A Mocktail Bar and Ikebana Space Centered Around the Four Seasons.
Nectar is a grounded and radiant mocktail bar and ikebana space inspired by the aromas and colors of nature. Walk through a journey of the seasons, beginning with a cooling winter and ending with a warm autumn. Each space is the embodiment of a different season, transporting you on a sensorial journey through variations of materiality, color, and light. Taste mocktails inspired by each season, and feel transported to that time of year throughout each space.
Mocktails inspired by the seasons are a reflection of a cultural shift. According to the 2025 Gallup poll, alcohol consumption is at a record low and people are redefining what enjoyment and connection look like, with young adults leading the change
Winner of the 2026 Angelo Donghia Foundation Scholarship
Serene
Winter
A space for a quick drink in an environment inspired by warm light coming in on a cold day.
Grounded
Spring
An ikebana making space inspired by the rich earth supporting the new growth that comes in spring.
Lush
Summer
A dining space for enjoying canapés and mocktails inspired by warmth and vibrance.
Radiant
Autumn
A luminous lounge inviting guests to sit close to the ground in a space shaped by autumnal tones.
221-223 Garey St Los Angeles, CA 90013
The site is located in the Los Angeles Arts District. It is highly walkable with a strong restaurant culture that contributes to a lively nightlife. The demographic is primarily young working creatives and professionals. The area is frequently visited by people seeking unique dining experiences, boutique retail, and art focused spaces, making it a popular destination for socializing and cultural exploration.
The structure of the original building features bow trusses and a clerestory along the north side of the building. The sun reflects off of the neighboring building and casts a glow into the space
Site Plan
Guests enter into the bar/check in experience. They order a drink inspired by one of the four seasons, and then will make their way into a space designed to reflect the corresponding season. .
The space is centered around a central bar, the employing a circular circulation, in alignment with the cyclical seasons
Axonometric
Material Strategy
The material strategy is inspired by the feeling that each season embodies. This encompasses colors, aromas, and seasonal changes. The materials for each space come from one attribute that guides the design process circulating around the four seasons. Winter brings cool and reflective materialities, into an earthy spring of organic materials. A vibrant summer brings bright tones and materials coming from nature into a luminous and warm autumn
As the initial space one enters, these materials contrast the outdoor landscape and bring one into a neutral space that will guide them into each season. Reflective chain mail comes down from the ceiling to create a layered atmosphere around a central ikebana inspired sculpture.
Aged Metal
Winter
A cool space with materials inspired by a chilly yet serene winter with a glimpse into the upcoming spring. Materials are reflective and aged over time, with an element of translucency.
Oxidized Stainless Steel
Burl Wood
Florim Stone
Textured Metal
Spring
An ikebana making space allowing one to feel connected to nature. Grounded and textured materials bring one into the earth.
Corn Veneer
Oxidized Brass
Ceppo Siciliano
Wall Covering
Concrete
Grounded
Spring
Smoked Oak Wood
Weathered Steel
CNC Cork Tile
Chain Mail
Shoji Paper
Foresso
Summer
A vibrant and lush space combining materials derived from nature with planters of live plants overhead. Materials are reclaimed, recycled, or made with natural elements such as sun prints. The sun peaks through the original clerestory and brings one into a warm summer.
Sun Printed Linens
Live Edge Wood
Autumn
A radiant and warm space bringing together aged and textured materials with warm ambient lighting to create a space that glows from within.
Algae-based Bioplastic
Carpet
Lush
Color Strategy
Summer
Hand drawn flowers and plants for the overhead display in the dining space.
Radiant
Autumn
Serene
The color strategy comes from the tones of each season. Transitioning between the seasons, each space has a different palette, and highlights the qualities of the season. Connecting with the attributes, the colors each represent a different time of the year.
Winter
Bar
Models & Materials
Winter | Serene
This is a casual space for drinks and socialization. Materials that feel cool to the touch, are reflective, or play with translucency come together to contrast the sunny California just outside the door.
Summer | Lush
This is a dining space focusing on highlighting the sun through the original clerestory and materials that speak to nature and the vibrancy of this season. Large scale sun prints cover the wall and compliment the planter overhead
Spring | Grounded
Grounded in the earth and inspired by the blooms it sustains, this experience invites visitors to create their own ikebana arrangements in a space dedicated to the earth and inspired by the natural materialities.
Autumn | Radiant
This lounge is a glowing space drawing from the changing tones of the season. It uses warm and natural materials as a canvas for ambient lights throughout the space.
