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      Bacana Studio designs “amphibious” interiors for riverfront restaurant in Lisbon

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      Lisbon interior design practice Bacana Studio took cues from Portugal’s coastal traditions for the interiors of a João Luís Carrilho da Graça-designed Anfibio restaurant.

      Located alongside the Tejo river, the restaurant was designed to “merge the duality of the sea and the land,” the interiors studio told Dezeen.
      Striped benches create a corridor from the bar to the terraceNamed Anfibio – Latin for amphibious, meaning suited for both land and water – the restaurant serves both local seafood and “countryside produce”.
      It is located in a glass-walled, pavilion-like structure designed by local architecture studio João Luís Carrilho da Graça alongside the Tejo river and its interiors were informed by its riverfront location drawing on the “dazzling reflections of the sun on the water”.
      The lighting is designed to “allow Anfibio to transform between day and night”Within the 500-square-metre restaurant, which is used as a nightclub in the evenings, wooden flooring was stained with a “watery green” colour and a mirror-like fabric was used on the ceiling to reflect and refract light.

      “The building’s architecture aims to blend in and go unnoticed, striving to merge with the river and reflect the city of Lisbon,” said Bacana Studio founder Ingrid Aparicio.
      The restaurant is located on the Tejo riverAccording to the Bacana Studio, the open plan layout and five-metre-high ceilings posed a lighting and acoustic challenge.
      As a result, the studio focused on “creating visual and functional interest from the ground up” with decorative elements, lighting and architectural features rising up from the floor.
      “It’s the lighting itself that shapes and defines the spaces,” Aparicio explained. “We devised a concept where lighting emanates from the furniture, creating intimate spaces and avoiding the sensation of being in a vast and cold space.”
      Light fittings emerge from the furnitureSmall brass-shaded table lamps and arched brass and glass lamps, which were crafted to resemble the antennas of aquatic creatures, provide ambient lighting for each table and unify the space.
      Visitors are greeted by a curvilinear “snake sofa” that divides the restaurant into two areas – an intimate zone with smaller tables on one side, and a more communal area with a large 10-seater table on the other.
      “The design is meant to encourage you to let loose, which is why the organic shapes in the sofas, tables, and chairs, create an interesting flow to the space,” explained Aparicio.

      Álvaro Siza designs tiled mural for Space Copenhagen’s Porto restaurant interior

      On either end of the intimate zone is a long, 20-seater community table. The studio designed these with an aim to pay homage to the spirit of Lisbon’s traditional fish markets, serving as “a symbolic nod to the shared dining experiences fostered in such lively and communal settings”.
      The wait-staff station and the wood, wicker and brass bar separate the kitchen from the dining area.
      The “snake sofa” divides the spaceTwo long, striped benches, positioned with their backs facing each other, lead out to the terrace, “segmenting the expansive layout of the restaurant into more intimate sections”.
      The terrace, overlooking the port and the city of Lisbon, aims to “evoke the essence of an authentic beach club”.
      Stripes were prominently used on the walls, upholstery, and furnishings, reminiscent of Portuguese fishermen’s cottages and coastal awnings.
      Natural materials such as wood and wicker were prominently usedOther restaurant interiors recently featured on Dezeen include a Mexico City restaurant arranged around an upside-down pyramid bar and a converted Norwegian restaurant covered in restored paintings.
      The photography is by Filipe Neto.

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      Rockwell Group creates atmospheric interiors for Perelman Center in New York

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      Ribbons of light guide patrons from the lobby to the restaurant inside the Perelman Performing Arts Center at the World Trade Center, where the interiors are designed by New York-based Rockwell Group.

      The studio founded by designer David Rockwell recently completed the public spaces that include the Metropolis restaurant and adjoining lounge areas within the cube-shaped building, which local architecture studio Rex wrapped in thin marble panels.
      The lobby of the PAC NYC venue includes a stage for programmed performancesThe volume holds three flexible and interchangeable theatres that can be infinitely customised for different performance styles, artistic expressions and viewing experiences.
      These are accessed via the elevated lobby level, reached by climbing a grand exterior staircase that draws visitors under the building’s cube form and up through its base.
      A bridge behind the building’s translucent marble facade accommodates seatingThis dramatic entry sequence culminates at a lobby lounge and restaurant that form a new 9,120-square-foot (847 square metres) “community space” for Lower Manhattan, according to Rockwell.

