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Basement Never Sleeps Gallery and Club

Benwu Studio

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Innovation
Functionality
Creativity
Eco-Social Impact
Total
JURY VOTES
Entertainment Venue
5.81
6.24
5.87
5.09
5.76
Weiping Lin
Weiping Lin Founder and Design Director at Lin Wei Ping Design Consulting
5
6.5
5
5
5.38
Ludmila Machado
Ludmila Machado Founder at Aurora Design
5.4
6
5
5
5.35
Jai Kumaran
Jai Kumaran Partner at West of West
6.2
6
5.4
4.8
5.6
Mark Timo
Mark Timo Founder at De Interieur Club
6
6
6
6
6
Luca Macri
Luca Macri Partner at Lamatilde
5
6.5
6.5
5
5.75
Apoorva Shroff
Apoorva Shroff Founder at lyth Design
5.78
5.7
5.86
5.94
5.82
Terry Xu
Terry Xu Chief Designer at Masanori Design Studio
5
6.5
5
5
5.38
Drew Gilbert
Drew Gilbert Design Manager at OBMI
5.78
5.78
5.38
5.46
5.6
Liyu Xue
Liyu Xue Founder and Creative Director at Staay
8
8
7
5
7
Marcel Häusler
Marcel Häusler Creative Director at Karl Anders
8
7
8
3
6.5
Michelle Smith
Michelle Smith Associate Designer at M Moser Associates
6
6
6
5
5.75
Alessandro Ranaldi
Alessandro Ranaldi Head of Workplace Consultancy at Foster and Partners
6
6.5
6
5
5.88
Llisa Demetrios
Llisa Demetrios Chief Curator at The Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity
5
6
6
5
5.5
Yuan Jiang
Yuan Jiang Cofounder at Soda
5
5
5
5
5
Yuanman Huang
Yuanman Huang Cofounder and Creative Designer at GS Design
5.05
6.19
5.98
6.19
5.85
Client
BNS
Floor area
1065 ㎡
Completion
2022
Budget
4 million Euros
Column, Mirror
Lighting

Nightclubs worldwide share a common thread of representing radical change, unconventional ideas, and bold experimentation. They challenge social norms and inject design, art, fashion, architecture, music, and lighting to shape new experiences and change traditional norms. This drives inspiration, excitement, and the joy of life, contributing to urban dynamism. Our client was captivated by the concept of Basement Never Sleeps (BNS) as it signifies the enduring spirit of partying, music, and art, even during challenging times like COVID-19. 

BNS combines a gallery and a nightclub, continuously shaping new experiences through unconventional ideas and bold experimentation. It aligns with contemporary art, pop culture, architectural design, and music, appealing to the younger generation who use the internet to explore evolving trends and cultural elements. BNS merges the enjoyment of visiting exhibitions and socializing at bars, fostering connections and expanding social circles. 

The underground entertainment space of the nightclub, spanning 878 square meters, includes designated areas for the dance floor, private seating, bar counter, and VIP rooms. The layout maximizes the hidden diagonals and reference lines of the space, creating emotional focal points that expand outward and interact with each other, reminiscent of the entanglement of quantum particles. These emotional focal points stimulate people's desire for social interaction.

The integration of the gallery space with the nightclub creates a unique and versatile venue that can accommodate different types of events and activities. The use of movable walls and double-sided screens enhances the space's flexibility, allowing it to be adapted to different usage scenarios easily. The tracks on which the double-sided screens are mounted provide power to both the screens and lighting fixtures, reducing unnecessary wiring and energy consumption.

Additionally, the design of each VIP room is inspired by different movies, incorporating elements and aesthetics extracted from them. This approach caters to the diverse aesthetic preferences of guests and gives each space a unique storytelling quality. The restroom is also given a distinct definition, with graffiti on the walls and an artistic mirror installation at the entrance, making it a famous photo spot.

Overall, BNS is a radical and visionary concept that merges contemporary art, pop culture, architectural design, and music. The design and layout of the nightclub space are carefully thought out, with emotional focal points stimulating people's desire for social interaction. The use of adjustable lighting fixtures and Sumbrella brand fabric for the smoking area's sofas enhances the space's adaptability and durability, respectively. The integration of the gallery space with the nightclub and the incorporation of movable walls and double-sided screens provide flexibility and versatility.