Behind Bars x XXXI Studio: Rethinking the Bar Experience at The Gulf Bar Show

Showcasing Our Vision and Collaboration at The Gulf Bar Show in Dubai

Concept render | Stand Design

This April 7-8, the Gulf Bar Show (GBS) launches its first edition, the first of its kind in the MENA region. As both speakers and suppliers, we’re excited to contribute to this new platform, sharing our vision in bar design and hospitality. More than just bar stations, we’re bringing our approach to creating thoughtful, bartender-centric systems that consider functionality, workflow and aesthetics.

We’re collaborating with XXXI Studio to explore how form and function come together to shape better hospitality spaces. Through this partnership, we’ve developed two bespoke bar stations that highlight what’s possible when creativity and functionality go hand in hand - these stations will be at the heart of our stand at The Gulf Bar Show.

Sneak peek video

Our stand at GBS is designed as an interactive space where visitors can experience bar design up close. Featuring the two custom-built stations created with XXXI Studio, the installation highlights different approaches to structure, materials, and functionality. The setup encourages engagement, whether through hands-on demonstrations, conversations about design choices, or seeing how thoughtful layouts can enhance both workflow and guest interaction.

More than just functional tools, these stations challenge expectations, reframing how we think about space, hospitality, and shared experiences.

Rock Station – A Sculptural Take on the Bar Experience

In a collaboration driven by curiosity and a shared desire to push boundaries, Behind Bars, XXXI Studio, and Constança Cordeiro set out to create a bar experience that invites wonder and challenges expectations. The result was the Rock Station, originally designed for Uni Cocktail Bar in Lisbon.

The creative process was meticulous - sketches, digital models, and countless discussions refined the vision until only the essential elements remained. The station itself is a full set of functional bar components honed to their purest form: an insulated well intelligently divided for ice, bottles, and a primary working surface; a sink with an integrated glass rinser; and a seamless mirror-polished workbench. Surrounding it, sculptural wooden cladding creates a striking contrast - merging the artistic with the practical.

Through this collaboration, the station became more than a tool, it became a critical piece of an experience. A bar that shifts expectations and reframes how we think about space, hospitality, and shared experiences.

Rock Station

The XXXI Station – Exploring Impermanence in Hospitality Design

When Behind Bars and XXXI Studio started working together, it wasn’t just about building a bar, it was about exploring the ever-shifting nature of hospitality concepts - spaces that demand adaptability without compromise. The result was the XXXI Station, shaped through a collaborative process of design iterations and real-time feedback. With its transparent acrylic cladding, it puts every element on display — nothing hidden, everything considered.

Built as a flexible bar system, the XXXI Station is designed to adapt to changing concepts and spaces, offering adaptability while maintaining efficiency. It’s a response to the evolving nature of the hospitality industry, where adaptability is key to longevity and innovation.

XXXI Station

For more details about the stations, reach out to us at info@behindbars.agency

More Than a Showcase — A Space to Connect

Beyond design, these stations are meant to be experienced. Our space at GBS is designed for interaction, hosting 1:1 sessions, workshops, and guest shifts with industry leaders. From bartending techniques to flavor development and insights into hospitality, we’re creating a space for discussion and exchange.

Join Us

If you’re attending GBS, stop by our stand R26 to see these stations in action. You can also check out our event page for the full agenda of workshops and guest shifts.

We look forward to sharing our work, our approach, and meaningful conversations about where bar design is headed.

Concept render | Stand Design