Artifact Bar
Artifact Bar
Artifact Bar
Artifact Bar
Artifact Bar
Artifact Bar
Artifact Bar
Artifact Bar
Save for its address, you would never know that Artifact Bar is located on this planet, let alone inside a food hall at the base of a Hong Kong office tower. With its moody atmosphere and futuristic forms, courtesy of NC Design & Architecture, the awe-inspiring interior looks like something out of a sci-fi film. The entrance sets the scene: Accessed via a secret passage that leads to the basement, it features walls lined with circular windows that recall industrial pipes; a pendant light resembling a surveillance camera adds a sense of mystery.
Inside, the speakeasy leans into its subterranean setting, taking design cues from the rhythm and repetition of underwater cisterns. Rib-like arches swoop down to frame sculptural leather banquettes accented with strategically placed ambient lighting. Channelling Ernesto Neto and James Turrell, the space’s surreal geometry is the result of an architectural sleight of hand: A mirrored ceiling reflects the boldly curved forms to create the illusion of a double-height volume.
But the interior is far more than just an exercise in manipulated perception. Its functionality is considered down to the details, each one adeptly attuned to the challenges of the unique setting. In the entrance, for instance, the walls are covered in 3D acoustic tiles that resemble miniature speakers, which not only make for a disorienting visual effect but also dampen noise from the food hall outside. Above the horseshoe-shaped bar, meanwhile, a faux skylight bathes the room in a warm glow that evokes the setting sun, bringing light and ambience into the underground space. Like a cinematic masterpiece, Artifact Bar is immersive, transformative and full of drama — and visitors
will surely return to revel in its beauty and uncover its many subtleties.
Team: Nelson Chow with Rain Ho, Rafael Pardo and Brandon Fong
With its moody atmosphere and futuristic forms, courtesy of NC Design & Architecture, the awe-inspiring interior looks like something out of a sci-fi film.
