if you have an architect, designer, or all-around style junkie on your list this holiday season, might i suggest NEW BAR + CLUB DESIGN by BETHAN RYDER. particularly if they’re one of those who enjoys patronizing the hippest and most fantastically outfitted watering holes and eateries. if i’m describing your secret santa, this book should be in their stocking. page after page of breathtaking interiors showcase the most creatively designed establishments in the world, along with the history of each’s creation. from, the increasing use of recycled materials, to calling upon the latest technology in LED lighting, to revisiting the past by retrofitting for nostalgia. this coffee table book, second in it’s series, is as well researched and beautifully designed as the spaces it depicts.

here is an excerpt: “Trends aside, it’s apparent that when it comes to nocturnal venues designers are continuing to let their imaginations run wild. Wether these bars and clubs manage to glow for a decade or burn brightly and fizzle out after one year, they are alll a weird and wonderful testament to the limitless creativity inspired by the pursuit of pleasure. This book salutes them all.
below: WOMEN, a bar / brothel in Terrasa, Spain.