Originally installed at PLAY Bar at the Museum of Sex in NYC

The Bar Beacon is part notification system, part spectacle—an embedded interface that operates simultaneously for staff and guests, each with a completely different reading of the same signal.

Installed as a jewel-like centerpiece above the main bar at the Den at PLAY (Museum of Sex, creative direction by Emilie Baltz), the Beacon communicated directly with servers, quietly indicating when drinks and plates were ready for pickup. At the same time, it performed for the public: a looping display of animated, suggestive icons that transformed back-of-house signals into a playful visual experience.

This dual-layer communication system reframes operational infrastructure as atmosphere—turning a functional alert into something expressive, ambient, and contextually appropriate to its environment.

The project explores how embedded systems can carry multiple meanings at once, and how even utilitarian signals can contribute to the emotional and social tone of a space.