The Double Club epitomises the latest London trend – transient clubs
January 16th, 2009
This is the first piece from indesignlive’s new London correspondent Alaana Fitzpatrick (former Editor of DQ magazine). This month she introduces us to a temporary addition to London’s nightlife…
In a little lane behind London’s Angel tube station, hidden amongst the industrial steel workshops, the Double Club is a gem worth fossicking for. But you’d better be quick, as it’s only around for a good time – not a long time.
The latest project by Fondazione Prada, dreamed up by German artist Carsten Höller, the Double Club appeals to the ever-fickle crowd of creatives and socialites in the bustling global city. And its success lies in the approach. Rather than trying to lure them in as loyal patrons, the Double Club exploits the fact that those in the know move on quickly, and allows just enough time for word to spread before it will shut up shop.
Opened towards the end of 2008, this dynamic space is an assault on the senses. Excessive colour, texture and contrast are almost too confronting to take in all at once – yet somehow it blends perfectly. It is divided into bar, restaurant and dance club, and each is split down the middle and designed to represent disparate ways of life; “creating a dialogue between Congolese and Western contemporary music, lifestyle, arts and design”.
The intensity awakens something inside, and the buzz of the patrons – drifting from the “congo” spaces back to the “west” – draws you into another world. Enter the bar where Portuguese azulejo (painted decorative tiles) line the wall and floor marking out the ‘garden space’, while in the background your eyes are drawn towards the neon lights and copper bar announcing “Two Horses Riders Club”.
Enjoy a few drinks here, or head upstairs to the rotating dance floor where the music alternates from Western styles to Congolese Rumba, Wenge or Ndombolo depending on what half of the space the DJ has revolved into.
A seemingly extravagant concept, the Double Club is a not-for-profit organisation. A portion of the profits raised in its six-month duration will be donated to the City of Joy charity – dedicated to helping abused women and children in the Congo.
The Double Club
thedoubleclub.co.uk
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Suitable for applications ranging from schools and retail outlets to computer rooms and X-ray suites, Palettone comes in two varieties and a choice of more than fifty colours.
The Sub-Zero Wolf showrooms in Sydney and Melbourne provide a creative experience unlike any other. Now showcasing all-new product ranges, the showrooms present a unique perspective on the future of kitchens, homes and lifestyles.
Sub-Zero and Wolf’s prestigious Kitchen Design Contest (KDC) has celebrated the very best in kitchen innovation and aesthetics for three decades now. Recognising premier kitchen design professionals from around the globe, the KDC facilitates innovation, style and functionality that pushes boundaries.
Channelling the enchanting ambience of the Caffè Greco in Rome, Budapest’s historic Gerbeaud, and Grossi Florentino in Melbourne, Ross Didier’s new collection evokes the designer’s affinity for café experience, while delivering refined seating for contemporary hospitality interiors.
A new entrant in the designer bathroom sector has opened a stylish, Italian-influenced showroom in Sydney’s Alexandria. Splash Bathroomware sells all Australian designed and made bathroom furnishings.
A number of flexible/shared offices have popped up across Australia – one being Flex Office, located in South Melbourne. While the base building was designed by Elenberg Fraser, Hickory commissioned Six Degrees Architects to design the ground floor area.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Esteemed international practice OMA has completed AIR in Singapore, a genre-straddling project defined by openness and an emphasis on waste.
We spoke with Jeffrey Wilkes of WILKESDESIGN about the John Portman-designed building, which has been infused with touches of local culture and colour.
Savage Design’s approach to understanding the relationship between design concepts and user experience, particularly with metalwork, transcends traditional boundaries, blending timeless craftsmanship with digital innovation to create enduring elegance in objects, furnishings, and door furniture.