Group 2 - Project 1 - Observations on the Bowery Bar
PROPOSAL
One of the major things we noticed about B-Bar during our observation was that it's big and there are a lot of tables, and when it's crowded it can be hard to get your waiter's attention. We decided to try to remedy this problem with a system that is familiar, and that can be easily an unobtrusively integrated into existing space. Our proposal is to implement a modified version of the flight attendant call system found on airplanes. Diners will be able to press a button on their table that turns on a small light hanging above the table; the button also sends a signal to the waiters' stations and the kitchen indicating that diners need assistance. This system utilizes the openness of the space, and that fact that visibility quite good above a certain height level, while addressing the problems of crowdedness and low visibility below the eye level of a standing waiter.
Lights
The lights for the system are small and match the current lighting scheme. They are probably either bright LEDs? or small bulbs in miniature Chinese lanterns. The height of the lights is adjustable; they normally hang about 7 feet above the floor, but they can be raised whenever necessary. The cables from which the lights hang are extremely thin, almost to the point of being invisible. One of the most dramatic features of the lights is that they change color. When a diner first presses the button on her table, the light turns green. After about a minute, it turns yellow, to indicate that this diner has been waiting for service for some time. After three minutes, the light turns red, making the table a high priority.
Button
There are two buttons on each table: one located near the edge of the table at which the waiter is most likely to stand (so that he can use it to turn the light off when he arrives), the other located on the opposite side of the table, so diners can reach it if they can't reach the first one. The buttons are rubberized to prevent damage resulting from spilled food or beverages. They send signals to the lights and the waiters' displays via WiFi?.
Display
The final element of the system is a birds-eye-view diagram of the restaurant that appears on the touch screen displays at the waiters' stations, and on a large screen in the kitchen. The diagram shows the layout of the restaurant and indicates table numbers. When a diner presses one of the buttons on her table, all of the displays show a green, yellow or red light (corresponding to the color of the overhead light) at that location. If he chooses, the waiter can turn off the light from the touch-screen display before heading over to the table.
OBSERVATIONS
We had initially decided to go to Manahatta and observe what was going on there, but found out on arrival that it was closed.
Instead, we went to the B Bar. After spending some time looking around, here were the notable things that we observed
about the space:
- All of the space is divided by partially solid objects like wire baskets of oranges you can see through, bottles of liquor in a glass cabinet and different kinds of plant life.
- The colors at the bar were somewhere in the spectrum of brown, red, orange and yellow. They all emitted a really mellow and relaxing tone. The lights, furniture even plates seemed to fall into this spectrum.
- We decided it was a cross between a diner and a ski lodge accented with Chinese decor.
- There are many mirrors and light sources (including sky-lights and large windows) that allow patrons to see clearly and to see eachother using the mirrors, on the each side of the room.
- High ceilings, large space.
- A lot of wiring could be seen and was unhidden by the rafters in the ceiling.
The space was divided into four or so main parts:
1 - the bar/entrance,
2 - a lounge area adjascent to the bar,
3 - the indoor dining area,
4 - the glassed-in outdoor patio dining area.
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