      “The restaurant is intentionally woven throughout the public experience,” he told Dezeen. “There is no hard line between the lobby lounge, restaurant, and terrace, with one space melting into the next.”
      The lobby flows into the Metropolis restaurant, located the other side of angled trussesThe designer’s primary aim was to provide “a celebratory, communal atmosphere; connecting guests, whether you’re the first party there for dinner or the last one there post-show”.
      Rockwell’s combined experience in hospitality and performance design – he has won multiple Tony Awards for his Broadway sets – helped him to craft a seamless experience between these connected functions.
      LED lights within wooden ribbons follow pathways and form “nodes” above gathering areas”Creating a magical journey up into PAC NYC and intertwined with the lobby was a thrilling challenge, especially because the lobby and Metropolis will be host to many free performances on the small stage there,” said the designer.
      This stage will feature a varied program of performers who will entertain diners from a carefully placed vantage point, which allows sightlines from all corners of the lobby and restaurant.

      Lounge seating for up to 30 positioned closest to the stage is intentionally low-slung, so as not to obstruct the views for those further away.
      A bridge that runs along the inner side of the translucent stone facade holds additional seating, overlooking the grand entry staircase through huge panes of glass.
      Jewel-toned fabrics and textured surfaces warm the interiorsThe Metropolis restaurant is helmed by Swedish-Ethiopian chef Marcus Samuelsson, and serves an elevated, eclectic menu billed as “a love letter to New York City” to both performancegoers and the general public.
      Beyond the host stand and the diagonal structural trusses that flank it, the layout is split down the middle, with soft seating arranged on either side of the central axis.
      Rockwell Group designed the restaurant and lobby to act as a “communal space” for Lower Manhattan”The furniture is designed for flexibility and comfort, defined by several smaller areas with lots of seating variety, made up of banquettes and loose furniture and organised around a collection of vintage area rugs,” said Rockwell.
      Glowing bands within sapele wood ribbons trace curved shapes across its ceiling, beckoning guests into the space and also highlighting key areas for gathering such as the bar with chandelier-like “nodes” overhead.

      Rex clads “mystery box” World Trade Center performance arts center in translucent marble

      Jewel-toned upholstery pairs with rich walnut panelling for a warm and inviting feel, and the fabrics and other textured surfaces soften the polished concrete flooring.
      A 70-seat outdoor terrace at the back of the building will also offer al fresco dining during the summer months, visible from the interior through a huge glass wall.
      There’s space for 70 al fresco diners on the outdoor terraceThere’s also a speakeasy-like private dining room for intimate gatherings of up to 16.
      PAC NYC is one of the final pieces in the 16-acre World Trade Center redevelopment masterplan, joining skyscrapers by SOM, RSHP, and SANAA, the transit hub and a church by Santiago Calatrava, and a 9/11 Museum by Snøhetta.
      Rockwell aimed to create “a celebratory, communal atmosphere” both inside and outCelebrating its 40th anniversary next year, Rockwell Group has designed interiors for restaurants all over Manhattan, including Zaytinya, Katsuya, Casa Dani and Wayan.
      The firm also worked on The Shed venue at Hudson Yards, which also hosts performances along with exhibitions and other events within a highly flexible space beneath a giant “telescoping” cover.
      The photography is by Adrian Gaut.

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      Dezeen’s top 10 restaurant and bar interiors of 2023

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      For the latest roundup in Dezeen’s 2023 review we’ve selected 10 of this year’s most popular and evocative restaurant and bar interiors, ranging from a space-themed sushi bar in Milan to a beach-style eatery in London.

      Also among this year’s eclectic roundup of restaurant and bar interiors is a renovated 16th-century brewery in Poland lined with a bold interior of red brick and ceramic tiles, as well as a bar and restaurant informed by Japanese psychedelia and cabins in Canada.
      Read on for Dezeen’s top 10 restaurant and bar interiors of 2023:
      Photo by Irina BoersmaIkoyi restaurant, UK, by David Thulstrup 
      Copenhagen-based designer David Thulstrup designed a copper and oak interior for the Ikoyi restaurant, situated within London’s 180 The Strand building.

