RAY PUB/暗光在4月开业，此时的杭州刚迎来初夏，梧桐树上重又长出绿色大叶子，阳光透过树叶缝隙明晃晃地洒到中河中路上，洒到街边停成一溜的车辆上。 杭州的中河开凿于唐代，北至东河连通京杭大运河，南接钱塘江流入大海，全长6.1公里，排水泄洪、航运通道、市民用水、农田灌溉都有赖于这些江河水系。南宋时期，中河是南宋皇城的护城河，与御街毗邻。随着城市的推进发展，中河两岸铺肆林立，市民居住休憩，商贾南来北往运送物资，颇为繁华。 紧贴中河的中河中路，地处闹市、人口密集、车水马龙，多年前已被改为单行道。RAY PUB精酿就坐落在中河中路上，直面中河，隔壁是亚朵酒店。RAY PUB的露台正下方是杭州市政的公共自行车第1298号租赁服务点，硕大的路标“中河中路二三零号”，反倒成了RAY PUB的天然定位。 RAY PUB的logo像道凌厉的闪电。主理人任先生曾是职业摄影师，着迷于光和影的变换，Ray /rei/，光线，是他的畅想；又因为姓任、老外极易把ren发音为“ray”，于是他开的酒吧自然而然取名为“Ray Pub”，中文名“暗光”。 闪电logo在空间设计中成为线索，跳跃的荧光绿诉说着它的独立特行。客人们可以在很多细节上发现它，譬如镂空的院子门、进入空间的门把手、水泥立柱上的展示、以及贯穿空间顶部的当代极简折线，处处彰显出它的桀骜不驯。 网络时代，节奏越来越快，信息量越来越多，人们渴望沟通，渴望被了解。所以，在RAY PUB的设计中更注重“打开”的思路，尽可能减少建筑里的墙体和隔断，借此消除建筑与人、人与人之间的阻碍，将空间变得开敞与包容。 店铺中间选用橄榄树、苔藓和黄蜡石造景，用暖色调的景与水泥灰的空间碰撞出柔与刚的火花。座位区沿景观环绕一圈，不设置固定餐桌，客人可以根据自己的需求，自由移动或拼桌。吧台背后正面的相机墙，既体现了任先生的职业与爱好，也暗合RAY PUB的内涵。 户外区是RAY PUB的亮点，梧桐树下光影斑驳，和煦的风儿迎面吹拂。这个区域占到店铺面积的40%+，在城中闹市区能拥有这么大空间的露天庭院，真可以用“奢侈”来形容。设计中继续秉承“打开”的思路，将户外与室内的墙体去除，以大面积折叠玻璃窗的形式将室内延伸至室外，折窗下可以两侧对坐，内外贯通，浑然一体。这个区域也正如设计之初的设想，拍照、打卡、聚会、用餐，成为最受客人们欢迎的区域。 在光与影的探索中，RAY PUB更像一个载体和平台，鼓励大家去交流和表达，在公共空间里享受都市里的自由与放松。
RAY PUB opens in April this year, and it’s the early summer in Hangzhou. The green big leaves are back to the buttonwood trees, through which the sunlight shines down on the road, and scatters on the cars parking in line along the Zhonghe Mid Rd. The Zhonghe River was dug in Tang Dynasty. The north of the river links to the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, and the south connects with Qiantang River, flowing into the sea. The total length of the is 6.1 kilometer, and these river system functions as flood discharge, shipping lanes, public water and farm irrigation. In Southern Song Dynasty, Zhonghe River is the moat of imperial city, and it’s adjacent to imperial street. Along with the city development, there are more and more shops opening on both sides of the river, with people dwelling in there. Merchants ship goods and materials between north and south, making this area flourishing. The Zhonghe Mid Rd. sticks close to the Zhonghe River, which is the downtown area, with dense population and heavy traffic. It has been changed into one-way street years ago. RAY PUB is located in Zhonghe Mid Rd., facing Zhonghe River directly, and with ATOUR Hotel next door. Under the terrace of RAY PUB, it is the No. 1298 public bike rental service station of Hangzhou municipal administration. A large road sign “No. 230 Zhonghe Mid Rd.” becomes the natural location of RAY PUB. The logo of RAY PUB is like a sharp lightning. The owner Mr. Ren was a professional photographer, who is obsessing in transformation of light and shadow. Ray is light, which is his imagination. Besides, his family name is Ren, which is very easy for foreigners to pronounce as “Ray”. Therefore, his pub is named as “RAY PUB”, with a Chinese name “An Guang”, which means “dark light”. The lightning logo is a clue in space design, and the shiny green is telling the story about its uniqueness. The customers can find it in so many details, such as the hollowed out door of the courtyard, the door handle in the entrance, the display in the concrete column, and the contemporary minimal poly lines running through the ceiling, demonstrating its rebelliousness everywhere. In a network age, the pace is getting faster and faster, and the quantity of information is getting more and more. People are eager to communicate and to be understood. Therefore, the idea ”opening” is emphasized in the design of RAY PUB. The designer tried his best to reduce the walls and partitions in architecture, thus to eliminate the obstruction between architecture and people, between people and people, making the space more opened and inclusive. There is a landscaping in the middle, which is made of olive tree, moss and chrismatite. It’s the crashing of tenderness and toughness, by warm-toned landscaping and concrete gray space. The seating area is surrounding the central landscaping, and there’s no fixed dining tables, customers can move the seats or share a table with others according to their demand. There is a wall full of cameras behind the bar counter, it is not only an expression of Mr. Ren’s career and hobby, but also coinciding with the connotation of RAY PUB. The outdoor area is the highlights of RAY PUB, with light and shadow under the buttonwood trees, and with the gentle breeze blowing to the face. This area takes more than 40% area of the whole pub. It can be called “luxury” to have such a big courtyard in the downtown. The design is also in accordance with “opening” idea, removing the wall between the yard and indoor area, and using a large folding glass window to extend the indoor area into outdoor. People can sit on both sides under the folding window, and the indoor and outdoor area is connected into a unified entity. Just like what was imagined at the beginning of the design, this area becomes the most popular area as people can take photos, have a gathering or have meals here. During the exploration of light and shadow, RAY PUB is more like a supporter and platform. It encourages people to communicate and express, and to enjoy the freedom and relaxation in a public space.