NM3 Designs Bar Bardo with Modernist Architectural Influences
Milan studio NM3 creates a flexible, rosewood-clad listening bar inspired by classic modernist landmarks.
1Modernist Architectural Inspiration
Milan-based studio NM3 designed Bar Bardo by drawing conceptual inspiration from Adolf Loos’s 1908 American Bar in Vienna. While the studio avoided direct replication, they aimed to establish a classic architectural identity for the 55-square-metre space. The project also references the aesthetic legacy of Zurich’s Kronenhalle bar, balancing historical reverence with contemporary needs.
2Materiality and Acoustic Design
The interior features polished rosewood panels covering both walls and ceilings, chosen to enhance the room's acoustic performance. These wooden surfaces contrast with the studio’s signature stainless steel furniture, which has become a hallmark of NM3 since their 2020 founding. This material combination provides a warm, tactile environment within the compact Milanese venue.
3Centralized Stainless Steel Bar
A custom-designed stainless steel bar serves as the room's focal point, reflecting light from vintage 1950s pendant lamps by Luigi Caccia Dominioni. NM3 modified these original fixtures by replacing standard chains with longer black versions. This central element anchors the space, bridging the gap between the bar's industrial metal aesthetic and its refined wooden surroundings.
4Strategic Spatial Flexibility
Bar Bardo is engineered for versatility, allowing the cocktail bar to transition into a club environment. With the exception of the banquettes and the main bar, every interior element is movable. This architectural arrangement enables rapid reconfiguration without requiring complex structural interventions, demonstrating a functional approach to small-scale hospitality design in urban settings.
5Color Palette and Furnishings
The design utilizes a vibrant crimson theme, featuring red velvet banquette seating and matching curtains. Bright red speakers are integrated throughout the space to support the DJ booth and vinyl shelving units. This bold color choice creates a cohesive visual identity that distinguishes the bar from the surrounding neighborhood’s more traditional hospitality establishments.
6Utilitarian Bathroom Aesthetics
The bathroom continues the project's intense color scheme, utilizing 10-centimetre-by-10-centimetre bright red tiles from floor to ceiling. NM3 maintained their signature utilitarian style by selecting stainless steel for all fixtures, including the sink and toilets. Pared-back sconce lighting provides illumination, ensuring the bathroom remains consistent with the bar's overall minimalist yet bold design language.
7Evolution of Studio Style
Bar Bardo represents a softer design direction for NM3, moving away from the raw interiors seen in their previous work at Galleria Montegani. The studio, which also designed a metal-heavy store for Miss Sixty, continues to refine its signature industrial aesthetic. This project highlights their growing influence within Milan's competitive contemporary design scene.
8Contextual Design Significance
Located near the popular Bar Basso, Bar Bardo establishes itself as a new landmark through precise architectural detailing. By combining vintage lighting with custom metalwork, NM3 demonstrates how small spaces can achieve significant character. The project reflects the studio's ongoing contribution to Milan’s reputation as a global hub for innovative, high-quality interior design.