Asahi Bar of The Future Entry
Qualified as Competition Finalist
Our concept for the ‘Bar of the Future’ competition involves mixing technology with the bar environment to give the user a high-end yet personal experience. We want to create an app called ‘Rising Sun’ that allows users to order drinks, take control over their chosen bar’s surroundings and meet like-minded people. The name ‘Rising Sun’ is the English translation of the Japanese word ‘Asahi’. Our Entry has two parts; a downloadable app called ‘Rising Sun’ and an interior layout for the correlating bars.
App - Setup
To set up the app, the user would first download ‘Rising Sun’ from the app store. Then users would open up the app and answer a few general questions about their age, where they live, type of drinks they enjoy, etc. The app could also link to the users existing social media accounts, learning more everyday information about their users (where they enjoy going on a night out, hobbies etc).
App - In Practice
The app comes into play when the user wants to choose a suitable bar to go. The app will help the user select which bar is the most appropriate for the user’s needs on that specific night.
It does this by giving the user a short questionnaire to fill out. The questions are asked to determine the user’s mood, current location and what type of evening they have in mind (i.e., celebrating with friends or a quiet romantic date). ‘Rising Sun’ would then use the
information gathered to generate a profile for the customer and their needs.
After choosing an appropriate bar that suits the user’s needs, ‘Rising Sun’ would then suggest a drink that had been determined by the client’s day and previously answered questions. This is also an excellent way for Asahi to promote and advertise its own and other alcoholic products sold at the bar.
The user could then choose to accept this drink or select another beverage of their choice. They are then notified when the beverage is prepared and ready at the bar - reducing queues and creating a more tranquil and relaxed bar experience.
Furthermore, at the end of the questionnaire, the user is given their ‘Sun Symbol’ in one of four colours. This colour will determine which section of the bar you can collect your drink.
Based on the questionnaire, users who have had a similar day will receive the same colour and maybe even the same shape ‘Sun Symbol’. ‘Rising Sun’ brings a new dimension to meeting new people. The app can now be used to connect similar/like-minded people and provides a point of conversation to start two people talking. This, in turn, creates a more sociable and friendly atmosphere in the bar, possibly even sparking the occasional romance.
The ‘Sun Symbol’ will turn into the users assigned colour when the phone is placed back on lock screen. The bar will then be made up of the soft glows of each person’s colour (see interior plan).
After taking your information from the questionnaire, ‘Rising Sun’ recycles the information and uses it to help future users. This allows clients to compare bars in the area to see which of them have most people using the space for a specific reason. For example, a bar in Soho may have more couples on a date than a bar in Convent Garden, filled with people who want a more party atmosphere. These findings will be recorded in the app’s algorithm.
Bar Layout
We believe that the perfect bar of the future should be easily adaptable and catered to their customer’s needs. This is why the Asahi bars would be made up of collapsible and hidden furniture - making the space itself more diverse and flexible.
This is where the app can work both for the customer and the owners of the Asahi bars, thereby creating a more transparent communication between the two.
For example, if the app displayed to the manager of the Covent Garden bar that the majority of people wanted to be seated then the furniture could be quickly assembled to allow more customers into the bar.
However, if most people wanted to dance and mingle, then the furniture could collapse to allow room for this. Using the data gathered from ‘Rising Sun’ Asahi bars could tailor their space, music, mood, and lighting to create the perfect atmosphere for their customers.