Cruise and Ferry Review - Summer/Spring 2020

2 1 9 Bistrot on MSC Bellissima and MSC Grandiosa – both launched in 2019. SMC was asked to create an elegant restaurant and bar design concept that would be at the heart of the main promenade, offering contemporary French cuisine with private dining, live entertainment and a pop-up art gallery. The firm created an incredible food and beverage experience that firmly resonates with a family audience. Aiming to design an offering intrinsically connected to Parisian culture, SMC wove together the old French neoclassical interiors and art nouveau architecture in harmonious co-existence. The restaurant and bar have been designed with a hand-painted fresco ceiling, antique mirrors and stained timber wainscoting, reflecting the rich colour palette, while the exterior remains classically Parisian. SMC Art sourced and procured the complete collection for the French bistro, including an eclectic range of prints, photographs, paintings and objets d’art. The collection was designed to appear as if it had been gathered over time by a flâneur (a person who strolls around observing society), and provides snippets of a bygone Parisian life, resulting in a sophisticated and refined restaurant interior appealing to guests, while maintaining the essence of the MSC Cruises brand. 2019 was a triumphant year for SMC and MSC Cruises, with the successful delivery of MSC Bellissima, MSC Grandiosa and Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. And there’s plenty more to come: the firm will deliver MSC Virtuosa in autumn 2020. CFR “Authenticity centres the work our graphics team produces for MSC Cruises. We take time to understand the client’s vision to deliver signage, wayfinding and branding that works in harmony with each interior – creating a lasting impression on guests.” Alun Roberts, associate at SMC Design “Working closely with the MSC Cruises team on the Ocean Cay project was a unique experience that allowed us as a design team to really immerse ourselves in the local environment, culture and the Bahamian community while being faced with the challenges that arise with creating a reclaimed island dedicated to marine conservation.” Mike Abbott, associate at SMC Design MSC Grandiosa has been designed with elegance in mind REPORT