LXA Projects Redefines This Dining Experience Through Immersive and Dynamic Design

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a dynamic restaurant design by 2025 SBID Awards Finalist, LXA Projects.

Pirana is a visionary restaurant concept that redefines the dining experience through immersive and dynamic design. Thoughtfully crafted to enhance guest interaction, the space seamlessly blends luxury and entertainment, setting Pirana apart from its Mayfair competitors. Guests are invited to indulge in an exclusive restaurant with champagne room, destination bar, and intimate private dining room, all contributing to a one-of-a-kind experience. Pirana makes a bold statement transitioning effortlessly from an elegant and inviting daytime setting to a striking evening venue. The washrooms feature a striking six-meter water tank housing live piranhas.

What was the client's brief?

The client asked us to create an immersive destination restaurant that would draw in a highly networked crowd and establish itself as a go-to spot in Mayfair. The vision was to design a space that delivered a distinctive and elevated dining experience, while also becoming a social hub. The brief called for a bold blend of innovative design, exceptional service, and a sense of theatre, ensuring the restaurant would command attention and stand out as a premier venue in an already competitive market.

What inspired the design of the project?

The design had to embody the spirit of its name, drawing on the allure and intensity that comes to mind when people think of a piranha: sharp, bold, and impossible to ignore. This translated into a layered aesthetic that is luxurious yet provocative, with moments of drama carefully woven throughout the space.

A key part of the brief was for Pirana to function seamlessly across the day and into the night. By day, the venue needed to feel elegant, welcoming, and refined, a destination for sophisticated daytime dining. By night, it was to transform into a striking, high-energy hub, alive with music, theatre, and spectacle. This duality was achieved through spatial planning, materiality, and a dynamic lighting scheme that allows the atmosphere to shift effortlessly as the day progresses.

Entertainment is embedded into the very fabric of the design. A discreet ceiling track allows operators to deliver theatrical surprises, like champagne bottles arriving in dramatic fashion, ensuring that every visit feels distinctive and memorable. Elevated dining zones and private areas strike a balance between openness and intimacy, while bold focal points, from the sculptural front bar to the bespoke wave ceiling, pull guests deeper into the experience. A live DJ stage anchors the evolving atmosphere, reinforcing Pirana’s position as both restaurant and nightlife destination. The daring edge of the design culminates in one of Pirana’s most striking moments: a six-metre water tank in the washrooms, home to live piranhas. This unforgettable feature encapsulates the restaurant’s ethos, immersive, unexpected, and undeniably bold, securing its place as a standout venue in Mayfair’s competitive dining scene.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

The toughest hurdles our team faced were bringing the drama of Pirana to life while ensuring it remained seamless, safe, and sensitive to its prestigious Mayfair setting. A defining challenge was the integration of the six-metre piranha tank, a striking focal point that required meticulous planning. Beyond its theatrical impact, the installation demanded complex engineering, specialist collaboration, and strict regulatory compliance to ensure safety and functionality without compromising the immersive experience.

Equally intricate was the integration of lighting and services. Pirana’s design relies on creating moments of surprise, features that shift the mood from day to night and appear as if from nowhere. Achieving this effect required careful coordination of lighting systems, mechanical services, and structure, ensuring the technology vanished into the architecture while still delivering drama.

Sound management posed another major challenge. With Pirana’s high-energy evening atmosphere, it was essential to prevent disruption to neighbouring properties. Situated in a conservation area near Buckingham Palace, the project demanded advanced acoustic solutions that contained the energy inside while respecting its surroundings. By overcoming these challenges, the team delivered a restaurant that pushes creative boundaries while remaining considered, immersive, and perfectly tuned to its Mayfair context.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The highlight of Pirana was seeing a daring concept come to life and transform into a fully immersive reality. For the team, watching the materials, textures, and finishes we had carefully curated come together so seamlessly was incredibly rewarding, everything felt effortless, as though it was always meant to be. The front bar and lounge emerged as a defining moment in the project. The bespoke wave ceiling and sculptural wall installation created an immediate sense of drama, guiding guests into the heart of the restaurant while setting the tone for the bold identity of the venue. Their integration into the back-bar setup showcased the strength of the detailing and the precision of the craftsmanship. Elsewhere in the restaurant, a commissioned artist travelled from overseas to hand-install a striking sculptural wall feature over the course of a week. This bespoke piece became a focal point in its own right, elevating the space with a unique layer of artistry and character. Beyond the design itself, the collaborative spirit across the consultant and contractor teams was a highlight in its own right. The journey of problem-solving together ensured Pirana became not just a project, but a collective achievement.