      Drawing on spice-making processes from sub-Saharan west Africa, the interior features ceilings clad with metal-mesh panels and walls lined with oxidised copper sheets.
      Find out more about Ikoyi restaurant ›
      Photo by Alicia DubuisSando, Switzerland, by Sapid Studio
      Sapid Studio used Japanese patchwork techniques to inform the renovation of a burger restaurant in Geneva.
      Named after the Japanese word for sandwich, Sando features a largely retained interior decorated with a corrugated stainless steel bar, patched up tiled flooring, and translucent tapestries.
      Find out more about Sando ›
      Photo by ONI StudioTenczynek Brewery, Poland, by Projekt Praga
      Red brick, ceramic tiles and oak furniture define the Tenczynek Brewery interior, designed by Polish design studio Projekt Praga.
      Located outside of Krakow, the centuries-old brewery was converted into a bold-coloured restaurant and bar, with a self-service beer fountain occupying the centre of the historic brick-vaulted space.
      Find out more about Tenczynek Brewery ›
      Photo courtesy of PradaPrada Caffè, UK, by Prada
      Located in London’s luxury department store Harrods, fashion house Prada opened a cafe informed by one of Milan’s oldest patisseries.
      Contrasting with Harrods’ baroque facade, Prada Caffè’s mint green latticed storefront references the brand’s signature green hue, which extends to the interior walls, ceilings and furniture.
      Find out more about Prada Caffè ›
      Photo by Charlie McKayMilk Beach Soho, UK, by A-nrd
      London-based design studio A-nrd brought a “beachfront feel” reminiscent of an Australian beach club to this restaurant interior in Soho, London.
      Milk Beach Soho’s minimal interior has a neutral material palette featuring a polished terrazzo floor and art deco-style furniture and lighting.
      Find out more about Milk Beach Soho ›
      Photo by Luis BeltranIchi Station, Italy, by Masquespacio
      Ichi Station, by Valencian design studio Masquespacio, is a dine-in restaurant in Milan that draws on sci-fi and space tourism.
      Designed to resemble a futuristic spaceship, the cylindrical restaurant interior has a material palette of glass and micro-cement along with rounded, custom-made furniture.
      Find out more about Ichi Station ›
      Photo by Erin FeinblattDrift Santa Barbara, US, by Anacapa Architecture
      US studio Anacapa Architecture transformed a formerly closed early-1900s building into a hotel – hosting a ground-floor bar and cafe for both hotel guests and local visitors.
      Located in central California, the rustic interior accentuates the building’s historical character and is complemented by concrete and wooden furniture.
      Find out more about Drift ›
      Photo by Luís Moreira / Matilde CunhaCozinha das Flores, Portugal, by Space Copenhagen
      Located in a 16th-century building in Porto, Cozinha das Flores’ interior is decorated by a ceramic mural created by Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza.
      Designed by Space Copenhagen, the rustic interior is lined with green and burnt orange tiles, along with oak furniture and brass accents.
      Find out more about Cozinha das Flores ›
      Photo by Jack HobhouseCorner, UK, by Holland Harvey
      London-based architecture studio Holland Harvey revamped Tate Modern’s ground-floor cafe to be less “Herzog & de Meuron-y”.
      Doubling as the gallery’s first late-night spot, the interior is organised around a grey stone bar, while salvaged chairs and bespoke tables are used throughout the space.
      Find out more about Corner ›
      Photo by Chris AmatHello Sunshine, Canada, by Frank Architecture 
      Situated within the mountains of Alberta, Hello Sunshine is a bar and restaurant informed by Japanese psychedelia and cabins in collaboration with Little Giant.
      Designed by Canadian studio Frank Architecture, the wooden interior features two raised fire pits accompanied by large flues clad with glazed ceramic tiles, along with paper lanterns and textile artworks.
      Find out more about Hello Sunshine ›

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      Cake Architecture draws on Bauhaus principles for Hoxton bar

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      Cake Architecture has renovated A Bar with Shapes for a Name, an east London cocktail bar featuring “utilitarian” interiors.

      A Bar with Shapes for a Name owes its title to the yellow triangle, red square and blue circle that are emblazoned on its facade in a nod to the primary colours and understated geometry commonly associated with the Bauhaus.
      Tall tubular chairs feature on the ground floorWhen creating the bar’s minimalist interiors, Dalston-based Cake Architecture took cues from the influential German art and design school that was established in 1919 and advocated for an emphasis on functionality, among other similar principles.
      Located at 232 Kingsland Road in Hoxton, the cocktail bar was renovated by the studio to serve as a multipurpose venue.
      Cake Architecture created a smooth ground-floor bar from reddish plywoodCake Architecture doubled the bar’s capacity by adding a basement, which acts as a “kitchen-bar” room, and refurbished the ground floor’s existing seating area as well as a classroom-style space that offers a location for rotating events or workshops.

