During the summer of 2020, myself and a few other students took part in a design competition to design a bar which has been influenced by the city of Budapest. The concept was inspired by the spontaneous environment from Budapest but also including the influence of Birmingham's fast past development as a large city. The site is located within Curzon street, a busy area located near the Birmingham City university. We wanted to develop a fun and environment to the design proposal.
Birmingham is an accumulation of various cultures and diversity, full of life and fun. Aiming to invite that energy back into the once abandoned and almost site site. Through a multi-purpose bar design that transforms into a stage, creating a casual and spontaneous setting inspired by the Budapest Ruin Bars.
Flexibility, Spontaneity and bringing Birmingham’s unique and diverse culture within the bar has inspired the design. We have incorporated fold-able tables, chairs which aren’t being used to be hung on the wall and also glazed glass flooring which reveals a historical element to the building.
The bar is able to separate, the front of the bar is able to remove itself from the fixed side and act as a mobile bar, which can then allow access for performance acts or smaller intimate cocktail making for visitors. Our design proposal also includes a new bar storage area with sliding doors for easy access and a hatch window on the opposing side to allow staff to work efficiently.
Overall, the space invites it’s customers by using warm rich tones of wood with the complimentary existing brickwork, however modern touches included with the façade of the bar and also the glass flooring.
The bar is essential to the scheme, it allows for the interiors to become a multi purpose space. It could be a a bar during the day, and at night it splits and becomes two separate features, which can become a private cocktail bar public bar. It emphasises the fun and spontaneous atmosphere which was inspired by the city of Budapest.
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