to every hole)
Deceptive illusion and multi-holes in triangular form give an opportunistic chance to gain an advantage. Get it right and you could get a hole in one. Get it wrong and find yourself having to navigate the long way round.
Hole 2 – Sweet spot (Sweet as)
Find your sweet spot and you can get round this course in its par 3. Navigate ‘All sorts’ through the icing covered doughnut and dripping ice-cream features, it’s about careful sweet play in a candy coloured oversized world.
Hole 3 – Hazard (!!!)
Get over the trough at tee-off and through the strip curtain and you’re deep into a real hazard hole. Mega fluro shape graphics emphasised with transition light change strip lights this hole is truly one big hazard.
Hole 4 – Strategy (Velocity)
Which route will you take? Hard and long up the ramp and gamble which way down? Or play it safe and take the obvious safe shortcut. 80’s kinetic games as screwball scramble and penny drop are the inspiration.
Hole 5 – Afraid of the Dark (Lights out)
An interpretation of the saying when a ball just rims the hole or an easy missed put shot. Taken to a new level a full hole immersive dark box. Watch out for the unknows and unseen in this black hole.
Hole 6 – Bunker (Dugout)
Play from the green grass lined bunkers and boxes through the course. Chip out and clear the abstract purple sand blocks and play through the fluro abstract cactus to find the hole at the end of the final half pipe bunker run.
Hole 7 – Steps (Two-Step)
Holes that run within the Tetris-like extruded block could leave you victorious or disastrous! Trippy contrast floor pattern deceives the natural clear line of your play. Find the hidden shortcut on the back return and it’s time to ‘step-up’ your game!
Hole 8 – Infinity (Infinity & Beyond)
Perceived as the longest hole, an infinity mirror with repeat transition light warp that just goes on and on and on! Accuracy is what counts, but don’t let the hypnotic illumination and graphic illusion trick you into thinking otherwise.
Hole 9 – Lucky Number (Fat Shot)
Win it? Lose it? In a one-shot opportunity. The lucky roulette style drop determines your final score. It’s a crazy game that can turn in a single hit! Pit your wits in a two player tee off and watch where you end up true roulette style! One shot, one lucky opportunity….may be?!!