Async
speakeasy cocktail bar
Async is a transformative speakeasy bar hidden behind a Lower East Side restaurant, where interactive light design creates an immersive social atmosphere.
Converting a 2,000-square-foot commercial kitchen into a functioning speakeasy bar required reconfiguring service pathways while preserving original terracotta flooring. The space needed versatility to function both as a distinctive nighttime venue and restaurant overflow seating during weekdays, demanding thoughtful solutions for contrasting use cases.
The project allowed for merging architectural design with interactive technology from the "Distance within Light" thesis work. By implementing a reactive ceiling installation as the central design element, we created a focal point that responds to human presence. As seen in the photo, the immersive blue-to-purple gradient ceiling transforms the entire space, casting an ethereal glow across the minimalist white walls and dark furnishings.
Async successfully harmonizes technology with sophisticated interior design elements. The dramatic illuminated ceiling creates a constantly evolving atmosphere reminiscent of the northern lights, while the preserved terracotta tiles ground the space in its history. The thoughtful arrangement of banquette seating and bar stools, as shown in the image, allows for intimate gatherings along the perimeter while maintaining an open circulation pattern. The result is a distinctive space where light becomes both art and architecture—creating memorable moments as patrons' movements collectively shape the ambient experience.
Converting a 2,000-square-foot commercial kitchen into a functioning speakeasy bar required reconfiguring service pathways while preserving original terracotta flooring. The space needed versatility to function both as a distinctive nighttime venue and restaurant overflow seating during weekdays, demanding thoughtful solutions for contrasting use cases.
The project allowed for merging architectural design with interactive technology from the "Distance within Light" thesis work. By implementing a reactive ceiling installation as the central design element, we created a focal point that responds to human presence. As seen in the photo, the immersive blue-to-purple gradient ceiling transforms the entire space, casting an ethereal glow across the minimalist white walls and dark furnishings.
Async successfully harmonizes technology with sophisticated interior design elements. The dramatic illuminated ceiling creates a constantly evolving atmosphere reminiscent of the northern lights, while the preserved terracotta tiles ground the space in its history. The thoughtful arrangement of banquette seating and bar stools, as shown in the image, allows for intimate gatherings along the perimeter while maintaining an open circulation pattern. The result is a distinctive space where light becomes both art and architecture—creating memorable moments as patrons' movements collectively shape the ambient experience.