The project's programmatic objective was to create a nightclub with a dual nature—one that allowed intimacy while remaining versatile enough to host sizable crowds during special events and performances. Central to this design is an elevated stage that can be partitioned for smaller acts. Ensuring the visibility of the stage from every vantage point was a crucial aspect of the design, balanced harmoniously with the creation of more personal seating niches. These niches serve as spaces where patrons can interact with each other and immerse themselves in the vibrant streetlife beyond. Other elements of the program include the two cocktail bars, back of house support spaces, and new restrooms.
One of the first challenges with this space was resolving the height difference between the finished floor and the adjacent sidewalk. This opportunity resulted in arguably the most powerful element of the space: the entrance ramp. This entry sequence not only invites access deeper into the space but also unveils the interior gradually, fostering a temporal dimension integral to the operational and experiential aspects of the space. The intention is for the experience to unfold slowly, revealing itself as individuals navigate multiple thresholds.
Flanking both sides of the interior are two cocktail bars, anchored with angled soffits extending over seating areas, which help to frame different sightlines and play a crucial role in reducing the scale of the bars, contributing to a more intimate and inviting ambiance.
A central motivation for the design was to encourage engagement from the street while maintaining a private internal atmosphere. To achieve this, a strategy of tiered seating was implemented, achieved with highly textured poured-in-place concrete walls, offering flexible seating options along the street frontage. Chiseling away the concrete block facade, two large bifolding doors were installed, opening up to the street, increasing interaction with the sidewalk, and permitting natural light to permeate the space.
To address acoustic considerations, angled surfaces were introduced to reduce parallel sound reverberation, and integrated wall panels with soft, sound-absorbing materials were designed. The deliberate use of non-parallel surfaces and forms aids in directing sound within the space without unwanted reflections.
Balancing the old and the new is paramount in adaptive reuse projects. Preserving the historic features of the warehouse, such as the original concrete slab and exposed steel beams, serves as a reminder of its industrial past. Warm wood tones and tile finishes complement these elements, creating a harmonious blend of historic and contemporary design.
The intentionally unpolished concrete seating elements allow the aggregate and subtle texture of the material to shine through. The design team explored what it means to modify the ground plane and carve into the earth, researching projects like Michael Heizer's City to understand terraforming and scale, as well as Carlos Scarpa's negative and positive play with concrete stepped forms at Brione Cemetery. This, combined with the pure geometry of the circular breeze block, provided a balanced counterpoint to the warm white oak and terracotta tile throughout the space.
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