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. §
