With only about a month to renovate Pure, a 24-hour cocktail lounge adjoined to a casino, time was of the essence for architect Rafael Alvarez of Alvarez-Brock Design in New York, NY. Specializing in hospitality design, Alvarez completes projects both in the U.S. and around the world — and in particular, in his native land of the Dominican Republic, where the bar is located. With both form and function in mind, the architect chose a large-format porcelain floor tile to be used throughout the space.
“This is a very particular place,” explained Alvarez. “The bar is part of a casino, and it faces the sea. It is next to the hotel, and there are many different types of clientele. I wanted to reflect the clientele and play with a sense of humor. I picked art. You can present art and nobody can get offended.”