Wax

An audiophile bar serves music, drinks and food (in that order). Its concept originates from the introverted wood-clad Japanese vinyl bars of the late 20th century, having since adopted various shapes throughout the world. In early 2023, we were asked for our own take on such a listening bar in the centre of Paris, France. It is located in the ground floor of a Haussmannian building from 1865 and overlooks the Église Saint-Vincent-de-Paul.

It differs from its japanese original by combining the original domestic, inward-looking space that emphasizes the listening with an extroverted arrangement that encourages social interactions, making the music more than a background. The notion of ‘total design’, combining architecture, interior and product design is a key aspect: surfaces, lighting and fixed furniture work together to come alive. The rich seamless surfaces reveal their character through the soft lighting of the raw steel luminaires designed by ourselves (Lamp OO.1). Polished terrazzo shimmers in the light of the ‘softbox’ behind the bar, highlighting the moving silhouette of the mixologist and thus making the cocktails part of the atmosphere.

A large mirror column bisects the main room, allowing the smaller back room to better participate in the overall atmosphere by creating the illusion of blending both spaces together. To soundproof the space and protect the quality of the sound from any outside noise, we planned an acoustically decoupled structure for the main space, essentially planning a building inside a building. The bar ought to replace a former restaurant, allowing us to re-purpose kitchen and bathroom equipments. The void between the existing and the new interior allowed for invisibly redistributing installations, resulting in a pure interior where the materials can shine on their own without interruptions.

Since opening its doors in autumn of 2023, the bar has hosted numerous genre nights, live music gigs, private gatherings and open-deck nights next to its usual serving of fine music and cocktails.