Koko interior designer Pirajean Lees looked to the sultry, saturated colours of director Wong Kar Wai's films when renovating Hong Kong's Dragon-i nightclub.

Founded in 2002 by Gilbert Yeung, Dragon-i is one of Hong Kong's most famous nightlife venues.

London studio Pirajean Lees worked closely with Yeung to transform the venue's interior, which included the addition of a members' club, fitting out the spaces with bespoke furniture designed by the studio and crafted by Chinese artisans.

"Our goal from the beginning was to re-spark the sexiness and excitement, the ruggedness and roughness of the 1990s and early noughties," said studio co-founder James Lees. "For us, this was the idea of the rebirth of the romantic side of Hong Kong."

When visualising the interior, Lees and co-founder Clémence Pirajean were informed by the vivid cinematography of movies by Hong Kong filmmaker Wong, whose credits include the 2000 colour-drenched romance-drama In the Mood for Love.

The duo reconfigured the nightclub layout, which is anchored by a central marble-topped bar bejewelled with a pair of glittering glass-brick drinks cabinets.

Swirly timber panels frame the DJ booth, providing a textured backdrop for the sound system's handcrafted speakers, while banquettes were finished in silver leather.

Meticulous architectural framing features throughout the low-lit interior design, in a move the designers described as mimicking individual snapshotted "memories of amazing evenings".

"Everything was very cinematic," Pirajean told Dezeen. "We wanted to guide people's experiences."

The bathrooms are characterised by more framing, clad with purposefully disorienting floor-to-ceiling mirrored panels. Large cubicles were finished entirely in stainless steel and illuminated by singular pink lights.

"We're still working on putting a DJ in that toilet," joked Lees.

Decadent materials were selected for their intense sensory appeal, which the designers saw as fitting for a venue centred around music, including a selection of striking Chinese marbles that the duo had not worked with before.

"Some of them are pink, some of them are acid green, some of them have these amazing chunks like eggs," Pirajean said.

The members' club sits adjacent to the nightclub on the site of a former restaurant and was designed to balance the nightclub's sense of theatrics with intimate, homely touches.

This space includes a listening bar where guests can enjoy a wide selection of Yeung's personal records, which are stored in oversized shelving constructed behind the perforated DJ booth.

A central "library" was placed in the middle of the bar, defined by built-in, back-to-back sofas upholstered in plush velvet. Green-hued banquettes snake around the corners of the room, amplifying the textile-clad walls that soften the acoustics.

A games room is located next to the listening bar and was created to be as immersive as the rest of the venue, while outdoor terraces provide moments of respite.

Dragon-i is typical of the Dezeen Awards-nominated studio's "hyper-detailed", narrative-led approach.

"The spirit of the project was freedom, fun, something that is not taking itself too seriously," Pirajean said.

"It's a club where so many interesting, quirky creatives go," she added. "We didn't restrict ourselves in terms of, where does this wild character stop?"

"It's a bit of a mishmash," added Lees. "Just the bonkersness and craziness of Hong Kong city."

Known for their interior design of the members' space at north London nightclub Koko, Pirajean Lees has also worked on restaurants in the city, including central sushi spot Kioku and 20 Berkeley in Mayfair.

The photography is by Edmon Leong.

The post Dragon-i nightclub renovation captures "rebirth of the romantic side of Hong Kong" appeared first on Dezeen.

Audio streaming service Spotify has opened a listening lounge at its London headquarters, featuring a bespoke speaker system and a material palette chosen to enhance the room's acoustic properties.

The Spotify Listening Lounge is a purpose-built acoustic space designed to provide an immersive setting for users to experience the company's lossless audio offering.

The facility was designed in collaboration with local studio Cake Architecture and features a bespoke sound system developed by London-based loudspeaker design studio Friendly Pressure.

Spotify claimed that the listening room aims to celebrate listening as a communal, intentional experience, with access granted to artists' top fans and Spotify Premium users.

"The Listening Lounge is where technology, craftsmanship and culture align," said the company's head of marketing for the UK and Ireland Billie Baier.

"By bringing lossless audio into a purpose-built environment, we're demonstrating the full potential of streaming and fostering a deeper connection between fans and the music they love."

The project follows a trend for listening bars and other audio-centred spaces, such as a pink monochrome bar in Sydney and a hi-fi bar in London designed to provide a range of acoustic experiences.

Guests are welcomed into a reception area featuring warm lighting, slate floors and steel details that help to create a threshold between the bustling urban setting and the intimate lounge space.

The main listening room utilises a palette of brown hues and tactile surfaces that recede into the background to focus attention on the raised, backlit sound system.

The room is simply furnished with plump, upholstered pieces from furniture brand Afra and designer Tobia Scarpa's Soriana collection.

"Collaborating with Spotify and Friendly Pressure allowed us to treat the room itself as an instrument," said Cake creative director Hugh Scott Moncrieff.

"Every surface pattern and material choice was a functional decision to eliminate interference, ensuring that the craftsmanship of the speakers is matched by the precision of the architecture surrounding them."

New York-based acoustician Ethan Bourdeau helped to refine the space's acoustic design, with each wall featuring a calibrated surface pattern that disperses frequencies evenly around the room.

The audio system used in the lounge was created by Shivas Howard-Brown of Friendly Pressure and features custom-made cabinets along with a frosted glass version of the brand's signature waveguide horn.

"Growing up in and around recording studios exposed me to a whole heritage of craft," Howard-Brown said.

"Sound systems built in sheds, speakers designed for carnival stacks – these have always had the same ambition as anything you'd find in a high-end listening room. This new space is my attempt to make that argument."

The speaker system references a golden era of British audio engineering, utilising components including Alnico magnet drivers that would have featured in the famous Abbey Road recording studio throughout the 1960s, 70s and 80s.

The Spotify Listening Lounge launched with an event hosted by UK artists Joy Crookes, Nao and Yazmin Lacey and will host year-round programming for music fans.

In 2021, Spotify began redesigning its offices to give them a more homely feel, with a focus on improving acoustics and introducing softer, cosier spaces.

Cake Architecture's previous work includes the design of a wellness facility featuring a sauna for 65 people and a late-night restaurant designed to evoke the moody atmosphere of an Edward Hopper painting.

The photography is courtesy of Spotify.

