Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s design of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum on Manhattan’s Upper East Side 50 years ago, New York-based architect Andre Kikoski designed the interiors for the new restaurant The Wright. Named in honor of the building architect and run by Restaurant Associates, this new dining experience opened on December 11. Kikoski’s white, modern design scheme complements the local, seasonal menu of sustainable ingredients by David Bouley protégé Rodolfo Contreras. The 58-seat restaurant and communal table offer a full menu, while the more casual European-style bar offers small plates, sandwiches, coffee, and cocktails. British artist Liam Gillick also designed an especially commissioned, site-specific sculpture for the restaurant.

A sweeping, curvilinear wall of walnut layered with illuminated fiber-optics is a focal point of the 1,600-sq.-ft. space, which also features a custom bar clad in metalwork and white Corian and blue leather upholstered banquettes that pop against the mostly white interiors, including a layered ceiling canopy of taut white membrane. According to Kikoski, the surfaces and textures are animated by movement to create a fluid aesthetic.

“Inspired by and created within an institution renowned for its art, architecture, and innovation, The Wright will extend that experience to its food and service," says Aaron Breitman, director of the new restaurant. “The Wright will appeal to neighbors seeking stylish and sophisticated dining as well as visitors who want to experience the thrill of New York in one of the city’s greatest cultural treasures.”