Project The Hibiki Japanese Bar was conceived as a pop-up bar experience in Soho, London, celebrating Hibiki Japanese Harmony from the House of Suntory. The project aimed to create an authentic yet contemporary setting that reflected the brand’s philosophy of balance, craftsmanship, and harmony, allowing visitors to experience the spirit through space as well as taste.

Challenge The challenge was to translate the subtlety of Hibiki’s Japanese identity into a hospitality environment that felt genuine rather than decorative. The design needed to balance cultural reference with functional bar requirements, creating an atmosphere that supported storytelling, social interaction, and calm refinement within a compact urban setting.

My Role As Head of Design at Nicholasalexander Ltd, I led the spatial and 3D design, engineering, and fabrication of the bar in collaboration with Thrsxty. I shaped the layout, structure, and material language of the space, ensuring that each element contributed to a cohesive experience rooted in Hibiki’s concept of harmony.

Results & Impact The Hibiki Japanese Bar offered a distinctive and immersive way to engage with the brand, creating a refined social environment that resonated strongly with visitors. By embedding cultural values into the spatial design, the project extended the experience of the whisky beyond the glass, reinforcing Hibiki’s identity through atmosphere, ritual, and place.