Velvet walls and floors "retain the imprint of bodies" at Dive bar in London
Design studio Golem has completed a subterranean cocktail bar in central London featuring a glossy counter and tactile booths entirely covered in soft red velvet.
Occupying the basement levels of a building in Marylebone, Dive features furniture and materials that adapt to different scenarios and celebrate signs of use.
"Dive's experience is an ongoing negotiation between the design and its guests," explained Golem founder Ariel André. "The bar is not finished at opening, it is finished nightly, by hands, shoes, spills."
"Wear and tear is part of the architecture," he added. "Glossy surfaces are designed to take scratches from glasses and jewellery, velvety walls and floors are meant to retain the imprint of bodies."
Dive's owner chose to divide the venue into two distinct zones: a luminous bar area near the entrance and a darker, more intimate lounge reached by descending a short flight of steps.
Clean lines and sculptural forms define the bar, which features a curved cutout along its front. Convex mirrors and surfaces rendered in smooth, glossy finishes reflect light and movement throughout the space.
"The palette and shimmering light are calibrated for a transitional feel, somewhere between dusk and dawn: warm enough to flatter skin tones, restrained enough to leave the shimmering cocktails in focus," André explained.
A dark corridor leads to the steps that descend into the richer, more tactile lounge space. This area was designed to facilitate moments of interaction between guests, while also offering cosy corners for private conversations.
Structural arches supporting the street above contain flexible seating areas that can be configured to suit various social scenarios. Built-in benches lining the niches are covered with loose cushions that can be repositioned as required.
"The upholstery is conceived to be appropriated by guests," André pointed out. "Bodies shape the furniture, not the other way around."
"When unoccupied, the seating still carries the imprint of previous guests, holding the evening in a suspended time and space."
One of the arches known as the "fun room" is covered from floor to ceiling in lush carpet, allowing its U-shaped layout to be used for anything from lounging to dancing.
Golem created quart-de-lune tables specially for the project, which can be used individually by couples sitting side by side, or combined in sets of two or four to comfortably seat up to eight guests.
The lounge also functions as a listening room, with the choice of absorbent and reflective surfaces helping to create a tailored acoustic environment.
A dedicated DJ booth is positioned next to bespoke shelves housing the owner's extensive vinyl collection. The mixing desk is height adjustable to allow for seated or standing performance.
At the centre of the bar, the non-gendered bathrooms are arranged around a banquette where guests can sit and chat. A one-way mirror conceals this space from the outside while providing a glimpse back into the lounge.
André founded his Paris-based studio in 2021, working across the worlds of architecture, art and design. Previous Golem projects include a modular furniture system made of hundreds of squishy balls, which was used to create a conversation pit in a Brussels apartment.
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