      “These spaces have specific functional requirements and we selected colours and materials to suit,” studio director Hugh Scott Moncrieff told Dezeen.
      It was positioned opposite a rectilinear light installationUpon entering the bar, visitors are greeted by the main seating area or “showroom”, which was designed to be warm and inviting.
      Tall tubular chairs finished with neutral rattan were positioned around chunky geometric tables made from birch ply stained to a rich, reddish-brown hue.
      The renovation included the addition of a new basementThe team also used the same timber to create the space’s curving bar, which is illuminated by a squat, cordless table lamp by lighting brand Flos.
      Opposite the bar, a glowing rectilinear light installation by photographer Steve Braiden was fitted to the wall underneath bench-style seating reminiscent of early Bauhaus furniture designs.
      A steel, glass-topped table sets an industrial tone”We looked in particular at projects by the Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius,” reflected Scott Moncrieff.
      “Gropius is a master of this elegant zoning through the application of colour and form,” he added.
      The “classroom” includes steel-framed tablesDownstairs, the low-lit basement was created to house additional seating as well as “all of the crazy machinery they use to prepare the drinks,” the designer said.
      The basement is characterised by a bespoke central table by Cake Architecture and furniture designer Eddie Olin.
      Red, yellow and blue accents define a sculptural lampConsisting of a steel frame that “floats” over a central leg, the table was topped with a glass surface and its base was clad in phenolic-coated plywood to match the floor and walls.
      “This new basement is predominantly a production space – so the palette reflects this with hardwearing, utilitarian and industrial materials,” said Scott Moncrieff.

      Henley Halebrown creates Bauhaus-informed offices in converted London warehouse

      A thick, felt curtain in ultramarine adds a pop of colour to the otherwise pared-back space.
      With its pale blue walls and Valchromat-topped, steel-framed tables, the ground-floor “classroom” pays homage to the Bauhaus as an educational institution.
      A tall blackboard provides space to learn in the classroomBrighter blue vinyl covers the floors while a sculptural lamp featuring red, yellow and blue circles echoes the bar’s logo.
      A tall blackboard and overhead strip lighting add to the classroom feel of the space, which is used for various group events.
      Thin vertical lights frame the bathroom sinkCake Architecture worked closely with the bar’s founders Remy Savage and Paul Lougrat when creating the interiors, which were primarily informed by the duo’s way of working.
      “The team has a conceptually driven ethos drawn from the theory and practice of Bauhaus embedded in everything they are doing. We found that incredibly exciting,” explained Scott Moncrieff.
      A Bar with Shapes for a Name is located on London’s Kingsland Road”The Bauhaus phrase ‘party, work, play’ was pertinent to some early ideas and this carried through all our design discussions,” noted the designer.
      “The space enables these three things. Separately as individual functions and simultaneously as a representation of the overall atmosphere of a bar!”
      Cake Architecture previously worked with interior designer Max Radford to create a curtain-wrapped speakeasy in London’s Soho. The studio also designed a workspace for London agency Ask Us For Ideas in the same part of the city.
      The photography is by Felix Speller. 

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      Format Architecture designs “delightfully untraditional” Cafe Mars in Brooklyn

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      Bright colours, neon lighting and expressive furniture create a playful mood inside this Brooklyn restaurant, designed by local studio Format Architecture Office.

      Cafe Mars is an Italian eatery located in Gowanus, founded by co-chefs Jorge Olarte, and Paul D’Avino – whose grandfather lived across the street when he first emigrated from Campania in 1901.
      Playful furniture throughout Cafe Mars includes chairs with hot-pink arched and zigzag legsHonouring these roots, the restaurant is designed as a celebration of all things Italy: from the Memphis design movement of the 1980s to the glamorous Amalfi Coast.
      “It was important to connect the intent of the culinary experience with the intent of the spatial experience,” said Format principal and co-founder Andrew McGee.
      The bar and open kitchen are framed by white oak panels”If the driving force of the menu was to showcase knowledge and love of traditional Italian cuisine, twisted and subverted at just the right moments to create something playfully rebellious and unusual, it seemed only natural to reference the character and movement in [Ettore] Sottsass and the Memphis style with a similar vintage in the architecture and design realm,” he continued.

