Don’t Be Shy

• Location New York, NY
• Year 2026
• Team Shuji Suzumori, Wentao Guo, Rachel Wei
• Collaborators De Lux Construction, Bolster Furniture, Evan Eisman Company, Art in Construction, Lanoba Design, Jammal Upholstery

The design of the bar, “Don’t Be Shy,” strives to be unmistakably New York in its use of locally available materials and craftsmanship, yet deeply rooted in Japanese tradition through the careful treatment of each surface and attention to detail.

A shared entrance with a sushi restaurant leads to a lobby designed as an extension of the New York City sidewalk, from which two paths diverge. A series of steps leads to a small nook where the sounds of nightlife grow louder, and red-lacquered tiles give a preview of what’s inside.

Once inside, the bar is a classic cocktail lounge clad in dark wood and softly illuminated with warm, indirect lighting. In contrast to the raw wood of the sushi room, the bar’s wood is meticulously hand-processed and lacquered into red tiles, emphasizing the beauty of the craft and its making. A rectangular grid of bronze bars and white fabric shades creates intimate alcoves and emits a soft, shoji-like glow to passersby.

Bronze light fixtures, reupholstered antique chairs, and black marble tables, all sourced from New York vendors, carry their own stories of arrival in the city from around the globe.