The name of Vancouver’s new cocktail lounge and raw bar AMA takes after the Japanese word to refer to cold water divers, usually women, who harvest seafood and pearls, a tradition which has been in practice for around 2,000 years. The tradition is reflected in the bar’s food and beverage concept—but its interior draws from a different, much more futuristic lore.
Canadian design studio &Daughters likened the interior of AMA to Denis Villeneuve’s Bladerunner 2049. Located in a 2-story, 1970s walk-up, the bar is sealed off from the outside world. It’s signaled from the outside only by an easily missable sign fabricated from horizontal sheet metal whose shadow, lit from above, casts the name of the restaurant onto the exterior white wall, an eccentric and intriguing introduction apt for the space. A coral red cage door marks the entrance of the restaurant, leading up to a long, dark stairwell, letting guests know they’ve arrived at a destination.
Read more about the cocktail lounge on aninteriormag.com.
