Interiors for a nightclub in Bangkok that uses dramatic forms and a robust material palette to introduce a little drama to local nightlife.
Following its design of London’s Matter nightclub, Pentagram has created a new concept for Beam, a club in Bangkok which hopes to bring dancing to local nightlife. Comprising of a lounge bar and club space, Beam is situated in Bangkok’s Thonglor district, and is part of 72 Courtyard, a complex of restaurants and cafes designed by architect, Amanda Levete.
Pentagram’s brief was to create an interior for the nightclub that would fit seamlessly into Levete's external form. The club is arranged over two floors, a first floor consisting of the lounge bar and a second floor hosting a large, double height dance area.
Pentagram’s concept compliments the bipolarity of the space, creating a coherent narrative between the relaxed lounge bar downstairs and the frenetic nightclub upstairs. This is achieved through the use of dramatic forms and the development of a robust material palette, which juxtaposes raw finishes including shuttered concrete, with refined touches in details featuring bronze and marble.
The two floors are connected by a stairway that has been designed to create a sense of arrival. The staircase is structurally and materially dramatic, using a combination of shuttered concrete and white marble tiles to line the walls. This creates an orchestrated entrance moment that introduces clientele to what the owner conceived as a new clubbing experience in Bangkok.
The downstairs area is a relaxed space, for eating, drinking and socialising to the sound of host DJs. The lounge features a range of materials and colours that are both muted and warm, creating a calm but sophisticated environment. Adjacent is a terrace which features a vertical wall of cascading planting.
The first floor club area is a contemporary urban space with high, chapel-like ceilings. A fluid sculptural cast concrete form is used to tie each element of the room together, from wrapping down at high level to form the bar and low bench seating, and rising up to form a beam suspending hanging tables. The club features state of the art sound and light systems designed and installed by Dave Parry’s Most Technical and Asia’s first ‘body kinetic’ dance floor - to create an immersive experience.
