Moon Club
Prague
A blend of old and new defines Moon Club, located in a former bank administration building on a vibrant street of Prague’s Old Town. Designed by Praha, Czech Republic-based studio FormaFatal and architecture firm Machar & Teichman, the club’s lavish tones of gray, blue, and burnt orange evoke the “mysteriousness of nightfall and alchemistic mystique,” says FormaFatal architect Katarína Varsová. Painted walls create a patina-like effect and are “the common link to all the spaces, with variations of atmospheres and details.” Patinated metal sheets, dark burned wood, old stained mirrors, ornate paintings, velvet-upholstered furniture, and moon motifs complete the moody interiors.


Doko Bar
Shenzhen, China
Tapping into and harnessing the power of the digital age, Doko Bar by Taipei, Taiwan-based Waterfrom Design is geared toward the social media-savvy customer, taking inspiration from Pop Art icon Andy Warhol, who famously said, “In the future, everybody will be world famous for 15 minutes.” The “360-degree immersive theater deconstructs traditional dining rituals to record the reality that is happening now,” says design director Nic Lee. Open, translucent spaces within the dessert bar are defined by the brand’s coral red color, in addition to mesh, galvanized and stainless steel plates, acrylic, old elm wood, cement flooring, and layers of nylon rope. The centerpiece is a floating red box of perforated netting that frames the VIP room on the second level. The design nods to “the intricacies of the human network in this modern society,” says Lee, showcasing how our lives have become “both transparent and concealed.”


Locura
Byron Bay, Australia
Sydney design firm Pattern Studio was tasked with turning an “underwhelming, cramped, poorly planned space into something open and free flowing,” co-director Josh Cain says of Locura, a South American-inspired bar found in the coastal town of Byron Bay, Australia. The pared back aesthetic recalls “the low-fi charm of late-night venues across South America” and “celebrates the region’s natural beauty,” he says. The three bathrooms, however, are a departure from the monochromatic interiors. “[The lighting systems] create a lovely, soft wash of color reminiscent of an immersive James Turrell installation,” says Cain, adding that they have independent controls managed by a smartphone app that alters the overall illumination. “We loved the idea of amping up the experience in here and making it feel quite strange and theatrical.”


Lyaness
London
Offering unparalleled views of London and the Thames river, Lyaness—with a menu by master mixologist Ryan Chetiyawardana—is a sumptuous haven within Sea Containers London. Formerly home to the acclaimed Dandelyan, the space has been reimagined by Jacu Strauss of Lore Group as an homage to the theatricality of the 1920s with a few hints of ’70s retro throughout. “We tried to create a cocktail bar that goes beyond the simple focus of what’s in your glass,” says Strauss. “Comfortable and fun with a distinctive retro-glam vibe, it’s a destination where glamour meets Brutalism.” A cerulean leather tufted banquette leads to a stage-like area where an octagonal mirrored light fixture reflects the room. The sweeping green marble bar, meanwhile, was cut from a single block of Verde Guatemala that Strauss picked himself. “It’s the feature of the space,” he says, “highlighting the theater of cocktail making.”


Peaches
Melbourne
Plants and circular pendants cascading from the ceiling punctuate the lower level of Peaches, the pretty in peach bar from Amy Pierce and Nat Widera, cofounders of local design practice, Pierce Widera. Here, terrazzo tabletops, a green-veined onyx bar-top, moss green stools, and shiny brass details elevate the interior to a luxurious level. The light and airy upstairs is a lesson in contrasts with pastel blue walls and a cocktail bar wrapped in white tile. “The design had to attract patrons walking past on busy Swanston Street,” says Widera, while still being able to lure people downstairs to the chic bar.

Photography by boysplaynice, Kuomin Lee, Ben Hosking, and James McDonald