Boilerhouse Prime is an upscale steakhouse, cocktail and raw bar overlooking Purdue University’s Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex. This interior and brand design collaboration takes for a central concept the surreal landscapes of golf, exploring the tension between untamed nature and precise golf course design. This space, its identity, and finer points are all intended to pay tribute to the history of golf, Purdue legends, and groundbreaking course designers Alice and Pete Dye. In this place, sport, prestige, luxury and history all inform design with a unique and layered approach to the high-end clubhouse; perfect for alumni and donor lunches and drawing local support to the university.
Interior architecture takes on some of the sweeping and curved lines of the course itself. The ceiling plan is a particular highlight, benefitting from concentric, layered and slightly asymmetric forms for its coves and detailing. FF&E draws from golf’s Scottish and aristocratic history with tartan textures, leather banquettes, wood paneling and décor that celebrates Purdue. The centerpiece is a large bar backed by a stacked, lighted bottle display that extends up to the ceiling. The bar’s corners are rounded into little greens where people can sit and there is lower seating for the raw bar and its glass display. The main dining room contrasts the curving lines of the bar, visually connected through a double-sided fireplace, with dark wood paneling and patterned floor, club-style seating and elevated banquettes. Dark wood molding contrasts the bar’s white mosaic tile and stone-look bar top, reflecting the mix of traditional and contemporary aesthetics.
The gold BP logo, menus and brand type are intended to stand out, evoking a memorable identity and sense association for the brand. The logo’s strong, gold lettering evokes prestige, but the inset and more delicate “P” shows the brand’s elevated and innovative instincts. The menus and other touchpoints exhibit the brand colors and draw on the textures of the golf course for a tactile signature. The brand expression is masculine, but sophisticated, and because it was developed so closely with the interior, the two designs come together in a restaurant where our contrasting influences support and enhance each other.
