Design Research Studio, Tom Dixon’s architectural and interior arm, has unveiled its first ultra-exclusive State-side hospitality project in the form of Himitsu, a cocktail lounge-bar in Atlanta.
Inspired by Japanese mixology and American prohibition, Himitsu is a darkly theatrical speak-easy, peppered with the rich colours and textures inspired by the emotion and drama captured in Todd Murphy’s painting King of Birds. Himitsu – meaning secret in Japanese – is the sister bar to popular Atlanta sushi haunt, Umi Sushi.
Design Research Studio has created a raw yet sophisticated aesthetic for the brand new cocktail lounge. Playfully offsetting slick metallics against rougher, natural materials, the interior retains the pre-existing industrial features and exposed structural details.
The focal point of Himitsu is the illuminated copper bar which frames the alchemy performed by the mixologists and celebrates the craftsmanship behind the cocktail-making process.
An installation of the newly-launched Tom Dixon Melt pendants is delicately suspended in the central void to create a striking impression upon arrival. The Melt pendant draws inspiration from molten metal and distorted natural forms, emitting a hallucinogenic glow that casts an ethereal luminosity and sets the tone for the rest of the bar.
Himitsu is furnished with a composition of sculptural pieces that were selected to create distinct silhouettes within the space. Smoked mirror and natural marble table tops sit on industrial Tom Dixon roll bases to form a tactile landscape of surfaces that explore texture, distortion and the juxtaposition of rough against smooth.
The result is a luxurious lounge and central dining area, and an animated bar defined by the various seating clusters and light levels that create a variety of open and intimate spaces for entertainment.
