PENICILLIN

Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award 2021

PENCILLIN is Hong Kong’s first closed-loop sustainable concept bar that pushes the boundaries of culinary experimentation and seeks new ways to minimize waste throughout the food production cycle.

COLLECTIVE’s design follows a hybrid theme of ‘industrial’ and ‘nature’ – the concept dives deep into an exploration of the coexistence of men’s hard work with nature. The exterior and entrance are cladded in white tiles, showcasing the team’s culinary experiments, processes, equipment, and machineries by means of the PENICILLIN Lab. The Fermentation Chamber is located at the back of the bar as an extension to the laboratory, allowing visitors to see the work-in-progress experiments at PENICILLIN. The seating area and main bar adopt the palettes and finishes inspired by characteristics often found in nature such as dark, earthy materials and raw textures of stones.

The focal point is the main bar, featuring a bar countertop which appears as if it was carved out of a giant volcanic rock and is described as the ‘cockpit for bartending’ by PENICILLIN’s cofounder Agung Prabowo, designed to fit all the needs for bartending performative efficiency with features such as a hands-free sink fitted with foot pedals. The language of laboratory design is further explored through the customised displays behind the main bar. PENICILLIN’s bespoke bottles of cocktails and ingredients are fixed onto the wall with a laboratory clamping system.

Adhering to PENICILLIN’s philosophy of closed-loop creation process and utilizing locally found resources, COLLECTIVE invited and collaborated with @streetsignhk, a local conservation group that advocates street signs as urban cultural heritage, to co-design and fabricate customised neon wall lights, signages and handmade labels for the bespoke cocktail bottles. COLLECTIVE also worked with HK Timberbank, a local social entrepreneur focusing on recycling and reusing timber for construction and carpentry, to source pieces of fallen tree trunks from the typhoon seasons and fabricated the tabletops.

With a focus on conserving energy, minimizing pollution, and tapping a network of local producers and designers to explore the various aspects of Hong Kong culture, PENICILLIN offers a completely new and sustainable bar-going experience.