As daily life in Shanghai resumes its course after a lengthy COVID-19 stranglehold, so does the city’s nightlife. Tucked away in a little side street in the city’s downtown area of Jing’an is Whisper Bar, a stylish watering hole which, as its name already implies, has quickly become the home of a group of discerning patrons. Measuring 120 sqm. (1,292 sq.ft.) spread across two floors, the venue features two distinctly different sections. Designed by local practice Digitects, a bar and lounge with a strong speakeasy feel unfold when entering the premises. A semi-transparent metal curtain separates the two and heightens the sense of intimacy on either side. Beyond the wall with bottle-filled pigeon holes right next to the bar, a secret door is situated which leads to Whisper Bar‘s artsy basement with an even more clandestine atmosphere. But first, guests have to traverse a compact intermediary space which connects with both restrooms and storage rooms. Here, a movable wine cabinet and round table can be found for wine selection and tasting against a backdrop of mirrored walls which optically enlarges the compact space. The main area is divided into three parts with red velvet curtains, but obviously, it can also be used as a single space. The setting is marked by exposed walls, paired with a leather wall skirt which, combined with stained glass panels and black & white motif flooring oozes an edgy sense of chic. In an adjacent space, a private lounge can be found.
Whisper Bar
368 Shanxhi Nan Lu (Jing’an)
200031 Shanghai
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.
