Popular Brooklyn creative hub, bar, restaurant, and sound room Public Records has expanded its footprint with the launch of Upstairs. Located a floor above Public Records, the aptly named nightlife and event space embodies the experimental ethos of the brand launched by Shane Davis and Francis Harris. Upstairs also perpetuates the brand’s emphasis on quality acoustics thanks to a design helmed by Davis and StudioKOS‘s Dessislava Boneva.
“The project itself was an opportunity for us to showcase our various areas of interest on a more intimate, more refined scale,” Davis says. “We don’t think a lot about competition or what other people are doing. We try to build spaces and experiences with intention that feel singular and non-derivative.”
A DIY design philosophy steered Upstairs toward a flexible configuration that accommodates a range of needs. Collaborations with a medley of artisans further rounded out the aesthetic, yielding custom pieces like a plywood and steel armchair and coffee tables made of chrome and glass.
Swiss artist Cristian Andersen was also tapped to enliven Upstairs with ceramic and foam stools as well as a metal light sculpture that illuminates the arrival experience. The brand partnered with ARUP again to oversee acoustics, furring out and undulating interior walls below acoustic fabric panels that comprise the ceiling and inject texture. A slab of marble discovered in a stone yard now serves as a focal point upon the bar as well.
“The design philosophy that we’ve established for PR is about form and function, through a DIY and iterative approach,” Boneva adds. “We’re more interested in experimentation than inspiration. UPSTAIRS was informed by sonic considerations but placed equal attention to creating a high touch hospitality experience.”
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