Press Release
Golden A' Design Award in Interior Space and Exhibition Design Goes to Artifact Bar by Nelson Chow
The international grand jury of the 2023 - 2024 A' Design Award & Competition recognizes Nelson Chow for interior space and exhibition design
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 19, 2024 /DesignNewswire/ Artifact Bar by Nelson Chow, designed for HongKong Land, has been granted the Golden A' Design Award in the Interior Space and Exhibition Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The result belongs to the 2023 - 2024 A' Design Award & Competition and was reached through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who evaluated anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
The Golden A' Design Award Explained
The Gold A' Design Award is granted to designs that demonstrate a high level of innovation and a significant impact on their intended audience. Recognized as a major achievement by the A' Design Awards, these designs are characterized by their visionary approach and the exceptional skill of their creators. Winners of the Gold A' Design Award are noted for their ability to push the envelope in art, science, design, and technology, delivering solutions that not only meet but exceed expectations. These designs serve as benchmarks for excellence, encouraging further innovation and inspiring future generations of designers.
About Artifact Bar
Artifact is a speakeasy bar located inside BaseHall, a food hall in Central, Hong Kong. Guests enter through a secret passage with circular windows that resemble industrial pipes. An acoustic chamber lined with tiles shaped like small speakers blocks noise from the food hall outside. The main bar is defined by rib-like arches inspired by underground cisterns. The arches were cast in fiberglass sections using a three-dimensional mould, assembled on site and hand-painted with soft plaster paint. A mirrored ceiling reflects the ribs and makes the low space appear taller.
About Nelson Chow
NC Design + Architecture Ltd. (NCDA) is an architectural design studio specializing in residential, commercial and hospitality projects. We cover the full design remit encompassing interiors, bespoke furniture and innovative products, through to graphic design and the development of exclusive brand narratives. We’re interested in developing creative projects that reinvent the experience of space through meaningful connections. We focus on engaging through storytelling, developing new ways for people to interact with their world and each other. For us, storytelling is the art of inspiration.
Award Record
Nelson Chow is a winner of 2 A' Design Awards, including this recognition. The awards span the editions from 2021 - 2022 to 2023 - 2024 of the A' Design Award & Competition.
About the A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award
The A' Interior Design Award is an international interior design competition recognizing good interior designs by interior designers and architects worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to interior designers, interior architects, architects and decorators from all countries. Entries typically include residential interiors, restaurants, hotels, offices, galleries and retail stores. Awarded interior designs are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/interior
About A' Design Award & Competition
A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/154168
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/154168
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!154168
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/324512
- Further Information from the Laureate: http://www.ncda.biz
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Artifact Bar
- Function
- Bar
- Category
- Interior Space and Exhibition Design
- Discipline
- Spatial Design
- Industry
- Architecture and Packaging & Retail
- Colors
- Dark Slate Gray, Black, Dark Olive Green, Dim Gray and Rosy Brown
- Images
- 5
- Client
- HongKong Land
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Nelson Chow
- Country
- Hong Kong (China)
- Recognition
- Golden A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2023 - 2024
- Design ID
- #154168
Credits
- Team
- Rain Ho, Rafael Pardo and Brandon Fong
- Image Credits
- Common Studio
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Guests enter through a secret passage with circular windows resembling industrial pipes. The dim lighting and concrete-textured walls create the illusion of an abandoned industrial wasteland. Pendant lights shaped like surveillance cameras add intrigue and mystery. In the acoustic chamber, walls covered in speaker-like tiles block out noise from the bustling food hall. The clever design deceives the eye, with the repetition of tiles creating a disorienting effect. It feels like being confined inside a vessel, adding to the surreal atmosphere. Inside the main bar, rib-like structures reminiscent of cisterns greet guests.
- Inspiration
- Artifact is a speakeasy bar hidden behind a secret passage inside BaseHall, Hong Kong’s newest dining destination and luxury food hall in the heart of Central. Inspired by the rhythm and repetition of surreal geometry and the serene atmospheres found in underground cistern. Artifact is a mysterious yet alluring destination transporting the guests into a different realm. A striking contrast to the busy food hall outside, guests will find themselves in a mysterious yet alluring space, making it an unforgettable and out of this world experience.
- Research
- We researched underground cisterns like the Basilica Cistern in Istanbul to understand the tranquil ambiances we wanted to recreate. We also studied the works of surrealists Ernesto Neto and James Turrell for insights on crafting immersive environments. We aimed to create an installation where guests could deeply engage with their surroundings. By integrating light installations and architectural interventions, we skillfully manipulated perception, resulting in an enveloping experience.
- Challenge
- The first challenge to create a seamless transition from the busy food hall into a completely different atmosphere. To address this, an Acoustic Chamber was created with walls covered in acoustic tiles to block out the noise. For the main dining space, the challenge was to address the low ceiling and to create something dramatic and unique in a small space. Mirror finish was used in the ceiling to reflect the ribs and creating an illusion of soaring heights.
- Realization and Technology
- Acoustic Chamber. Upon entering, guests are greeted by an acoustical chamber with walls covered in Artifact acoustic tiles. The design of the acoustic wall tiles in Artifact certainly adds to the overall ambiance of the speakeasy bar. The tiles are shape like mini speakers; it is a small pyramid with a flat circle top on which there are small punctures going around in circles. Not only does the tiles create a visually captivating pattern, but incorporates an element of irony that a speaker like object serves an acoustic function. Main bar. To create the precise shape of the ribs in the main bar, a 3D mould was used. Fiberglass was then casted in sections within the mould.
- Project Duration and Location
- Artifact opened in April 2023 and is hidden behind a secret passage inside BaseHall, Hong Kong’s newest dining destination and luxury food hall in the heart of Central, Hong Kong. It is located in the prominent Jardine House, Hong Kong's first true skyscraper.
- Specifications
- The bar is around 1400 square meter.
- Keywords
- speakeasy bar, bar, hong kong, interior design, bar design, surreal, bar lighting
