Flask and the Press is a contemporary lounge hidden behind the façade of a sandwich shop and it is located in the heart of the former French Concession in Shanghai with a design created by the architect Alberto Caiola.
The two projects are a juxtaposition of light with darkness, discreet and extrovert trying to bring a breath of fresh air into a city that “has already seen its fair share of hidden speakeasy-themed bars and lounges” as the designers said.
The contradictory elements want to surprise and make the visitors step into another world so the Press is a colorful sandwich shop which appears familiar at first but then you notice neon lights, polished furnishings set against unfinished walls and a concrete floor for a dramatic and unconventional scene with a vintage coca-cola machine in the center that is actually the entrance to the second place, The Flask.
A tunnel leads you to a mysterious and dark setting with bottles of liquor on display and angular cubes that give the space its specific charm.