Zachary Pulman Design Studio’s Pop Golf project uses bling, bright lights and social media to attract a young crowd.

Key features 

Looking at Zachary Pulman Design Studio’s Pop Golf project in London is like playing a game of inspiration dominos. The mini-golf course includes a glowing ‘infinity box’ inspired by Drake’s ‘Hotline Bling’ music video, which was inspired by the works of artist James Turrell. There’s a hint in the project’s name that Drake is more relevant than Turrell here; each hole at Pop Golf is dedicated to a subgenre of pop music. Marking the start of a new franchise, the Wembley location is built to be shared on social media, with bright colour blocking providing the kind of eye candy TikTok backdrops are made of. 

Frame’s take 

For many, the buzz of creating ‘social-media spaces’ has long worn off. ‘Creating “Instagram moments” is too much like instant noodles or fast food,’ Yabu Pushelberg’s George Yabu told us in Frame 140. ‘It’s not responsible and it’s too obvious.’ That duo, though, is designing for a very different market than something like Pop Golf, and there’s a time and place for flashy and fun,too. We think a mini-golf course fits the bill. Plus, for an indoor space, Zachary Pulman Design Studio didn’t try to merely mimic existing outdoor mini-golf courses but created an individual Pop Golf image, something that will serve the group as it expands through franchising.