      Above each table in the main dining space is a yellow panel with a hole cut-out, exposing the building’s original brickTo enter the 1,100-square-foot (100-square-metre) restaurant, visitors must turn a pasta die door handle sourced from local third-generation manufacturer D Malardi & Sons.
      “The detail is a charming nod to the building’s pasta factory and Italian grocery history whilst ushering in its restaurant future,” the studio said.
      The custom banquettes are coloured one yellow for every two whiteOnce inside the long narrow front space, the bar area can be found on the right and a row of back-to-back banquettes runs along the left.
      The bar and the open kitchen further down are framed by white oak panelled arches, revealing a bright blue back bar that echoes the same shape.
      The “blue room” in the back features cobalt-coloured seating that contrasts the exposed brickworkA tall, light grey counter forms an L-shape within the first arch, with a lower surface for diners seated in custom chairs by Studio Apotroes with hot pink zig-zag legs.
      More seats – this time with white details – face the kitchen area, beside a bright green shelving unit for tableware tucked under the bar counter.
      Hot pink reappears in the cords of pendant lights, which have shades made from mushroom myceliumOpposite, the custom double-sided banquettes have ribbed edges and are coloured one yellow for every two white.
      In between are arched yellow panels with circular holes that expose the original brick walls behind, and Stuff by Andrew Neyer globe pendants that hang above each table.
      Pasta illustrations by artist Massimo Mongiardo are found throughout the interior, including in the bathroomThe “blue room” in the back features cobalt-coloured seating that contrasts the exposed brick walls, black window frames and white hexagonal floor tiles.
      Hot pink reappears in the cords of pendant lights with MushLume shades made from mushroom mycelium, while bespoke wooden tables have puzzle-piece tops that slot together in various configurations.

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      At night, colourful LED lights within the circular wall elements, under the bar counter and above the back bar all match a neon sign in the window, which traces the Cafe Mars logo designed by artist Massimo Mongiardo.
      His illustrations of pasta shapes can be found throughout the interiors, including in the bathrooms, and across the black-painted roller shutters pulled down when the restaurant is closed.
      Mongiardo’s illustrations also cover the black roller shutter on the exterior”The goal was to strike a delicate balance between fanciful and comforting, transformative and familiar,” said Format co-founder and principal Matthew Hettler.
      “The design, however loud, becomes a backdrop for a quality experience, and that is something we are excited about.”
      A neon version of the Cafe Mars logo sits in the window, matching the colorful LED lighting insideOther relative newcomers to Brooklyn’s ever-evolving culinary scene include Nabila’s, a Lebanese spot designed by Frederick Tang Architecture, and Usonian-inspired eatery Sereneco featuring interiors by Carpenter + Mason.
      Over in Manhattan, the number of Italian restaurants continues to balloon, with Bad Roman and Cucina Alba among the many to have opened in the past year.
      The photography is by Nick Glimenakis.
      Project credits:
      Architecture and interior design: Format Architecture OfficeProject team: Clare Hačko, David Hettler, Matt Hettler, Andrew McGeeConstruction: RuskStructural engineer: Blue Sky DesignMEP engineer: Department of Approvals

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      Mexico City restaurant by RA! arranged around upside-down pyramid bar

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      A bar counter shaped like an inverted ziggurat sits at the centre of this restaurant in Mexico City, designed by local architecture studio RA!

      Tana is a tapas spot located in the city’s wealthy Polanco neighbourhood, within a compact and intimate space facing Parque Lincoln.
      The Tana restaurant is organized around a central concrete barRA! gutted the 65-square-metre unit to make way for its cave-like concept, achieved by applying textured plaster and concrete across the four-metre-high walls.
      “The intervention began by demolishing the superimposed finishes of the old premises, in order to discover the structure and the materials that originally constituted the space,” said RA! co-founder Pedro Ramírez de Aguilar.
      The bar’s inverted ziggurat form features cove lighting along its tiered sides”The balance of the sounds, colours, textures and tones of the space creates a cave atmosphere that shelters those who inhabit it,” he contined.

