Secret Speakeasy Hidden Behind a Vending Machine in a Sandwich Shop

alberto-caiola-the-press-flask-bar-inside-vending-machine-shanghai-china-designboom-02In the dense city of Shanghai, China, architect Alberto Caiola has designed an inconspicuous speakeasy that’s hidden behind a vending machine at The Press, a street-facing sandwich shop.

The speakeasy is called Flask, and it is a clandestine cocktail lounge with an entrance tucked behind a vintage Coca-Cola vending machine.

Considering that Shanghai has already seen its fair share of hidden speakeasy-themed bars and lounges we decided to build suspense and break it in an entirely unexpected fashion. In order to maximise impact, we would need to execute the project in a fundamentally different, distinct way, building expectations and genuine surprise by creating contradictory, anachronistic aesthetics,” stated Alberto Caiola on his website.

Once inside Flask, one is transported into an entirely different world of whisky, minimal lighting, dark wooden fixtures and LED lights.

Together, the unconventional concept of Flask and The Press juxtaposes light and dark, elegance and funkyness, personal and playful.

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