Discolo is a hidden cocktail lounge, nestled below two Michelin-starred restaurant Al Coro, and completed in 2022. Inspired by its subterranean setting and the 1971 Paris living room of Yves Saint Laurent, the space exudes a louche, hedonistic vibe thanks to its low-slung ceiling, celestial ceiling lighting, wood-paneled walls, and mirrored accents. A backlit onyx bar anchors the space, while the carpeted floor transitions to a cork one—a subtle suggestion that when the sound system is in full flux, that it would be a good idea to get up and dance.
Discolo
New York City
Hospitality
2,260 SF
Completed
2014C
Discolo’s spaces are organized experientially, transitioning from the backlit vanilla onyx bar, next to the see-and-be-seen lounge—replete with built-in leather sofas and swiveling boucle-upholstered chairs—to an acoustically-isolated, private room designed with its own custom high fidelity audio system, furniture and handmade decorative lighting fixtures. Each room features an illuminated ceiling installation created from hundreds of light-emitting domes. The lighting array works as a field of coordinated points that change throughout the evening. As the hours pass, the atmosphere of Discolo shifts from a warm sunset to a hallucinogenic haze, with the lighting eventually pulsing to the rhythms of the space’s sound system.
Photos by Adrian Gaut
“We had a really clear vision on what Discolo was going to be like but it just wouldn't fit the space that we had. MN flipped the idea on its head, designing within the space but in a way that was exciting and surprising. Discolo has become the unique, dark, sexy Manhattan room we all need to find our way back to nightlife.”
Jeff Katz, Partner
Stats
485
Cubic feet of concrete mass were demolished (by hand) to create the space
1289
Light-emitting domes from the ceiling that make up an illuminating light installation
8
Speakers are hidden behind wall panels
8
Pieces of mirror clad the onyx bar
2
Triangular light features
36
Design meetings with the client
4167
Miles that the custom furniture was flown from Italy to outfit the space