By Delia Zamir | Aug 13, 2010
Photographs courtesy of GastroGlobal Sdn Bhd
The design ideas behind ECOBA
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| Going green: The ECOBA logo incorporates a playful, green concept |
ECOBA Restaurant and Bar is just four months old, but is fast gaining a following. This is most probably due to the magic combination of laid-back charm, woodsy and playful 'eco' décor and its sprawling and massive 8,000 square feet's worth of floor space which is separated into five distinctive settings for versatility's sake as well as to capture a wide range of patrons.
ECOBA is located in PJ Trade Centre, a new Petaling Jaya (PJ) business hub known for its energy-efficient practices and eco-friendly design. The entire premise is lush and leafy, surrounded by natural (if tertiary level) forestation. So it’s apt that ECOBA itself mirrors this green concept with ‘greenie’-centric design and decor.
StarProperty.my chatted with managing director Kenny Lim about the décor inspiration of ECOBA, and how it became a runaway success in such a short amount of time.
First of all, how did the fast success of ECOBA come about?
Number one - an interesting setup. (We) positioned the outlet into segments. If you come to our place, you can see the outdoors with Doof bags (a type of beanbag) on the grass and a shaded and elevated alfresco area next to it. The indoor area of ECOBA makes up of the dining area, an elevated platform area for serious drinkers and the beautiful bar at the very end.
So with this structure that we have put in place, we don't cater to just one segment of society or crowd, but we (can accommodate) people who like it quieter, whereby they (may) sit outside. Then there are those who want to dine or party, so they'll be inside. It’s important to know the consumer's needs.
And I think, another reason for our success is that we kept it fresh (by introducing) something that the PJ area has never seen before, which is versatility. For instance, we are a chill-out lounge… for an intimate feel with a small-to-large group of friends. But, we also designed (ECOBA) for hosting events too.
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| Dine in: The indoor dining area and bar |
We found out that there was something lacking in the PJ area - there wasn't an open space (for functions). So that was taken into consideration when designing the outlet. If you take a look at where we're sitting at (gesturing to the elevated alfresco outdoor area), this whole platform can be turned into a live stage! Therefore we can host pretty big events by barricading the outdoors area where people can stand, looking up to the stage.
What’s the inspiration behind the design of ECOBA?
We like nature, and we like modernity. So it's actually a marriage between the two. Eco-chic, I call it. The feel is a little raw, a little industrial. We have exposed bricks painted white, and use a lot of wood. The surrounding of ECOBA is very green, so we try to comply (and take inspiration from it).
(The main feature of ECOBA is) the big ‘tree’ at the bar that we like to call ELMO. It's made of rattan weave and it was such a hassle to construct! It almost didn't come through because of technical problems. The structure itself is 500 kilograms and we almost scrapped the idea but (marketing and events director) Kean Au said, "No, we must have it!"
ELMO really does stand out. When you first come, in, the first thing you look at is the bar. (There are) many bars everywhere with nice decor and furniture, but with nothing that stands out.
Our architect is Chin Pak Long of MAA Space and the setting up period was intense. We hired a project manager to help out and we made a lot of changes (from the original planning) along the way. (Aside from this) all the furniture is custom made – we commissioned a furniture manufacturer.
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| Lush outdoors: The outdoor area is cosy and relaxed, with a choice of alfresco dining or resting by the lawn |
PJ Trade Centre is a nice building with eco-centric design. Did you put that into consideration when you chose this location for ECOBA?
Of course. We love nature and it was definitely part of our consideration. When we saw it, we fell in love with the place and we never looked back. You have your shopping malls and your shop lots - there’s nothing different. But when we stumbled upon (PJ Trade Centre) we went, "Hey, let's do this!" even if it's a bit secluded.
Are you a ‘green’ restaurant?
We're not a green restaurant, but we strongly support the green effort. For example, we stay away from plastics – our take-away boxes are biodegradable. We also minimize the usage of electricity. And, even during the construction of ECOBA, we designed the place (to not interfere with nature). Can you see over there (pointing)? We were supposed to chop the trees there, but I said no. So we built a sliding door to go around it instead.
Being ‘eco’ is something that needs a lot of effort and we’re still learning. We are into (the movement) but we are still on an infant stage because we’re so new to it. We work together with green organisations and we're getting a lot of help from the 'pros' to see how we can help.
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ECOBA Restaurant and Bar |
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+603-77101118 |
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B-G-02, Level 1, Menara Bata (Tower B), PJ Trade Centre, 8, Jalan PJU 8/8a, Damansara Perdana, 47820 Petaling Jaya |
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www.ecoba.com.my |
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