In China‘s boom economy of the past few decades, showing one’s affluence and stature has become a norm of sorts, creating an unprecedented infrastructure of glitzy venues few other countries can match. In Hangzhou, one of the country’s most prosperous cities, the well-heeled have been catered to with plentiful places where to indulge in the good life, but there’s obviously always room for more. A recent arrival in town is a plush whisky bar with a palatial look and feel, and last but not least, a name that blatantly alludes to a clientele of young movers and shakers: Rich! Situated alongside a busy thoroughfare in Hengshaxu, a suburban neighbourhood on the south bank of the Qiantang river, it occupies 190 sqm. (2,045 sq.ft.) across two floors of a modern structure. The interior design, created by local practice PIG Design, unapologetically signals the highlife, and it starts right at the entrance. The pristine white façade sees a recessed lower half with an elegant arched doorway with red glass sliding doors and framed by copper-plated stainless steel. Two tiny portholes, situated on either side, are set in a protruding round frame of the same material. The upper half of the façade sees a large gold-trimmed porthole with matching red glass embedded in a moulded frame. Inside, the aesthetic morphs into opulent gear by way of celadon terrazzo covering the ceiling, floor, walls and some fixtures, and here and there trimmed with copper-plated stainless steel.
On the ground floor, a large bar anchors the setting, featuring backlit recessed shelving laden with bottles, decorative potholes and copper-clad doors on either side. Apart from the leather clad bar stools, seating comprises of matching booths and sofas, crafted from the same materials for a coherent look. Natural light which enters the space through a large pothole is replicated by a large decorative disk attached to the ceiling and supplemented by suspended lamps and two sizeable standing lamps on either side. A narrow staircase, captured entirely by celadon terrazzo and adorned by, yes indeed, more portholes and decorative wall-embedded lighting, leads to the Rich!‘s upper floor. Here, similar design codes can be seen, albeit captured by a different configuration. Upon entering, coming up from the stairs, guests are funnelled into a corridor with elongated windows on both sides. One side reveals a backlit screen, and the other allows an instant view of the decor and fellow guests. A curved bar drapes itself along the opposite wall, replete with a row of stools, and in between sits a matching chaise longue, paired with sofas and round tables. Near the large porthole, below a large decorative and reflective disk, interconnected booths and sofas are situated. The setting is flanked by a decorative wall clock on one side, while the other side sees a framed board which indicates all of Rich!‘s pricey whiskies on offer.
Rich!
1056 Dongxin Dadao (Hengshaxu)
310008 Hangzhou
Telephone: +86 133 36053286
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
