walk-in cocktail cloud surrounds visitors to bompas & parr's alcoholic architecture

walk-in cocktail cloud surrounds visitors to bompas & parr’s alcoholic architecture
photo by garage CCC / courtesy of bompas & parr

on july 30th, 2015, bompas & parr opens ‘alcoholic architecture‘ at london’s borough market, an intoxicating weather system for the tongue where meteorology and mixology unite. a walk-in cloud of breathable cocktail surrounds visitors as a fully immersive alcohol environment that brings the world’s best drinks to architectural scale.

the weather system for the tongue unites meteorology and mixology
photo by garage CCC

the vapor is composed of fine spirits and mixer at a ratio of 1:3 and realized through the use of powerful humidifiers that super-saturate the surrounding air. alcohol enters the bloodstream through the body’s mucus membranes: primarily the lungs but also the eyeballs. by breathing in the drink, alcohol bypasses the liver, allowing a person to consume 40 percent less to feel the same effect. sam bompas, director of bompas & parr, says ‘imagine disney meets de sade in barbarella’s castle by way of medieval times with flagons of ale!’

once inside, visitors can order cocktails from a menu that complements the tastes of the breathable beverage. bompas & parr has worked with respiratory scientists and chemists to calculate safe amounts of time that guests can remain inside the cloud. 

a walk-in cloud of breathable cocktail surrounds visitors
photo by garage CCC

the fully immersive alcohol environment brings the world’s best drinks to architectural scale
photo by garage CCC

the breathable vapor is composed of fine spirits and mixer
photo by sam bompas 

‘alcoholic architecture’ sits on the site of an ancient monastery
photo by ann charlott ommedal