LAS VEGAS DISHES ON DESIGN
Searching for more international club design trends, HN chatted with David Kempt, nightclub and bar digital content editor at the Nightclub & Bar Show (NCB Show), the US’S most influential gathering of bar and nightlife professionals.
1. Similar design elements are found in nightclubs around the world, from Las Vegas to Paris. Warehouses and factories have long been utilized for nightclub spaces, but utilitarian, industrial design is now reimagined as comfortable and luxurious. It’s common now for even a larger nightclub to feel like a lavish apartment. Along those same lines, seemingly unrestrained use of luxury, reclaimed and upcycled design materials are being used to make minimalist spaces seem intimate and indulgent, while speaking to today’s desire for responsible, green architecture and design. 2. Nightclubs of all sizes across the globe are featuring bold and sharp features that tie the floor, walls, bars and interior and exterior spaces together through thoughtful design. 3. One design trend arguably driven by over-the-top Las Vegas nightclubs is an
extravagant showpiece that becomes part of the audio-visual experience, such as Intrigue, Las Vegas’ lagoon, which features a 24-meter waterfall and pyrotechnics. Clever designers can create showpieces on a smaller, but still impactful, scale.
4. People will be seeing more all-inclusive nightlife destinations. That may take the form of concepts like Hakkasan Group’s eponymous Las Vegas location that boasts multiple nightlife environments, including a restaurant, helmed by a Michelin-starred chef. The key is distinct spaces that speak to guests and keep them entertained and engaged as their night (or day) progresses. This isn’t limited to huge venues, either; Bang Bang in San Diego, for example, delivers this type of experience brilliantly.
Preferably, the bar should have an 180-degree or a 360-degree design, rather than flat and straight. This makes it more accessible and facilitates serving to guests. Usually, club bars are stuck all the way in the back room but I believe placing them in the middle or somewhere close to the happening or dancing area would generate more buzz and also bring higher income