The post "Technology and craftsmanship align" at Spotify's immersive London listening room appeared first on Dezeen.

New York clothing store Colbo has expanded its Lower East Side space to create a wine and vinyl bar, which design studio Of Enso has wrapped in stainless steel and stained wood.

Colbo Next Door is an extension of the retailer's Orchard Street home, taking over the adjacent space to create a community gathering space.

The team collaborated with Of Enso founders Yuria Kailich and Joel Harding on the interior, which "mirrors the intimacy and spirit of the existing Colbo storefront while introducing new layers of experience".

In contrast to the off-white palette in the original store, the new space is made moody and cosy by stained wood panelling around the lower walls and stainless steel above.

"From the beginning, our goal was to design something minimal yet elevated — a space that could transform fluidly while retaining its quiet character," said Of Enso.

"Every detail was considered for adaptability and community, from the removable benches that invite casual gathering to the concrete countertop that anchors the bar."

Terracotta tiled flooring extends from the Orchard Street storefront, leading through the narrow space to the Allen Street entrance on the other side of the block.

The front of the venue, accessible via a doorway from Colbo, features removable wood benches that echo those found in the original space, as well as additional retail displays.

Pushing aside a chainmail curtain towards the back reveals a bar area where guests can order drinks and enjoy music.

Small tables, bar stools and a wall-mounted ledge with further high-top seating are all available within the intimate space.

Vinyl DJs are invited to play twice a week, utilising the record player placed at the end of the concrete bar counter and the One-A-Way sound system.

The space is atmospherically lit with pendants and sconces from Item: Enso, Of Enso's product arm, and were created using Colbo's deadstock fabrics.

"Colbo has always been about connection — through design, music, and community," said Colbo creative director and co-founder Tal Silberstein. "With Colbo Next Door, we wanted to extend that feeling into something experiential."

"Investing in more physical space for gathering has been a very intentional choice; it's about creating an environment that feels familiar in warmth and hospitality, but also new in what it offers," he added.

Listening bars are becoming increasingly popular in cities around the world, providing gathering spaces for music lovers in tailor-designed spaces.

Recently opened examples can be found in a converted office space in Mexico City, a revamped restaurant in London and a former tyre workshop in Athens.

Manhattan's Lower East Side is packed with boutiques, galleries, bars and other independent businesses.

Also in the neighbourhood are the HommeGirls boutique by Rafael de Cárdenas, which features rotating garments, and a pole dance studio by Office of Tangible Design with "the highest poles in New York City".

The photography is by Marco Galloway.

The post Of Enso adds listening bar to New York boutique Colbo appeared first on Dezeen.

Local outfit Formant Studio has transformed an office space in Mexico City into the hi-fi listening room Modular, centring the wood-and-steel-lined room around a custom-made social sofa.

One of the most exciting new studios working in Mexico City, Formant Studio transformed a shared office, which includes workspace for the graphic design studio Simple Moo and well-known architectural photographer Fabián Martínez, into a lounge called Modular.

Working with insights from the occupants, Formant Studio created an immersive listening lounge, designing the sofa, speakers and wall systems especially for the space.

This allowed the studio to build the multi-layer experience of the space's use – primarily hosting – into the design from the start, integrating bodily comfort, visual and sonic dimensions.

"Sound, architecture and image are treated as interconnected layers," said the team.

"None of these elements functions independently. Sound shapes how space is perceived. Space conditions how sound behaves. Image supports atmosphere rather than narrative. Together, they form a single immersive system."

With much of the white-painted walls of the original space still visible, green carpet was laid throughout the space, with a rich birch burl veneer lining the wall at one end.

This serves as a backdrop for a custom black-stained-oak speaker system and a rounded stainless steel DJ booth.

A charming detail geared towards the performers can be found in the top corner of the veneer – a small oval cutout that features a digitised display that can display the names of the performer. Additional speakers were also embedded in the veneer.

Stainless steel elements continue throughout the Formant Studio-designed furniture in space: in the legs of an oak coffee table, in oval side tables and in the bar and console that create a serving area and workspace at the end opposite the sound system.

Central to the space is a custom-designed social sofa. Sitting low to the ground, the stainless-steel legs set the oak base apart from the green carpet, with black upholstered and modular backrest elements.

"Steel-made furniture and objects of desire mix with the timeless elegance of birch wood, highlighting the central piece: a custom-made sectional sofa that aims to bring people together," said the team.

On one wall, Formant Studio created a series of aluminium frames for Martínez's work. These elements sit off the wall and are supported at the top and bottom by poles that connect the frames to the floor and ceiling.

A variety of sourced furniture includes LC2 armchairs, Toio Lamps, a concrete coffee table by Creto and a variety of decorative orbs by Ema Ceramics that tie the space together.

The contributors debuted the space during Mexico City art week, hosting designers, architects, members of the press, and others, with musical performances by local DJs, including Sites, who also performed at a vitrine gallery co-curated by design studio Panorammma.

It furthers the explosion of listening rooms popping up around the world, from a pastel-hued space in a German hotel to a converted space in a communist-era apartment block in Romania.

The photography is by Fabián Martínez.

The post Formant Studio highlights "timeless elegance of birch" in Mexico City listening room appeared first on Dezeen.

Hackney restaurant and listening bar Bambi has been doubled in size with a revamped interior and a custom-made stainless-steel-and-wood wall cabinet for vinyl records.

Designer Nicola Weetch led the interior design of the project, which came about after Bambi expanded into an empty venue behind the back wall of its London Fields space.

"The design challenge was to make a space that not only worked for music, but also as a restaurant and bar," Weetch told Dezeen.

"The DJ booth in the middle of the room and record wall were essential for the music side of things, but we ensured that we had a large open kitchen and large bar as you walked into the space, so all three aspects were given equal importance in the space."

The now 180-square-metre venue is located in a warehouse space that had also been used as a nightclub.

It was given a makeover with a simple material palette, while Weetch worked with a lot of existing finishes, so as not to discard materials that were still usable.

"We kept the palette quite simple, not wanting the space to feel overworked, through a combination of stainless steel to give reflections in the space – especially in the evening with lower, warmer lighting – oiled oak, cork and felt-linen curtains which give a warmth and richness of colour," Weetch said.

A custom-made DJ booth and record wall was hand-built on site for Bambi's resident DJs, who play exclusively vinyl.

