Drink London: Architecture and Alcohol

A new bar opens in London every seven minutes - or so it seems. Gone are the days when thirsts could only be quenched at traditional grouse-and-pickled-arms pubs. A whole new breed of drinking places has appeared, with a completely different aesthetic. Leading the way are the young entrepreneur- and architect/designer-owned bars - whose creative influence has even rippled down to the mainstream pub chains. This book, an informative guided tour of an often hazily perceived world, should act as a bracer both to wary visitors and to hardened bar-flies curious about their drinking environent. And its handy beer-mat size may make it the most useful book in your architectural library! The guide is divided into areas ranging from the firmly established drinking zones to the newly burgeoning legless areas - from Notting Hill to Shoreditch via Clapham. The selection of architecturally significant projects covers glossy cocktail venues such as Mash, Circus and the Oxo Tower, including the imaginatively designed Alphabet and Cube Bar, through to the truly laid-back Home, Liquid Lounge, and the scruffy split-personality Tactical.