The urban citizens of today prefer to visit social spaces with an inconspicuous exterior.

Gone are the days when people gravitated toward the shiniest object; now we prefer subtlety and blending in with the crowds to find spaces where we can truly be ourselves. Wake Bar is one such space that aims to create a sense of belonging for urban citizens, break the boundaries of different circles and strike a resonance between the space and the soul.

Located in a creative industrial park transformed from an old factory on the west outskirt of Zhengzhou, Wake Bar greets passers-by with its red brick exterior walls. A nondescript staircase beckons for visitors to ascend to the second floor to enter a social space where they can free their creative minds.

The team at SALONE DEL SALON describes the inspiration for the space with the following reference to Chinese culture.

In "The Peach Blossom Spring", a well-known story written by ancient Chinese poet Tao Yuanming, when the protagonist, a fisherman, enters a grotto that leads to an ethereal village, the story goes as follows: "At the beginning, it was narrow. Only one man can pass through. As I continued to explore, it became bright open all at once."

This is how people feel when they walk into Wake Bar.

Similar to the story, guests find themselves entering a narrow pathway to enter Wake Bar, and the space widens into a bar illuminated with ethereal lighting. A mirrored walkway directs guests to venture deeper into the space and runs the length of the bar.

The 10-metre bar with an emerald liquor cabinet is naturally the focal point of the interior design and the open seating area, booths and private rooms are arranged around this centrepiece. Glass partitions create a flowing and open visual experience.

Lighting also plays a key role in establishing the atmosphere of the bar. Different layers of light are clearly reflected through the mirrored material, which glistens and evokes a sense of vague beauty. The team also chose materials to create a poetic connection between the old and the new, where buttery leather armchairs and cool marble embody traditional sophistication, while linear lights add a sense of modernity.

The design follows the principle of extending the depth of field. Geometric structures on the ceiling, the tightly curated arrangement of the ‘cubes’ of the emerald bar, and rectangular shapes on the wall with gentle lighting escaping its boundaries all add depth to the space.

With a free and unrestrained style, the bar allows young people to relieve the pressure built up during the workday. The name of the bar is a call for guests to ‘wake up’ and ‘get started’, to open their minds and communicate without burden so they may freely exchange artistic and creative inspiration and ideas. The soothing ambiance and tasty cocktails make for the perfect combination of flowing conversation and innovative ideas; when the lights dim and night settles in is when our relaxed minds break free of constraints to let the creative juices flow.

PROJECT INFORMATION

Project name: Wake Bar

Client: Zhang Yi

Location: ZMJ 1958, Zhengzhou

Area: 160 square meters

Completion time: May 1, 2021

Design firm: SALONE DEL SALON

Chief designer: Salone

Design team: Zheng Weibang, Yang Jing

Photography: INSPACE