A large, eye-catching record-storage unit, made from wood and stainless steel, stand behind the booth.

"We brought stainless steel into the space because we loved the juxtaposition with the wood finishes and how stainless steel reflects light within the space," Weetch explained.

"It also tied together the food, drink and music, as elsewhere we have a stainless-steel ageing cabinet, stainless steel wine fridges and of course, the disco ball!"

The surfaces in Bambi mostly have a warm, polished feel, which Weetch contrasted by leaving the existing scruffy, industrial floor intact.

"We wanted Bambi to feel lived in, almost like you had stumbled across an amazing hidden gem that had been in this warehouse building for years," she explained.

"We felt leaving the floor, with its years of use as a nightclub back in the day, achieved this feeling of being weathered and 'found' and avoided it feeling like a shiny new place dropped in."

Bambi's walls were decorated with playful artworks by illustrator Alec Doherty, who also created the bar's wine glasses, which feature two characters that kiss when the glasses are clinked.

"We have collaborated with Alec on all the artwork in the space as we love how his work focuses around human interactions, combining strong primary colours and playful themes," Weetch said.

As part of the expansion, Bambi now also features a wood-panelled mezzanine area that overlooks the main space, as well as a larger outdoor area.

The revamped Bambi is the latest bar to open in Hackney, with other recent additions to the east London nightlife including lesbian bar La Camionera and De Beauvoir listening bar Goodbye Horses.

The photography is by Beca Jones.

The post Nicola Weetch designs London Fields record bar "to feel lived-in" appeared first on Dezeen.

Brooklyn-based audio designer Devon Turnbull has installed a listening room in the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York, placing massive speakers and fine-tuned DIY equipment in the Carnegie Library.

Turnbull, who runs the audio brand Ojas out of studios in Brooklyn and Tokyo, brought his experiments in sound design to the Cooper Hewitt for the exhibition Devon Turnbull: HiFi Pursuit Listening Room Dream No. 3.

The installation features a comprehensive speaker setup by Turnbull, utilising components sourced from his collaborators worldwide.

A variety of different components were configured into a system that is both unique and showcases the ingenuity and archival knowledge of producers globally, with specific aspects such as housings fabricated by Turnbull.

This international, archival aspect of the work is particularly important to Turnbull, who emphasised the DIY nature of the configurations and lack of circuit boards to make it all work together.

"A lot of what I do is travelling the world looking for special components and keepers of knowledge that I can learn things from, and collaborate with," he said during a presentation of the work, between playing records and attentively testing the sound from a small swivel chair.

"The DIY component of this work is really important to me," continued Turnbull. "This is not a Hi Fi show. This is not commercializable. Most of it. It relies on components that I can't get more than one pair of, a lot of the time."

A set of massive speakers and subwoofers lines the back of the space, with a table displaying amps and turntables in front, supported by a custom arrangement by USM Modular Furniture, which also contributed to the benches and listening platform, complete with fabric seats by Kvadrat.

The large speaker housings in the back have perforated wooden edges, and the walls were lined with sleek soundproofing.

Some of the collaborators include Japanese manufacturer Denon, Norwegian audio theorist Rune Skramstad and JC Morrison.

It provides an interesting contrast to the gilt and panelled reading room of the Carnegie Mansion, built in 1901, where the Cooper Hewitt is housed.

As of now, the speaker system is running through a digital signal processor, as some elements of the show are not yet complete. This is due, in part, to some of the furloughs that affected the Cooper Hewitt during the government shutdown earlier in the year, as it is funded through the federal Smithsonian Museum system.

The shutdown pushed back another show meant to be running concurrently, the Art of Noise, a collection of audio equipment from over the years, organised by San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Turnball stated that this ongoing process of finishing and fine-tuning the work actually works with his general process, which is iterative.

"It's fun to use that as a way of helping to educate people about not just my process, but just audio in general," he said.

"So right now, I think it's an amazing representation of what the speakers are basically capable of, but everything is running through a digital signal processor."

Turnbull also stated the importance of having his DIY work showcased in the austere halls of the Cooper Hewitt, for his own practice and DIY audio in general.

"I lived just a few blocks from this museum for a long time," he said. "I've been coming here for my whole life."

"I never dreamt that I'd have the opportunity to set something like this up and basically live and work out of this space for the next seven months. So that's very full circle, obviously, along with being able to work with a lot of these engineers that were heroes of mine for half my life or more," he continued.

"Just walk in, sit down, enjoy music."

Guest musicians and performers will be invited for special sessions throughout the run of the show.

Turnbull's audio systems are beloved throughout New York, gracing the spaces at iconic music venues such as Public Records in Brooklyn.

Also on at the Cooper Hewitt is an installation of large-format photography by Christopher Payne, whose work documenting American factories was highlighted by Dezeen last year.

Devon Turnbull: HiFi Pursuit Listening Room Dream No. 3. is on view from 12 December 2025 to 19 July 2026. For more exhibitions, talks, and performances in architecture and design visit Dezeen Events Guide.

The post Devon Turnbull brings "DIY audio" installation to the Cooper Hewitt appeared first on Dezeen.

Designers George Vlasis Pakalidis and Artemis Valyraki drew on the industrial origins of a tyre workshop when designing the Voulkanizater listening bar and restaurant in Athens.

Located in Athens' inner-city Koukaki neighbourhood, the bar and restaurant took its name from the building's former use.

"The space and location of the current bar was previously a tyre-fixing, or vulcanisation, place – in Greek voulkanizater, βουλκανιζατέρ, from the French word vulcanisateur, which is the name of the restaurant too," Pakalidis told Dezeen.

"The area in general has a long history of tyre shops, so we wanted to keep the memory in a fast-developing and highly gentrified neighbourhood."

Pakalidis and Valyraki kept the concrete walls of the tyre workshop while adding new, warmer materials to create a welcoming feel at Voulkanizater.

"The materials we used were wood, for sustainability purposes and to warm up the space, in contrast to the rough pre-existing concrete walls that we kept and metal to add an industrial feel in textures that you can find in these tyre shops," Pakalidis said.

"In addition to that, we have added an extensive curtain covering the facade, to give flexibility for privacy and create better acoustics."

