Technistone sky-high

When the elevator door on the 69th floor opens, everyone is fascinated by the London skyline. At that moment, the Shard skyscraper still hides the best it has to offer. The highest and most accessible viewpoint in London is located on the 72nd floor. The second lift will take you there and the bird’s eye view of the European capital will not be long in coming.

The Shard, also known as the Shard of Glass, is the tallest building in the United Kingdom and one of the tallest building in Europe. If you are impressed by the view from the London Eye, it is only a fraction of what this unique European edifice offers, you will literally “look down” at the London Eye from here. The ‘’glass shard’’, as the skyscraper is nicknamed, is 310 meters high and has 95 floors, the last one accessible to visitors is only the number 72.

When luck wishes and the sun shines on rainy cold London a visit to The Shard will be one of the most beautiful of days in your life, when a busy metropolis transforms into a small building set. You have reached the top of London! Such an experience deserves a little celebration, doesn’t it? And just for the right purpose, whether it’s meeting friends or just a nice outing, there is a custom-made cocktail bar. What makes it special? The material on which your favorite drinks are served. The engineered Technistone® stone in the Noble Olympos Mist decor was chosen for the bar counter top – at first glance it impresses with its penetrating gloss and smooth surface without signs of wear. It looks like new even though it has been in use for more than 2 years and hosts 10,000 visitors a week. This is a unique affair in a unique place.

The perfect solution takes time

Perfection does not come by itself. It is the result of years of experience, mistakes and lessons. Rhino Bars, a company that makes custom cocktail bars, knows all about it. The company was founded in 2014 and in addition to the production of practical bars to order, it also operates a sister company VIP Bar Events, which provides highly qualified staff for every occasion.

“We make bars for restaurants or for private events and special events. The main idea of our company is to offer a solution for any space. Our clients usually choose the place to hold the event, but the size of the bar or its location does not suit them. Our task is to provide a new one according to the client’s wishes, while quality, originality and compliance with safety measures are a matter of course in their production,” says Rhino Bars CEO David Bugar with 20 years of experience in the field.

The Rhino Bar appeared at the occasion of the most prestigious horse race Royal Ascot in 2019, for example. It is a four-day event attended by VIP personalities from Great Britain, including the royal family.

“The collaboration with The Shard was created thanks to the initiative of Moet & Chandon, which is the main sponsor of the skyscraper. We knew that the bar would be a very busy place, it had to withstand material handling by the staff, stains from drinks, imprints of glasses, etc. Initially, we chose natural stone, which proved to be very difficult to maintain and the operation of the bar was quickly evident. We knew we had to choose a different, more complex but flexible material, “ he adds.

Engineered stone from the Czech Republic

David Bugar asked the advice of his friend Michal Bartfay of Bartfay s.r.o., an experienced processor and distributor of natural and engineered stone, who recommended Technistone® engineered stone from the Czech Republic.

“Cooperation with Rhino Bars began a few years ago. David Bugar asked us to make bars that can be assembled and disassembled into various modifications in specific places. In such a case, it was very difficult to find a material whose drawing will naturally follow each other in all modifications. The first order was with a request for the natural material QUARZIT. It’s a beautiful material, but it wasn’t suitable for the job. The drawing of the material is complex, so the individual pieces of the bar did not follow each other. Finally, I recommended the Technistone® engineered stone, which proved to be the ideal solution. I am very glad that we all Rhino Bars, Technistone, Moët & Chandon, Bartfay s.r.o and last but not least the customers of Moët & Chandon were satisfied with the choice of material. Working with Rhino Bars has been inspiring for us from the very beginning and is moving our company forward, ”says Michal Barfay.

The individual experience of many satisfied customers proves its resistance to abrasions and stains even in everyday use. In addition, Technistone® meets a number of certifications for food contact and health safety, proving to be ideal for the purpose of tailor-made bars in terms of safety and easy maintenance.

“It was a godsend recommendation. Two years after installation, the bar counter looks like new, with no signs of wear or stains. The Shard, our client, is as pleased with Technistone® as we are. Due to the current situation, we had to stop work on a new order with Crystal Calacatta Silva decor, but we believe that we will return to it in the near future, ” adds Bugar.