      The main dining area is organised around a central bar counter, which has a stepped form reminiscent of an ancient pyramid – similar to those located at the Aztec archeological site of Teotihuacan just outside of the city.
      Cove lighting also illuminates the plaster and concrete walls and floors around the restaurant’s perimeterRough concrete also wraps the bar’s tiered sides, under which cove lighting is installed to illuminate each layer.
      “The bar questions the traditional linear organization of bars to create a square distribution that allows greater coexistence between users and the mixologist,” Ramírez de Aguilar said.
      Slender-framed metal stools provide seating for dinersFurther cove lighting encircles the room just above floor level, and about two-thirds of the way up the walls, as well as beneath the narrow drink shelves.
      Behind the bar, a copper lighting fixture comprises two concentric circles, with a soft glow emanating from behind the small, front disk.
      Cylindrical concrete pendants lamps hang above the dining areaThe copper fixture was mounted on a floor-to-ceiling shelving system built from thin metal pipes, which displays liquor bottles and holds hanging plants at the top.
      “The plate made in Michoacán, Mexico, is positioned on a large formation of rods that go from the support cabinet to the ceiling, generating a series of shelves on which the bottles and other service elements are positioned,” said Ramírez de Aguilar.

      Sofía Betancur references nearby church for Pizzeria Della Madonna

      Tall, slender-framed stools surround the bar, and provide additional seating along either side of the space.
      Above hang cylindrical concrete pendant lamps with steel caps, which direct the light downwards as a series of spots.
      RA! designed the restaurant to look and feel like a caveBehind the shelving unit is a small, omakase-style dining area that offers guests a direct view of the kitchen.
      The restaurant opens fully to the street, where more tables are placed on a covered patio surrounded by plants.
      Tana also has a covered outdoor patio surrounded by plantsRA! was founded in 2017 by Ramírez de Aguilar along with Cristóbal Ramírez de Aguilar and Santiago Sierra in Mexico City, where the dining scene is booming and many creative minds are helping to shape interiors for its chefs.
      Along with Tana, new spots include Pizzeria della Madonna in Roma Norte, which designer Sofia Betancur modelled on a neighbouring church, and Ling Ling, an Asian fusion restaurant on the 56th floor of the Chapultepec Uno skyscraper.
      The photography is by Ariadna Polo.

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      RooMoo reuses distillery’s old whiskey barrels to decorate its bar

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      Chinese interiors studio RooMoo has used nearly 6,000 pieces of oak from discarded distillery barrels to adorn this whiskey bar in Shanghai.

      Laizhou Bar is located in the city’s buzzy Xuhui District and is an offshoot of Laizhou Distillery, a Chinese whiskey producer based out of Sichuan province.
      Wood offcuts from Laizhou Distillery’s whiskey barrels feature across the bar’s facadeThe distillery prides itself on reducing its environmental impact by using low-temperature saccharification machinery and collecting wastewater so it can be converted into biogas energy.
      So Shanghai-based studio RooMoo placed a similar emphasis on sustainability when designing the bar, where almost 6,000 pieces of wood from the distillery’s discarded oak barrels were reused as decoration.
      The offcuts were then used to construct a ringed structure on the bar’s ceiling”The bar imports the materials used in the distillery’s production process, creating a symbiosis between the two spaces,” said the studio.

      “Each dismantled barrel piece was different in terms of width, length and grain, so we classified them and applied them to different positions.”
      RooMoo assessed and classified all of the offcuts before useBarrel pieces are first seen on the bar’s facade, where they have been placed horizontally to create a lattice-like effect.
      The facade is otherwise only punctuated by a wide-set door and an expansive window, where barrels printed with the distillery’s logo are displayed.
      The bar’s slatted partition walls are also made from barrel offcutsOnce inside, guests step into a whiskey sampling area with a green marble tasting counter. Suspended directly above the space is a dramatic double-ringed sculpture crafted from barrel offcuts.
      More wooden barrel pieces were used to construct a curving, slatted partition in front of the main bar.
      A long seating banquette bends around the back of the room, accompanied by a series of black tables and leather chairs. There is also a huge light-up wall where liquor bottles are put on display.
      Black leather furnishings were incorporated throughout the main bar areaOn the ceiling here are the beginnings of another ringed sculpture, which will be completed as soon as the distillery has used up more barrels for the studio to use.
      “We made the ceiling structure beautiful enough to open the bar first,” explained the studio. “We are not hurrying to finish it, but following the production process and waiting for the wasted materials to be produced.”
      Off to the side of the main bar is a more private VIP tasting room. At its centre hangs a bespoke light crafted from the circular metal bands, which once held together the distillery barrels.
      The ceiling sculpture will be completed once the studio receives more offcutsLai Zhou Bar has made it to the shortlist in the sustainable interior category of the 2023 Dezeen Awards.
      The project is up against Edit restaurant by Elly Ward and Joe Morris, which is clad with salvaged terracotta tiles, and the Big Beauty store by Nina + Co, which is decked out in biomaterials like mycelium.