The designers created a "box-in-a-box" concept for the space, with an inner volume containing the kitchen, storage and restrooms, while the bar and restaurant form an outer ring around it.

Metal was used for the furniture as well as for the bar, which forms the focal point of the space. Here, Pakalidis and Valyraki added tyre rims as a ceiling decoration.

The wheel rims rest on metal beams inside the bar's metal lightbox, where they are illuminated by LED lights.

A metal car part was also used for decoration in the bathroom.

"We tried to approach the space as an art piece rather than just a restaurant hall," Pakalidis said.

"The tyre marks are an extension of this story, trying to reference the old use of the space in an unexpected way, adding a little detail to the whole experience," he continued.

"That extends to the tyres over the bar or the car part over the toilet sink."

The vintage logos and signatures of classic tyre companies, such as Michelin, also inspired Voulkanizater's interior design.

In addition, the designers covered its ceiling in acoustic panels to create the best conditions for listening to music.

"We tried to give a new perspective and use in these materials while we are referencing the [tyre] shops in a very abstract and contemporary way," Pakalidis said.

Pakalidis and Valyraki kept the colour palette of the restaurant dark, with grey concrete and brown wood walls, complemented by the contrasting metal furniture.

Voulkanizater also features light projectors and a sophisticated lighting control system, allowing the designers to change the mood of the space as needed.

Other recent Athens projects featured on Dezeen include a jewellery store with an intricate metalwork facade and the art-filled Ace Hotel in a brutalist building.

The photography is by Giorgos Sfakianakis.

Project credits:

Architecture and branding: George Vlasis Pakalidis, Artemis Valyraki
Light designer: Afrodite Neri
Creative direction: Nepheli-Ophelia Sachverdyan

The post Athens' industrial Voulkanizater restaurant features wheel rims and car parts appeared first on Dezeen.

Speaker design studio Silence Please has created a showroom for its bespoke speakers outfitted with a tea room, record store and listening space in a New York City loft.

Located in Manhattan's Bowery neighborhood, the Silence Please space spreads out over one, long loft, with its showroom and seating area at the front and the record shop Duty Free Records and a tea room towards the back. 

Based in New York, Silence Please designs and produces high-fidelity, analogue speakers clad in an array of materials with distinct horns perched on top.

Its showroom and listening space is the studio's first, and it took the lead on its interior design.

For the space, Silence Please sought to create a home-like feel while designing an elevated experience for visitors.

"The primary inspiration behind our design was to create a physical space in the heart of New York City that offers a deeper connection to sound, providing a place of unity through listening and discovery," Silence Please told Dezeen.

"The space both needed to feel approachable like a home, but also dreamy like a liminal space."

Accessed by a second-floor walk-up, visitors enter into a large open space lined with white-painted walls and an exposed ceiling.

A row of tripod speakers and tables and chairs designed with Brooklyn studio Graine Studio sit towards the space's front windows, overlooking Bowery Street.

Two darkly washed dining tables by Graine Studio sit at the centre, placed on top of a black rug that runs towards a listening space. The small area features black leather Togo sofas, a small wooden dining table, a potted tree and brushed aluminium speakers with bright white horns.

"The speakers are displayed in a way that makes the space feel like a giant living room," said the studio. "We wanted to marry a gallery feeling, because the speakers are art, with an intimate soft space as the act of listening is personal – and this dichotomy is what makes our space unique."

A white dividing wall runs behind the listening area, enclosing one side of the Duty Free Records vinyl shop that sits in the middle of the floor plan.

Two passageways lead into the space, which is outfitted with thin display shelves, crates of records at the centre, and seating.

Passing through the record shop, the back of Silence Please contains a tea room with smaller versions of the boxy, geometric furniture by Graine Studios lining the walls.

A countertop sits towards the side, while operational areas are concealed with a white curtain and a workbench is tucked into the furthest corner.

Artwork by artists such as French abstractionist Frédéric Heurlier Cimolai hangs throughout the floor.

"The main listening room, the focal point of the space, has become a platform for artists and the broader community in New York," said the studio. "The goal was to balance sophistication with warmth, creating an atmosphere that encourages engagement and connection."

Silence Please recently displayed its speakers at the first New York iteration of design fair Collectible and Dezeen has also rounded up seven listening bars throughout the world.

The photography is by Connor Rancan

The post Silence Please creates "giant living room" for New York showroom and listening space appeared first on Dezeen.

From a communist-era apartment block in Bucharest to a hot pink Australian bar created to emulate the inside of a jumbo speaker, our latest lookbook collects atmospheric listening bar interiors from around the world.

Listening bars are having a moment. Native to Japan, these spaces first emerged during the late 1920s as intimate settings to meet, drink, and most importantly, listen to music together.

Since then, the bars – also known as hi-fi or audiophile bars – have increasingly spread across the globe. Typically equipped with large sound systems and a wide selection of vinyl records, listening bars are popular for their unique musical offerings.

This lookbook explores how international architects and designers have created the interiors of listening bars to respond to this well-loved model.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring light-filled cottages, exposed concrete bedrooms and sculptural stone sinks.

Kioku Bar, UK, by Pirajean Lees

Kioku Bar is a single-room sake bar on the ground floor of London's OWO hotel, attached to the Kioku restaurant upstairs. Local studio Pirajean Lees designed both venues to capture head chef Endo Kazutoshi's recollections of living and working in Japan and Spain.

Deep red dado and natural clay walls were paired with knobbly timber accents in the low-lit space. In one corner, a bespoke solid wood turntable was positioned for guests to play a selection of Japanese records from Endo's personal collection.

Find out more about Kioku Bar ›

Bar Ton, Romania, by Anda Zota and Muromuro Studio

Local designers Anda Zota and Muromuro Studio transformed a former music shop on the ground floor of a communist-era apartment block in Bucharest into a hi-fi bar.

Bar Ton was created to blend its historical context with modern functionality. The designers maintained the open-plan space's marble mosaic floors and four concrete pillars, adding a timber unit between one pair to hold the main DJ booth. Birch plywood record shelves were inserted between the other two pillars.

"The overarching concept was about putting the music at the centre, both physically and conceptually," explained Zota.

Find out more about Bar Ton ›

JAM Record Bar, Australia, by Akin Atelier 

Owner Justin Hemmes and designer Kelvin Ho of Akin Atelier drew inspiration from Tokyo's many listening bars when creating the hot pink JAM Record Bar in Sydney.

