The Guest RoomA new room every 12 weeks

Opening in Manhattan · Founding seasons

A new room every 12 weeks.

Then it is gone for good.

The Guest Room is a permanent café that works like a stage. Each season one artist takes over the whole room, the cups, the menu and a set of collectibles. Nothing is ever restocked.

See a sample season Partner or exhibit

The idea

One café. Four worlds a year.

The café is the stage and the artist is the headliner. Coffee is the ticket; the season is the thing people come for.

  • An artist takes over the room

    Walls, a hero installation, the window, the cups and the look of the menu are all designed by one artist. The artist keeps their copyright and is paid a fee plus a royalty.

  • A guest pastry chef

    A New York pastry chef creates the season's pastries, baked fresh and capped each day. The whole menu is halal and alcohol-free, and open to all ages.

  • Collectibles in monthly drops

    A free random collectible with every collab drink, pocket items to buy, and a few numbered pieces. A passport gets stamped each season.

The one promise behind all of it: nothing from a season is ever restocked or reproduced.

How a season runs

Every season follows the same script.

A beginning, a peak and a deadline. The end of one season is the teaser for the next.

  1. 8 weeks before

    Silhouette

    A cropped detail of the next artist appears at the closing party. The waitlist opens.

  2. 4 weeks before

    Reveal

    The artist is announced from both accounts. The build is filmed as it happens.

  3. 1 week before

    Preview night

    Creators and press see the room first. Opening-weekend seatings go out by free lottery.

  4. Weeks 1–2

    Opening

    The artist is on site. Timed entry keeps the wait short.

  5. Week 5

    Second drop

    New drinks, a new collectible set and one new numbered piece.

  6. Week 9

    Third drop

    The last set, and the artist's second signing day.

  7. Weeks 11–12

    Last call

    A countdown with real remaining quantities.

  8. Close

    Art sale

    Originals and room pieces are sold. The next silhouette goes up.

Year one

What four seasons could look like.

Working themes for the founding year. Each real room is designed by its season's artist.

Spring

Greenhouse

Painted botanical walls, a hanging paper canopy, matcha and floral teas.
Summer

Arcade

Pixel-art walls, a claw machine full of collectibles, iced drinks in pixel cups.

Holiday

Winter Atelier

A ceramicist's snowy studio, hot chocolate flights, numbered ornaments as gifts.

Late winter

Lantern Nights

A lantern-lit night market with late hours, dates and cardamom coffee.

Four seasons a year · 12 weeks each · open seven days · about one week closed between seasons to change the room.

For brands

Present a season.

One presenting partner per season, exclusive in its category. We handle the space, permits, build, staff, artist and content. You brief and approve.

  • "[Season] by [Artist], presented by [Brand]" on the menu, cups and press
  • One moment in the room, designed by the artist around your brand
  • A co-branded drink and a piece in every collectible set
  • Launch night and private evenings for your team or customers
  • A build film, a photo library and a weekly report
  • A guaranteed minimum number of visits, with a make-good if we fall short
Request the sponsor package See a partner corner

For artists

Take over the room.

Twelve weeks, one room, your name on it. We fabricate, manufacture and pay for everything; you lead the art.

  • A fee, plus a royalty on everything carrying your work
  • You keep your copyright; our licence ends 30 days after closing
  • No spec work, and monthly royalty statements you can audit
  • You approve the season's sponsor before we sign it
  • A photo and film package of the room that is yours to use
  • Your work is never used to train AI
Request the artist invitation See a sample season

Where we are

Signing the founding year first.

We are lining up four artists and four presenting partners before we sign a lease. That way the first year is funded and programmed before the doors open.

  1. Founding artists and partnersLetters of intent for the four founding seasons. This is happening now.
  2. AgreementsEach artist approves the brand it is paired with. Partner deposits are held until the lease is signed.
  3. The spaceA ground-floor former café of about 1,200–1,500 sq ft in downtown Manhattan.
  4. OpeningSeason one opens five to seven months after the lease is signed.

Get in touch

Hold a season.

A 30-minute call to walk through the room plans, the lineup and which season fits.

Brands and agenciesThe sponsor package, the season calendar and a letter of intent.Request the package → Artists, studios and galleriesThe artist invitation, the pay structure and the draft agreement.Request the invitation → Pastry chefs, press and othersGuest pastry seasons, supply partners, private evenings and press.Say hello →