Transit Studio were asked to create a new flexible event space across the three historic buildings that make up the world-renowned Groucho Club, in Soho, London. The brief was to create an innovative space or series of spaces with almost unlimited potential for use, suitable for hosting weddings, large dinners, breakfast meetings and intimate gatherings, as well as a space for members. We wanted to do this in a way that felt very much a part of the creative DNA of the club, challenging what an event space can look and feel like. Our first task was to look at stitching the spaces together with major structural work, rationalising the layout and bring the three buildings together across different levels. We installed a floating acoustic floor and an acoustic ceiling, to isolate the spaces from the bar below and from the bedrooms above. We wanted to create a design with a strong personality, but not overwhelm the events that people might want to create, bridging the world of the corporate client, but embracing the creative. To bring light fully into the room, we used mirror finish stainless steel across the ceiling and niches to create a sense of optical illusion and grandeur that is reflected in the bar front design. The Groucho had pioneered the creation of an unstuffy members club for people across creative fields, opening 10 years before the first Soho House. The gallery aspect of the club and the importance of the art were key to the design. We created the Carter Room, an art filled haven, named in honour of Nicky Carter, the Club’s Art Director. The project was innovative for the club, seamlessly blending in the technology, acoustics, and sound performance to enable almost any use of the space, but feeling very much part of the club in character. Additionally because the rooms can be open or closed from each other, it allows for a very broad variety of room configurations, and with all the personality in being in an eclectic and intriguing loft. We feel the originality of the design comes from the very personality of the space, this is a very Groucho prism to look at the contemporary light filled loft through, and we feel the result is very much part of the character of the ever evolving club. With the upgraded acoustics, above and below, and the acoustic separation possible within the spaces, this is a highly functional container in which the club can host almost any event scenario. The flow of people in and around and through the spaces has been carefully considered, whilst also making it easy for staff to serve almost any event in the space. The design choices are driven by quality materials that will age well within the design. The design enables morning to night socialising and events for a very broad variety of members and organisations across the arts and cultural spheres, championing up and coming creatives and offering a welcoming melting pot for the cultural family that is the Groucho Club.