The MIXX Bar & Lounge at the Intercontinental Hotel in Tokyo opened with an interior space and logo created by Curiosity.
Spanning 600 square metres at the top of the 36-floor hotel, MIXX is a playful exploration of light and shadows offering an atmospheric window over the city of Tokyo.
Against a palette of neutral grey beige are multilayered materials of washed wood, rayskin covering, hammered bronze and stone complemented by textured fabrics handcrafted by textile designer Reiko Sudo of Nuno.
The space fuses traditional craftsmanship and Japanese art with modern design to create an invisible connection with the nation’s rich cultural heritage. The overall effect? One of softness, designed to highlight and enhance the sharp digital portrait of modern Tokyo that unfolds through the windows.
The entrance is marked by a “gate of light”: a wall of floating white fabric sculptures reflected through a play of mirrors, their delicacy balanced against the dynamism of the lighting.
Covering the floors is a uniquely designed carpet whose hues and patterns evoke the natural outdoor moss formations of a traditional Japanese garden.
The first of three areas is an open bar space – complete with a randomly placed high counter, a warm and sociable spot for friends and dates meeting for cocktails or pre-dinner aperitifs before visiting the Pierre Gagnaire restaurant on the same floor.
Next is the main bar area. A signature 10 metre long counter sets a bold tone, taking centre stage against a backdrop of windows that reveal Mount Fuji by day and Tokyo’s digital light show by night.
Finally, there is the lounge. A white artwork of fabric hovering in the dark marks entrance, leading to a central table and more intimate sofas tucked snugly into the zig-zag line of windows that surround the space. Cocooned by a series of vertical lights, the lighting dynamically cuts through the atmospheric dark space.
True to its status as a hotel bar and a starting point for many first time Tokyo visitors, the three spaces that make up MIXX are carefully crafted to complement the urban landscape beyond its windows and act as an ambassador for the city.