Distinct zones were organised around a central bar while Ho and his team chose specific materials to enhance the acoustic properties of the space – from pink fibreglass insulation panels to sound-absorbing cork. Despite its small floor plan, Bar Ton houses a library of 15,000 records stacked in built-in plywood shelving.

"JAM is designed to feel like you are drinking a cocktail inside a giant speaker box – but pink," said Ho.

Find out more about JAM Record Bar ›

Upstairs, USA, by Shane Davis and Francis Harris

The founders of Brooklyn's "music-driven social space" Public Records added a listening bar and lounge to the upper floor of the creative venue.

Undulated walls bounce music around the room from large subwoofer speakers, while cream leather banquettes and black ceramic and foam stools provide space for listeners to sit and choose from a curated selection of records and CDs.

Find out more about Upstairs ›

Goodbye Horses, UK, by Leopold Banchini Architects

"All the elements" of Swiss studio Leopold Banchini Architects' Goodbye Horses wine and listening bar were crafted from a single oak tree, including custom-made shelves that hold records.

Located in northeast London's De Beauvoir neighbourhood, Goodbye Horses was designed to reference classic English pubs. The space features a hand-textured lime plaster ceiling and beaten earth flooring, chosen for the material's acoustical properties.

Find out more about Goodbye Horses ›

Anima, Germany, by Grzywinski+Pons

Amina is a restaurant and audiophile bar on the ground floor of the Locke at East Side Gallery hotel in Berlin, designed by New York architecture studio Grzywinski+Pons.

Created as a dedicated space for music lovers, Amina features a rich material palette with subtle hues. Locally sourced bricks made from recycled sand and lime were used to fabricate built-in seating and planters, while large sandy-hued speakers were nestled on either side of homely white shelving stacked with records.

Find out more about Anima ›

Space Talk, UK, by EBBA Architects and Charlotte Taylor

London studio EBBA Architects collaborated with British designer Charlotte Taylor to create Space Talk, a hi-fi bar in the city's Clerkenwell neighbourhood.

Divided into four distinct zones, each area of the bar features a different curation of sound and light to encourage visitors to move through the atmospheric space across an evening. Vintage furniture and objects were paired with acoustic panelling and woodblock columns, forming a distinctly eclectic interior.

Find out more about Space Talk ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring light-filled cottages, exposed concrete bedrooms and sculptural stone sinks.

The post Seven listening bars that are easy on the eyes and ears appeared first on Dezeen.

Ambient lighting brings warmth to a pared-back interior scheme inside the Bar Ton listening bar in Bucharest, Romania, created by local designers Anda Zota and Muromuro Studio.

Set on the ground floor of a communist-era apartment block in Bucharest, the space previously functioned as a music shop before being adapted into a hi-fi bar.

Bar Ton's interior was intended to be a contemporary reinterpretation of the building's socialist-modernist style, blending its historical context with modern functionality.

"We wanted to pay homage to the building itself," said Zota.

"It was the first socialist-modernist building from the communist era that originated in Bucharest and not Moscow, so when it was built it was a landmark of Romanian modernism," she continued.

"We tried to keep as much of the building as structurally intact as possible – we kept the flooring and the pillars, plus you have the original facade and finishings."

Materiality was a key focus of the design, with rough, textured elements such as raw concrete walls and marble mosaic floors contrasted against more refined finishes like the polished stainless steel bar and birch plywood detailing.

The combination of materials culminates in a minimalist, utilitarian space, that aims to also "evoke a sense of warmth and simplicity".

While the building's facade walls couldn't be altered, a folding, mechanical glass wall with metal framing was added.

This dynamic feature was designed to increase the connection between the inside and outside, encouraging interaction with the surrounding neighbourhood.

"It became the 'living facade' because whenever you pass by you see people sitting on the bench and moving around – it's the first layer of curiosity and makes you want to see what's inside" Zota told Dezeen.

Restrictions caused by existing structural features influenced the interior layout, with four large concrete pillars extending through the centre of the space, as well as a concrete ventilation shaft for the floor below left in place.

The designers coated two of the concrete pillars with polyurethane with a timber unit added between them to hold the main DJ booth.

The other two were lined with oiled birch plywood and fitted with pockets to display records. Meanwhile, the concrete ventilation shaft was turned into a bench.

Otherwise, Bar Ton was designed to be a largely open-plan space, with the music program placed at its centre and features such as the stainless steel bar and bathrooms located around the periphery.

"The point was to create a space that offers a communal listening experience," said Zota. "This resulted in us putting the music booth right at the centre of the space – so that people are around the point of interest."

"The overarching concept was about putting the music at the centre both physically and conceptually," she added.

According to the designers, special attention was paid to the lighting design, which was developed in collaboration with Romanian brand Greentek Lighting.

The adaptive lighting system has two different settings for day and night that can be adjusted to suit the mood. A custom-made lamp illuminates the central music program, lit in an orange hue at night.

Zota explained that the aim was to create an inviting atmosphere that prioritises the listening experience, with lighting tailored to illuminate the space itself rather than directly illuminating the people within it.

"We wanted people to be able to hide and feel out of focus to intimately experience the space without being highlighted," said Zota.

Large beige drapes discreetly conceal the bar's acoustic systems, with a "room-within-a-room" constructed using a wooden frame. This acoustic panelling serves to reduce the potential echo and ensure a high sound quality, with around 37 cubic metres of sound insulation incorporated in total.

Built-in wooden banquette seating wraps around the perimeter of the space, complete with integrated wooden tables.

Other listening bars recently featured on Dezeen include a lounge-like hi-fi bar in London by EBBA and Charlotte Taylor and a monochrome pink bar in Sydney by Akin Atelier designed to feel like being "inside a giant speaker".

The photography is by Vlad Pǎtru and Andrei Vintilă.

Project credits:

Designers: Anda Zota, Muromuro Studio and Radu Matei

The post Bucharest listening bar created in "landmark of Romanian modernism" appeared first on Dezeen.

Swiss studio Leopold Banchini Architects used natural materials when creating the interior of the Goodbye Horses bar, with the bar, chairs, lights, handrails and changing table all made from a single tree.

