Featured image for Heineken unveils pop-up lounge exhibit in London

Heineken unveils pop-up lounge exhibit in London

by Barbara Zandvliet on 09/16/2014 | 2 Minute Read

Heineken recently unveiled its latest initiative to explore innovative design concepts with the launch of the Heineken Pop-up City Lounge, which will debut at the 2014 London Design Festival from September 18-21 at the Old Truman Brewery, before traveling on a worldwide tour. 

Editorial photograph

Created by collaborating with 20 talented interior, product, fashion, graphic, and motion designers, from Warsaw, New York, Mexico City and Singapore, the lounge introduces a host of new drinking rituals through two 40-foot shipping containers, re-purposed with a creative and considered design into multiple lounge spaces. It features a series of differently-sized ‘conversation cocoons,’ a design initiated by Victor Hugo Jimenez, so that visitors can enjoy privacy, attentive table service, beer, and food.                 The exhibit is Heineken’s latest iteration of the brand's ‘social design explorations,’ which seek to facilitate a great lounging experience.

“We went back to the essence of what a lounge bar should be and asked people what they were looking for. The response was amazing. Over tens of thousands of crowdsourced Instagram images were submitted. This has certainly been a fantastic challenge, to create a visionary concept inspired by insights from all over the world, with a global team of emerging design talent”, says Mark Van Iterson, Heineken’s Global Head of Design. 

Van Iterson added:, “The common thought throughout our journey was that the lounge should be a place of discovery, an experience that delivers a bit of the unexpected. We believe this Pop-up City Lounge delivers exactly this and so much more.”               

During the festival, shortlisted designers from the ‘Heineken Iconic Bar Design Challenge (UK edition)’ will present their work and views on bar’s design, revealing Europe’s most promising talent based in London. The Pop-up City Lounge will also be hosting talks during the festival with leading design influencers, including Ricardo Casas, Tom Dyckhoff, Dr. Sharon Baurley from the RCA and Mark Van Iterson, head of global design at Heineken, among others.