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

Pirana is a project that’s very close to our hearts, and as a team we felt strongly that it deserved recognition. Entering it into the SBID Awards, specifically the Restaurant Design category, felt like the natural platform. The SBID represents the highest standard of interior design and reaches an audience in more than 85 countries, giving Pirana the opportunity to be celebrated on a truly international stage. To have our work placed alongside some of the industry’s most accomplished projects is not only an honour but also a chance to share our design story with a global community. Equally, entering the awards encourages reflection. It allows us to step back and look at the wider industry, how other designers are pushing boundaries, interpreting briefs, and crafting experiences in their own unique ways. That perspective is invaluable, sparking dialogue,
inspiration, and fresh ideas that feed back into our own practice. For us, the SBID Awards are about more than recognition; they are about being part of a collective celebration of design at its best. To see Pirana included within that context is an achievement in itself, and one we are immensely proud of.

What has being an Award Finalist meant to you and your business?

Being named an SBID Award Finalist is a genuine honour, and it carries real meaning for our team. While the recognition itself is significant, what matters most is what it represents: the value of design that goes beyond aesthetics to create spaces with impact. At LXA, we are deeply committed to designing environments that are not only visually bold but also immersive, functional, and socially engaging. To see Pirana recognised at this level reinforces that ethos, it validates the belief that design has the power to shape how people connect, celebrate, and experience a space. It has also given us the chance to pause and reflect. As designers, we are often absorbed in the detail and intensity of project delivery. Being a finalist encourages us to step back and appreciate the wider journey, the vision, the collaboration, and the trust that allowed us to push creative boundaries and bring Pirana to life. Above all, this recognition is a reminder of why we do what we do: to create meaningful spaces that leave a lasting impression. That perspective makes the achievement even more rewarding, both for our business and for the people who experience our work.

Questions answered by Sammy Bikoulis and Jo Aitken, Associate Designers at LXA Projects.

Can you share a project that best represents your design style?

Design trends are always shifting, and we make sure to stick to our client brief and objectives. Rather than sticking to a single "house style," we tailor each project to our client’s brand and audience. A great example is our work on V and BYRD. For both, we created striking, contemporary spaces that captured market trends while staying true to the brands’ core values. The goal is always to deliver something unique yet commercially relevant.

What steps do you take to stay at the forefront of the design industry?

We’re always out there — whether it’s networking at industry events, engaging on social platforms, or entering award submissions. Networking is key for us—it helps us stay connected and informed about what’s happening in the design world, so we’re always in tune with the latest trends and opportunities. We also host regular CPD sessions in-house to keep our team sharp, updated, and inspired.

How do you incorporate sustainability into your designs?

Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword for us – it’s a responsibility!

We prioritise locally sourced materials, ensure our designs are built for longevity and make conscious choices that reduce waste. It’s about creating spaces that stand the test of time, both aesthetically and environmentally.

How do technology and innovation influence your work?

Technology is reshaping the industry, and we embrace it – AI tools, CAD modelling, and enhanced visualisation software all help to refine our process. But all our designs start with pen and paper or pen and an iPad. There is something irreplaceable about hand-sketching ideas before digitalising them, and we believe in the power of a hand-sketched 3D visual to present early ideas. Full rendered visuals sometimes hinder the design process rather than supporting it and they’ll never fully replace the hands-on creativity that’s at the core of our work.

What advice would you give to emerging designers?

Forget about your style—it’s not about you. Something I learned early in my career is that design isn’t about your personal preferences—it’s about the client. They’ll likely change their mind several times during the process, and that can be frustrating.

But you must remember that their satisfaction is the priority. Stay adaptable, patient, and always focus on meeting their needs, even when things shift. The best designers are adaptable, patient, and responsive to their clients' needs.

What has been your company’s proudest achievement so far?

Our reputation. Building a name in this industry isn’t easy, but we’ve carved out a space where creativity meets practicality. We've established a strong name for ourselves, and the ability to work across a wide range of services that cater to varied client needs, sets us apart. Being able to adapt and deliver on diverse projects has been key to our success and is something we are incredibly proud of.

Are you involved in mentoring or education within the interior design industry?

Yes! One of our associate designers, Sammy Bikoulis, is particularly passionate about mentorship. He’s involved in a phone mentoring program where he connects with up-and-coming designers a few times a year, offering advice and sharing what he’s learned along the way. He has also guided students in design competitions, helping them fine-tune their concepts and offering guidance to make sure their designs stand out. On top of that he frequently speaks at events like the London Design Fair. He’s even led online CPD sessions on topics like "Designing Inclusive Spaces." Sharing knowledge is something we value deeply.

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