Located in east London's De Beauvoir neighbourhood, Goodbye Horses is a local wine and listening bar that was designed by Leopold Banchini Architects to reference classic English pubs.

"The aim was to create a contemporary space deeply rooted in the long-lasting tradition of English pubs," studio founder Leopold Banchini told Dezeen.

"As in most pubs, the space revolves around a central wooden bar," Banchini continued. "In this case, the long wooden structure is a bar, a cooking counter and a table; thus, the relation between staff and customers is less constrained."

This nod to tradition can also be seen in the other materials chosen by Leopold Banchini Architects for the 95-square-metre bar, which also has a basement of the same size.

Its walls were painted with limewash and roughcast render, while the ceiling was covered by a hand-textured lime plaster.

"The pub is mainly built with natural materials referring to the history of British pubs," Banchini said. "The wooden elements are built using solid English oak."

"The natural textures, imperfections and oxidations create the atmosphere of the space," he continued. "Over time and through their usage, these materials will only become more lively."

The ground-floor space features a ten-metre-long bar that has an unusually low design and which, together with the surrounding furniture, was built from the trunk of just one oak tree.

"In order to build the long table out of a single plank, we were looking for a tree with a circumference of about 120 centimetres," Banchini explained.

"Once we found it, the trunk was large enough to produce all the elements of the pub – the bar, chairs, lights, handrails and changing table," he added. "The oak tree had been cut half a century ago in Croatia and was transformed by Italian carpenters."

The listening bar also has custom-made shelves that hold vinyl records.

Goodbye Horses' floor was made from beaten earth – a mix of soil, straw and clay with a natural linseed oil coating. The material was chosen for both its sustainable and its acoustical properties.

"Beaten earth floors were traditionally used in rural pubs and we liked the idea to revive this amazing material," Banchini said.

"Clay floors are not only beautiful and ecological, they also have interesting acoustical properties," he added. "Being a listening bar, all the materials – clay, cork, wood and textured lime plaster – were selected to create good acoustical conditions."

In the garden and the parts of the floor with the heaviest traffic, the studio added reclaimed Yorkstone slabs. The interior also features hessian curtains, which surround the space and were handpainted by artist Lucy Stein.

"Inspired by British folklore and mythology, the natural stain on the fabric filters the light entering the pub as stained glass windows in the past," the studio said.

Other recent listening bar designs featured on Dezeen include Space Talk in London and a Sydney bar designed to feel like being "inside a giant speaker".

The photography is by Rory Gardiner.

Project credits:

Architecture: Leopold Banchini Architects
Carpentry: DiSe

The post Leopold Banchini creates "all the elements" of London bar from one oak tree appeared first on Dezeen.

Warm adaptive lighting, acoustic panelling and woodblock columns cocoon Space Talk, a listening bar in London designed by local architecture practice EBBA and designer Charlotte Taylor.

The hi-fi bar, set on St John Street in the central neighbourhood of Clerkenwell, is divided into four distinct zones – each featuring a different curation of sound and light to encourage visitors to transition through the space across an evening.

Having previously collaborated on a retreat in the south of Spain, EBBA co-founder Benni Allan and Charlotte Taylor of 3D-design studio Maison de Sable worked together to create an atmosphere focused on the experience of listening.

Guests enter Space Talk via an intimate dining area featuring walnut banquette seating, collectible furniture from design gallery Spazio Leone and neutral, acoustic wall panelling.

The concealed panelling, created with acoustician Ethan Bourdeau, lines over half of the wall space and was designed to absorb and control sound. Stainless steel hooks for hanging artworks were integrated within the wall panel framing.

Creating "a project dedicated to sound" that performs both visually and acoustically was a key focus from the outset of the project.

"It's very much a project that came from the opportunities and challenges of making a beautiful space that can cater for sound perfectly," Benni Allan told Dezeen.

"Each element of the space has been considered with the intention of making enjoying the bar completely seamless."

A bespoke speaker system by London company Friendly Pressure was integrated throughout the space, including several units made in collaboration with designer Lewis Kemmenoe in his signature wood-patchwork style.

Space Talk's second zone is defined by a large curved steel bar with walnut wood panelling, which Taylor said was designed to "draw you into the centre of the space".

Dark warm-toned wood envelops the third zone at the rear of the bar, with inbuilt seating and curved woodblock walls that "have a monolithic quality and give a sense of something crafted", according to Allan.

The brief from Space Talk founder Ramzi Abouchalache and Fellow Feeling, the creative consultancy that developed the concept for the bar, was to create a space that evokes the feeling of being in a lounge.

"We were seeking to strike the balance between something captivating with the familiar comfort of a domestic setting, somewhere you can sink into yet marvel in the view from that position of comfort," Allan said.

Soft bespoke and vintage seating, a curation of books and records, and adaptive mood lighting all contribute to this comfortable, domestic feeling.

"The core lighting is very much part of the fabric of the architecture, emulating a cocooning effect and bringing warmth to the space," Allan explained.

An orange resin and woodblock DJ booth stands at the rear of the space in the bar's final zone, surrounded by a series of large oval lights.

"A large light in the ceiling, like a window to the sky, changes as it gets deeper into the night from a white into a deep red, reminiscent of a sunset", Allan said.

A series of sculptural lamps include custom bathroom stall lamps and an outdoor lamp by Pablo Bolumar created using beeswax, which "carries warmth and materiality outside" according to Allan.

Space Talks detailed lighting and sound systems create "a space that really needs to be felt, and we hope that people will go and discover the ideas and details that we developed", he said.

Since its foundation in 2017, EBBA Architects has completed a number of interiors across the UK capital, from a metal-framed home extension in Camden to a coffee shop referencing modernist architecture.

The studio also dabbles in furniture design with projects including a flat-pack recycled paper stool and a collection of sculptural solid oak seating for Béton Brut.

The photography is by Ollie Tomlinson.

The post EBBA and Charlotte Taylor design London listening bar "dedicated to sound" appeared first on Dezeen.

Pink plywood and exposed insulation combine in this monochrome bar in Sydney, designed by local architecture office Akin Atelier to evoke the cosy feel of Tokyo's mid-century listening bars.

Akin Atelier founder Kelvin Ho designed JAM Record Bar for Justin Hemmes, the CEO of the Merivale hospitality group, who also ran the music label JAM Recordings.

