Born out of a desire to reimagine what a sports-focused hospitality venue could be, The Loft Bar in Christchurch’s central city is a modern space where style, culture, and sport come together.
Local design firm Element 17 were enlisted to create a venue that felt elevated, inclusive, and intentionally different from the traditional sports bar.
“We wanted to create a venue where sport plays a meaningful role in the atmosphere but doesn’t dominate it,” says Naomi Edwards of Element 17. “We explored how this energy could be translated into spatial language and materiality, without falling back on masculine clichés or visual clutter.”
“This meant designing elements that would speak to a shared cultural love of sport, while also being sensitive to a broad audience by elevating the overall design to welcome guests to enjoy a game or just enjoy the atmosphere over evening cocktails.”
Vintage sporting elements and artworks, such as the custom-built, elegantly oversized tennis racquet chandelier, nod to the venue’s purpose without overpowering the space.
Drawing inspiration from the architectural language and vintage charm of New York’s quintessential loft hospitality spaces, velvet and leather upholsteries, layered lighting, and brass details soften the brick veneer and timber clad beams.
