Today's Nightclubs?
-
I know this may not be the right place to be talking about this, but I know that many of the people on here are architects and designers so here goes. I am beginning my last year of school and I am starting a senior thesis that is on nightclub design. I have been doing lots of research and it has been a challenge. I am looking to find general information about night club design, but I am also looking for the current trends in nightclubs and I am limited to only experiencing nightclubs in Pittsburgh, PA. I want a larger, more global view on how nightclubs are in other countries. What are the trends? What is the turnover rate of nightclubs and is better to have a themed design or not? How does the physchology of sound and light work with people and the design of the nightclub?
These are some of the questions I am asking myself and if anyone can give me insight, opinions, references, or anything that I can use...please...it would be so greatly appreciated. I ask on here because I know there is a diverse group of people that give great insight and I do not want to limit myself to only what I have experienced and see around me, because believe it or not...Pittsburgh, PA isnt necessarily the most bumping place for nightclubs
THank you in advance for any help. -
This may seem like a weird suggestion... but go to a travel website! You may be able to find a place of interest, then from there you could go on to see what the night life is all about. They usually have information about nightclubs, restaurants, bars, etc. I've been to a couple of nightclubs here in NC and they lean more toward the drinkers! Big bar with a small dance floor... I'm not saying it is a bad thing cause I can't dance! (big
) -
I believe John Wiley & Sons publishing company has a book that covers restaurant and nightclub/bar design. You might try their website.
Also, Hospitality Design magazine sometimes includes nightclubs. You might see if your university's library carries it, or try their website.
I would think your university would have indexes for the various artchitectural magazines which would help you look up past publications that feature nightclubs, too.
-
Try nightclubs.com...
It seems to be a portal to nightclubs all over the place. I'm sure with a keen eye and some browsing the web you observe all kinds of interesting things about nightclubs. Rather than look for someone else's expertise just rely on your own observations & insights. Think of yourself as an analyst. You will find yourself quickly becoming an expert in the subject. The greater your investment in your own observations & insights, the easier you'll find seeing trends & recognizing new ideas. I'd suggest starting a notebook (or blog thingie) and record your observations & ideas as you explore and think about the subject. Be sure to record the urls of sites you visit in an organized way so you can more easily return to particular ones when new insights suggest a second look.
Good luck -- have fun -- observe -- don't just look for 'cool' -- try to see the big picture too.
Regards, Ross
-
Thanks guys. All of this really helps. Its tough though, because a lot of my research will be from interiews and ovbservations, but that isnt necessarily enough for my professor. Im still looking for concrete data and contacts. Im not expecting anyone to just hand me over an answer but I was just looking to see if anyone had some of those things, but what you guys are giving me so far is really helpful. Here is my abstract for the paper if it helps to better understand the project....Thanks again guys and thank you in advance to anyone else that gives me any further help
abstract:
"This paper will study the dynamics that go into designing a contemporary nightclub that has the capability of being marketable year-to-year. It will explain the necessities of a functioning nightclub and explore innovative ways of employing new technologies into a design. The paper will answer the following questions: what is the typical life cycle of a nightclub and how can that be increased, how can modern technology be incorporated into a design, what type of atmosphere do customers anticipate, and how do the sensory effects created by the environment influence their experience? The methodologies used to examine these questions will be observations, interviews, surveys, and scholarly literature. The information from evaluating these questions will help determine a successful nightclub design." -
Hi Steelers,
Just a few more thoughts for your research...
Apparently nightclubs in some parts of Europe tend to be places where rich foreign 'businessmen' splash out on expensive drinks and even more expensive girls. But I suppose your thesis is about music/dance clubs, right?
Nightclubs can obviously vary greatly in size and the sort of music played there (music will also determine the type of clientele frequenting the place, and that will have an effect on the appropriate design treatment). I do not know about turnover rate and other figures but you could perhaps approach some club owners in your locality. If you find they are willing to help, tell them honestly you are a student looking for info – who knows one day you will be designing for them in real life!
I’m not sure about themed venues (I personally hate themed restaurants and the like) but they might work for the majority of clubgoers. I am not a big clubber but I like ‘lounge bars’ for their more laid-back atmosphere and music. Some of them are the trendiest places with the latest design features, clever lighting and ambience worth checking out.
The atmosphere of the interior can surely be influenced by the décor, the layout, scale/proportion, or the colour treatment of walls, floor, furniture etc. Don’t forget, though, that specialist lighting can alter the overall effect – this is a tricky bit but can be used as an advantage! Consult light/sound technicians in person if possible. Discuss a few key points with them – they should give a general guideline free of charge. Alternatively, check out their websites – you can find very useful info there, case studies with photos and floor plans you can observe.
Last but not least, dont forget to check related planning guides by local authorities on health and safety requirements. Also do find some essays/articles about the psychology of colour, sound and light and their effect on people and incorporate the info into your design.
Check out this pro link for useful articles, interviews, case studies and some good pics on the nightclub scene. (See the archives section for past issues): http://www.clubsystemsinternational.com/indexmain.htm
Enjoy your project,
Aggie
-
Thank you aggie. A lot of good feedback and it helps me out a lot
-
No problem... glad I could help!
Advertisement