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Architects: Parts and Labor Design
- Area: 204 m²
- Year: 2023
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Photographs:William Jess Laird
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Manufacturers: Bendheim Glass, Cle Tile, DDS, Fireclay, Koroseal
Text description provided by the architects. Tucked beneath Lupetto sits Sotto, a subterranean Amaro bar that lures guests to another time yet feels delightfully of this moment. Founder Mark Barak’s mandate—’ Mad Men on holiday’—informed the meticulous design approach. Continuing Lupetto’s narrative of a little wolf maturing and exploring his freedoms, Sotto sets its scene at the stairwell, where inlaid brass wolf paw prints celebrate the “fruits of the forest” with low-lit, pink and golden-hued vignettes at every corner. The mood is unapologetically sexy.
“The moment you enter, you forget what time it is, let alone what number cocktail you’re on,” Parts and Labor designer Danu Hassik says. “It’s a very transporting space, which encourages guests to inhabit the current moment and focus on what’s right in front of them.”
Parts and Labor Design’s custom lighting sets the scene. A velvet-framed chandelier featuring a squared grove of hand-dyed tassels plays the starring protagonist. Triangular metallic sconces and delicate lamps light the wall like jewels. The walls and low ceiling, clad in dark burled wood, give the feeling you’ve found New York’s most exclusive party.
The outward-facing banquettes, all custom-designed and fabricated by Parts and Labor, continue the party theme. Large parties gather in the center of the room, while a glamorous banquette, styled to feel like a sofa, is set in a cozy nook. Rich materials like luxe pink velvet encourage guests to get close.
With its refined menu and focus on craft Amaro, Sotto is destined to become a quintessential New York destination, the type of place that absorbs your sense of time without a mere hint.