A passion project for Hemmes and his sister Bettina, the bar is named after their parents John and Merivale, who used the JAM label for various ventures alongside their successful hospitality business.

The idea for the bar came from a trip to Japan taken by Hemmes and Ho, where the pair enjoyed sampling the atmosphere of Tokyo's iconic listening bars.

"We wanted to create an immersive and fun environment," said Ho, who has collaborated with Merivale for over 15 years on roughly 20 projects.

"Justin and I have had some super fun trips to Tokyo exploring lots of bars and clubs," he told Dezeen. "The commitment to design and concept was what we loved in Japan and JAM was an opportunity to do our own spin on this idea."

Located on a corner of George Street in the city's central business district, the compact 80-square-metre space seats 45 and houses a collection of 15,000 vinyl records along with a DJ booth.

The unit was previously occupied by a retail store and has large windows looking onto the adjacent streets. Together with outdoor seating, the corner windows help to create a strong connection with the surroundings.

Despite the small size of the space, Ho and his team created distinct zones organised around a central bar.

Towards the rear, an area with low seating has an intimate lounge-like feel, while the main bar area features tall stools and space for standing.

Ho described the decor as "simple and analogue but also refined", explaining that this was achieved using a basic material palette including cork, plywood and off-the-shelf insulation.

"These are all familiar and accessible materials but we used them in a way that was more elevated through detailing and composition."

JAM Record Bar's distinctive colour was driven by a specific material choice taken by Akin Atelier to enhance the acoustic properties of the space.

Pink fibreglass insulation panels from New Zealand firm Pink Batts are left exposed within the ceiling structure rather than being concealed behind plasterboard.

"We loved the pink colour of the insulation, which then inspired the pink plywood and a full commitment to the colour throughout the project," said Ho.

"JAM is designed to feel like you are drinking a cocktail inside a giant speaker box – but pink."

The pink hue is applied across the ceiling, walls and all of the bespoke plywood joinery including the bar, the record library and the geometric stools that are used both indoors and outdoors.

The space is given a retro feel through the selection of vintage light fittings and objects curated by Merivale's styling director Bettina Hemmes and design director Nasim Koerting.

Neon signage in the windows nods to the bar's Japanese inspiration, while midcentury-style details such as the entrance with its grid of circular windows evoke the golden age of vinyl in the 1950s and 60s.

JAM Record Bar offers a menu of Japanese-inspired snacks developed by chef Michael Fox of Merivale's Sushi E restaurant and drinks crafted by the company's creative cocktail lead James Irvine.

Kelvin Ho founded Akin Atelier in 2005 after studying at the University of Sydney.

The studio's multidisciplinary output combines architecture and interior design, with previous projects including a retail space in Sydney with curved resin walls and a womenswear store in Melbourne featuring a tactile material palette.

The photography is by Tim Salisbury.

The post Akin Atelier designs JAM Record Bar to feel like being "inside a giant speaker" appeared first on Dezeen.

Studio Pirajean Lees paired oxblood tiles with intricate wooden joinery at the Kioku sushi restaurant and sake bar, within central London's OWO hotel, to reference the head chef 's travels.

Kioku consists of a listening bar on the ground floor and a restaurant on the top floor of the hotel within the Grade II*-listed Old War Office on Whitehall, which once housed the British government's military departments.

Pirajean Lees created Kioku, meaning "memory" in Japanese, to capture sushi master Endo Kazutoshi's recollections of living and working in Japan and Spain.

Located on the ground floor of the hotel, the single-room bar is accessed via a door framed with smooth timber joinery informed by the traditional Japanese carpentry technique Sashimono.

Guests are greeted by a bespoke oak reception desk featuring embroidered floral textiles and mesh detailing as well as a light-controlled sake cellar clad with patchwork cork panels.

All of Kioku's furniture was custom-made by Pirajean Lees, explained studio co-founder James Lees.

"We share a passion for storytelling and an obsession with details, from the way your hand touches the backrest of a chair, to the height of the table," said the designer.

"From the outset, we knew that the level of attention to detail in the interior had to match that found in the food being served."

The bar's floor plan was subtly stepped to provide "elevated views" for each of its intimate seating areas, rather than relegate guests to hidden corners of the room, said Lees.

A wide selection of sake is served at an oversized and curved central bar designed with knobbly timber cladding.

Handcrafted tiles and a gridded carpet finished in oxblood red were used to create the flooring, while deep red dado and natural clay walls also nod to the space's Spanish influence.

In one corner, a bespoke turntable is positioned for guests to play a selection of Japanese records from Endo's personal collection.

The Kioku restaurant is contained within a long room on the north side of the hotel's rooftop, with panoramic views of central London. Entered through timber double doors, the eatery features similar design accents to the bar.

Wooden frames and boxy mirrored "portals" were used to delineate spaces within the main dining area, which includes L-shaped banquettes and oak dining chairs upholstered with Japanese embroidered silk.

Bow details were carved into the chairs to emulate the seating at Endo's favourite hotel in the city of Yokohama. Subtle versions of the bow motif are echoed downstairs on the bar's wooden tables.

Pirajean Lees constructed a private dining room with a chef's table at one end of the restaurant, built above an intimate outdoor cigar terrace that overlooks The OWO's central courtyard.

Encased by a curved glass roof, the extension was positioned opposite the open kitchen to allow guests to watch their dishes being prepared. Retractable mesh screens were also fitted for privacy.

The main terrace includes timber dining tables and chairs with Mediterranean-style terracotta and mustard upholstery surrounded by lush plants.

At the end of the terrace, a historic turret overlooking St James' Park and Horse Guards Parade features another eight-seat private dining room with soft linen curtains and an oak table illuminated by an oversized rice paper pendant light.

Pirajean Lees chose a striking yellow rug for the circular floor to reference the sun, while the round ceiling was hand-painted with an inky indigo mural by British artist Tess Newall in an ode to the contrasting moon – recognisable motifs found in Japanese mythology.

"We design to create emotional spaces grounded in their story, rather than interiors purely driven by aesthetics," reflected studio co-founder Clémence Pirajean.

Founded in 2017 by Pirajean and Lees, the studio has applied its eclectic style to various other London projects – from the "timeless" interiors of music venue Koko's members' club to a Mayfair restaurant with an Arts and Crafts-style design.

