Moody Interiors Welcome You in to "Sage Bar"

Near the Chengdu International Financial Center, a new bar named Sage is transporting visitors into an “urban oasis”, where moody interiors meet details inspired by the mixologist’s herbal cocktails. Designed by Office AIO, Sage Bar is located on the corner of a mall, meaning that footfall is high. The concept stemmed from creating a quiet space within this bustling neighborhood and saw the practice employ various techniques in order to create a distinctly different surrounding to what is outside.

A small, unassuming entryway leads into the space and adds to the private feel. A small courtyard is dotted with a few tables, and benches provide a perching spot for people watching. A sliding door leads into the bar’s main space, where different tiered designs across the ceiling are used to zone different areas. In one area, a conversation pit features plenty of seating, while upper levels cater to smaller tables. The bar counter is raised so that visitors can watch the mixologist at work.

“The elevations and vaults contract volume and enhance intimacy toward the innermost bar, granting patrons a variety of choices and forming a panorama of an interesting layered crowd,” the designers say.

In terms of material and color palette, earthy tones were favored. Furniture comes in green and grey velvet upholstery, while aluminum details bring the space into the modern day. Terrazzo is also used throughout, while the vaulted ceilings are intended to provide acoustic and lighting benefits. Above the bar, a plant installation droops over the top of the spirit bottles and creates an illuminated centerpiece, “crafting an urban garden experience that speaks the Sage brand’s chic intimacy with nature,” the designers add.

Elsewhere in design, check out Salvatore Ferragamo’s rebrand, which features a Peter Saville-designed logo and the simplified moniker of “Ferragamo”.