Mark Wu Ltd : Design & Art Direction for Digital Media
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Bordello Soho bar opening with design by Sam Buxton

Saturday, 31 May, 2008

Bar openings aren't my forté, but I went to Bordello Soho last night for a friends and family launch. Sam Buxton and colleagues designed the interiors, commissioned by Robata Ltd. Without vast experience in London bar culture, I can't set Bordello against any standards, but I did find the design curious and worth visiting for.

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Walls are covered with red curtains of hand-tied netting giving the decor a sort of modern organic feel. It doesn't scream rustic organic, as its set off against Sam's signature metal sheeting style which he has wrought into the serving bar area.

Strategic lighting shines through glasses set against bar cut outs, whilst wiring creates a subtle yet bold tunnel for serving trays.

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Spirit bottles are displayed and held in netting sacks, whilst at another end of the bar, sit two circular seats that use larger nets for backing. Going fishing did cross my mind, though sitting in Bordello doesn't make you feel caught in a net!

Having been open for a week, with ongoing press visits, Bordello has already had enquiries for fashion shoots. Its a small place, but they have a couple of cubby holes still being fixed up which when open, will be perfect for private drinks.

For more photos see The Bordello Soho opening photoset.

Sam Buxton designed all of the textile details, wall forms, wall light tubes, pendant lights, furniture and wire bottle rack system. He commissioned textile designer Emily Hiller to develop techniques for fabricating these forms and asked her to create cellular patterns etc for the walls, under his direction.

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This entry posted in : Design and Art Direction. Events. Living in London.

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3 Comments :

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wow great design

icon comment  Posted by  on  05/06/08  at  07:25 PM

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Isn't design always about making an impact? Not according to the green-design movement, or the 'design deniers' who argue for placing limits on human ingenuity and creativity.

icon comment  Posted by  on  01/09/08  at  04:25 PM

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Is this an art display or a bar because it certainly is not any good either way.
Very pricey place for a drink with alot of hidden costs in your bill which is sneaky and perhaps even illegal. The London Paper reviewed the bar and called it boring and I agree. Bordellos just lacks in so much in comparison to some mayfair bars which have a simple design but provide a great service and great drinks. The drinks in Bordellos are just badly made, I wanted to send mine back but i paid for the bill and agreed with friends never to go back! The design is not impressive...my gran could have done it.

icon comment  Posted by  on  04/09/08  at  01:33 AM

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British Chinese, Digital Design Consultant. Professional experience spans over 10 years working on digital design projects for both small and large clients.

This is my personal weblog which also serves as a portal for my work and other digital content.

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What I do

I work flexibly with clients to create digital design projects that require production management, eye-catching visuals, solid code and most of all, an experienced senior-level designer who understands how to speak jargon-free.

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