The photography is by Polly Tootal.

The post Pirajean Lees draws on Japanese and Spanish design for Kioku restaurant and bar appeared first on Dezeen.

Glass screen doors, bespoke furniture and natural textures draw on the waterside location of Locke at East Side Gallery hotel in Berlin by architecture studio Grzywinski+Pons.

Located in the inner-city Friedrichshain district, Locke at East Side Gallery contains 176 studio apartments equipped with kitchenettes and living areas, for short stay through to longer tenancies as part of the Locke group's "home-to-hotel" format.

For the interiors, Matt Grzywinski of Grzywinski+Pons told Dezeen he wanted "the look and feel to be expressive and aspirational, but also comfortable and even quietly nurturing".

"I wanted to see if it could be exciting and calming all at once," he said.

This dualism is reflected in the location of the hotel which, in one direction, faces the River Spree and overgrown riverfront lots on the opposite bank in Kreuzberg. The other side of the building, facing onto a busy road, looks out to the Mediaspree skyline of offices and hotels.

The interior design takes its cues from the building's microlocality. Bespoke kiln glass was made for glass panels in the rooms, which have the same character as the surface of the River Spree in grazing light. Most suites have private balconies with river or skyline views.

"The Spree is a pretty placid river, and the light reflecting off of its gently textured surface is a major component of the views from the hotel," Grzywinski told Dezeen.

Raw concrete walls echo the remains of the Berlin Wall, which are directly in front of the hotel on the Friedrichshain side.

"I try to employ texture to provide comfort and warmth in spaces or, conversely, contrast that with sleek or glossy surfaces," the designer said.

In the rooms, the palette of wood, concrete and textured glass was enlivened with pastel coloured soft furnishings, including turmeric chairs, pastel mirrors, braided grass rugs, suede and rattan headboards and screens.

"Colour for me is intuitive," Grzywinski explained. "Blush, mint, buff – powdery tones that I thought were a nice foil to the largely neutral and monochromatic, even industrial, context."

Grzywinski+Pons designed the majority of the furniture for the rooms, but also specified lighting and some other pieces including Jacques Biny bedside wall lights, which were integrated into custom bedheads, and BRDR Krueger chairs to complement the studio's dining tables.

The ground floor features complimentary co-working area for guests and locals, including a coffee shop and audiophile bar, as well as the Anima restaurant.

Intended as a dedicated space for music lovers, the eating, drinking, listening concept of Anima was informed by Japan's "kissaten" hi-fi cafes, which preceded affordable home stereos.

The restaurant said they hope to help guests "connect to music and one another in a warm setting".

The social spaces on the ground floor resemble a gallery space that is used for art exhibitions and community events.

Built-in seating and planters were fabricated from locally-sourced bricks comprised of recycled sand and lime. Furnishings echo the wider design treatment in a palette of timber, cane, fabric and cord.

"As furnishings and installations get closer to the touch level, I introduced colour and texture that hopefully was harmonious, and in contrast to the otherwise raw public spaces," Grzywinski said.

"The wall curtains literally transition from grey to blush with an ombre print," he continued.

"I wanted the hotel to capture some of that strange magic Berlin has, where you can feel like you are in the centre of a vast and dynamic avant-garde metropolis, which simultaneously presents like a tranquil retreat."

Since its first location opened in 2016, Locke has expanded to include 14 sites across the UK and mainland Europe, with Zurich, Copenhagen, Lisbon and Paris locations due to open in the next year.

Other hotels recently featured on Dezeen include The Hoxton Charlottenburg by AIME Studios in Berlin and Cowley Manor Experimental in the Cotswolds, UK, designed by Dorothée Meilichzon.

Photography is by Nicholas Worley.

The post Grzywinski+Pons designs Locke at East Side Gallery to "capture the strange magic" of Berlin appeared first on Dezeen.

Public Records co-founders Shane Davis and Francis Harris have added a bar and lounge on an upper floor of their multi-purpose creative venue in Brooklyn.

Upstairs is the latest addition to Public Records, which was opened in 2019 by Harris, the curatorial director, and Davis, the creative director and designer of both the original spaces and the new lounge.

The extension joins a variety of programmed areas in the industrial brick building, including a cafe and record store, a plant-based bar and restaurant, an outdoor garden and a Sound Room for live performances.

For Upstairs, Davis collaborated with Studio Kos on the interiors, Arup for the acoustics, and a cast of makers to renovate the upper-level space – once occupied by Retrofret Vintage Guitars.

"We felt that people would value a space that inspires more intimate connection than our other spaces," said Davis. "This framework then provides opportunities to explore our ideas and showcase those of our collaborators on various scales, whether it be a sound system, a chair, an event series, or a cocktail."

The room is anchored by a dark, patterned marble bar, which together with the glossy black floor contrasts the mostly white walls and furniture.

Particular attention was paid to the sound quality in the space, where walls are furred out and undulated to bounce music around the room from large subwoofer speakers.

These are housed in cabinets by Devon Turnbull of OJAS and positioned against the back wall, with either side of the cabinets containing a diverse array of equipment including a reel-to-reel tape player.

Patrons will be able to choose from a curated selection of records and CDs available to play during gatherings, events and parties.

"Intentional listening on an audio system that showcases the practices of production in the music space allows for a deeper understanding and appreciation of the cultural significance of musicians and producers who are an integral part of how we shape our perception of the world," said Harris.

Wrapping the room are cream leather banquettes, accompanied by circular glass tables, and black ceramic and foam stools commissioned from Zurich-based artist Cristian Anderson that are reminiscent of used paint buckets.

Also scattered through the space is the custom PR Lounge Chair, designed with local fabricator Joe Cauvel and constructed of plywood and steel with exposed joinery.

Exposed ductwork and services found throughout the building are also present in Upstairs, which continues the same "DIY approach" taken to all of Public Records' spaces.

Brooklyn has no end of venues that act as community hubs, workspaces and nightlife spots geared towards its thriving creative population.

Among others are The Mercury Store performing arts centre in Dumbo and the 77 Washington artist studios in the Navy Yard.

Elsewhere in New York City, creative co-working space Neuehouse recently updated its hospitality areas.

The photography is by Ill Gander.

The post Upstairs lounge with "DIY" design approach opens at Public Records appeared first on Dezeen.