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      Gachot Studios creates cosy New York neighbourhood bar

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      New York City-based Gachot Studios has revamped a NoHo townhouse to host a snug cocktail bar, in which exposed stone walls and dark wood contrast a creamy colour palette.

      Named after Jack Champlin, a beloved member of the NoHo community, Jac’s on Bond opened in February 2023 within a 1800s townhouse formerly occupied by The Smile cafe.
      Jac’s on Bond features a series of niches for enjoying cocktailsBoth the previous and new iterations are owned and operated by Authentic Hospitality, which tapped Gachot Studios to overhaul the interiors.
      “We wanted to open a place that felt like a causal hang out for our Bond Street neighbours, but also elevated and expertly executed, where adults could gather around a well-made cocktail and meet each other – a lost art in New York!” said the Gachot team, whose office is just a few blocks away.
      Original fireplace surrounds were recovered in limewash plaster during the renovation workEntered below grade through a heavy velvet curtain, the main bar space unfolds as a series of cosy niches and warmly lit corners.

      A neutral palette of creams, browns and black was applied to create “a wonderful juxtaposition of the old and new; the rough and the sophisticated that we felt accurately captured the building and neighborhood’s history”, according to the team.
      A new guardrail with curved newel posts surrounds the staircase to the basementThe bar counter is wrapped in dark wood panels and features a St Laurent marble top, while a mahogany-framed arched bronze mirror reflects the scene from the bar back.
      Two cylindrical columns and a pair of vintage 1920s sconces frame the bartenders as they mix cocktails, including the establishment’s signature Caprese Martini.
      A pool table with a custom camel-coloured top is positioned towards the back of the main barOpposite, newly revealed stonework above charcoal-painted wainscoting and a drinks rail spans between open fireplaces, which are lime plastered above.
      “When considering the build out of the bar, we knew we wanted to preserve and showcase as much of the original 1800s townhouse as possible,” the design team said.
      The Back Room offers additional space for expanded weekend service or private eventsA series of circular two- and four-top tables topped with back-painted glass run along this wall, while seven Artemest barstools line up along the underlit bar.
      In the centre of the room, a solid guardrail with curved newel posts wraps around an opening for a staircase, which descends to the basement.
      A dining table is placed within a niche accessed via mahogany-trimmed archesA geometric fabric-wrapped pendant light hangs above the stairwell, and a pool table with a custom camel-coloured surface is positioned behind.
      Formerly a wine cellar, the downstairs space has a dimly lit speakeasy vibe and features velvet-upholstered seats built into arched niches in the stone walls.

      GRT Architects references “vacation Italian” at New York bar and restaurant

      The original metal and wood ceiling was restored, and four 1970s table lamps by Czech lighting firm Kamenicky Senov Preciosa were added to create the right ambience for small private parties.
      For larger events and expanded walk-in service on weekends, The Back Room is decorated like a parlour with lime-washed bricks.
      In the former wine cellar is another space that can be rented for private eventsThis space has a second bar, and can be configured with long dining tables, seating for small groups, or cleared for standing room depending on its requirements.
      There’s also a dining space with tiled flooring tucked into a corner, accessed through mahogany-trimmed arched openings.
      Banquettes are built into the original stonework and the lighting is kept low for an intimate atmosphereAdorning the walls throughout Jac’s on Bond are photographs of New York’s hip-hop scene in the 1980s and ’90s, by local artist Janette Beckman.
      “Her photos are of a New York past – they highlight the up and comers of 1980s and 90s New York hip hop, including some names that went on to become world famous: Run DMC, LL Cool J, Salt n Pepa, Andre 3000,” the team said.
      Jac’s on Bond occupies the lower floors of an 1800s townhouse on Bond Street, in New York’s NoHo neighbourhoodFounded by John and Christine Gachot, Gachot Studios has previously completed hospitality projects that range from a boutique hotel in Detroit for watchmaker Shinola to an open-air restaurant on NYC’s Union Square.
      The firm also designed the New York flagship store for the cosmetics brand Glossier, which includes soft-pink plasterwork and a Boy Brow Room.
      The photography is by William Jess Laird.

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