Asset — New York, USA

Bates Masi + Architects - Photography
Manhattan’s Upper West Side is not often associated with experimental design or dynamic nightlife for that matter, but at the recently opened Asset, a design-driven restaurant and bar – which also comes equipped with a DJ booth – surprises abound.
Situated on Columbus Avenue, the space, which was formerly a retail store, has been transformed into a rhythmic amalgam of light oak, industrial metal and soft upholstery to recall the palimpsest nature of architecture in New York. Designed by the firm Bates Masi, the multi-level space was conceived in ode to the multiple layers of construction that underscores the site. The firm 3D scanned the building to uncover vaults of expanded metal lath – a feature it reintroduced to help breakdown the interior into a more intimate scale. A dramatic U-shaped double staircase serves as a bold anchor to the space, while also bringing a sense of delicacy with its accompanying guardrail and metal mesh siding.
Spread across 5,000 sq ft and armed with 220 seats in the dining room, and a 24-seat bar by its entryway, Asset doesn’t hold back on the punches. Accompanied by a menu that reinterprets classic American dishes for brunch, dinner and late-night, it exudes an elevated yet welcoming allure that will appeal to both neighbourhood locals and visitors alike.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
329 Columbus Ave
New York
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Pei-Ru Keh is a former US Editor at Wallpaper*. Born and raised in Singapore, she has been a New Yorker since 2013. Pei-Ru held various titles at Wallpaper* between 2007 and 2023. She reports on design, tech, art, architecture, fashion, beauty and lifestyle happenings in the United States, both in print and digitally. Pei-Ru took a key role in championing diversity and representation within Wallpaper's content pillars, actively seeking out stories that reflect a wide range of perspectives. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children, and is currently learning how to drive.
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