Bowlmor Lanes
New York, NY

Since 1938 Bowlmor Lanes, Manhattan's oldest and largest bowling center, has been a beloved fixture for many New Yorkers. In 1997 the owners decided a facelift was in order, albeit one that would incorporate the alley's somewhat eccentric ambience.

The renovated spot is welcoming and unpretentious yet hip enough to host a staff party for "Late Night with Conan O'Brien."

The center celebrates the sport of bowling in a tongue-in-cheek fashion. The designers created surreal back-lit wall images using freeze frames of people from vintage 1960s "How To Bowl" film strips. Walls in the main lobby feature a bas relief of bowling pins, and the familiar gilt figure that tops bowling trophies is used in a similar frieze in the lounge. Encased in glass, a classic pin spotter mechanism endlessly cycles through its movements.

The location's existing vinyl tile and Naugahyde were reused, and even reclaimed wood from two demolished lanes was utilized to create a curved bar. Items from bowling-ball dispensers to chairs and tables are cast in colorful, retro designs. Warm shades of red, orange and yellow are used throughout the space, often interspersed in a playful fashion.

Bowlmor's entertaining, interactive component literally looks you right in the face. In the bar and restaurant, diners get an unconventional view of the sport as they gaze through porthole windows angled to capture the expressions of agony and ecstasy on the faces of the bowlers. Black lights and glow-in-the-dark pins further define Bowlmor as a place for bowlers and non-bowlers alike to have some serious fun.

Flexibility in the lighting and sound design enables Bowlmor to be transformed from a suitable spot for a child's daytime birthday party to the destination of choice for the late-night club crowd.