my club design

[masnbridge]

I am a pupil of Swanmore college of technology in Hampshire (England) and for my year 11 graphics project will be designing a nightclub. I am currently in the reaserching phase before I start designing.
I will need to collect information from a variety of sources. I am currently looking for any information about how you would reccomend I use colours, layout my club what features to have etc.
Any information about good clubs you have been to in the past will be good and if anyone has designed any clubs in the past then any information about design processes would help me a lot or manufacturers of equiptment/ features used. Also if there are any relevant sites which may help me please give them.
Many thanks, chris

[MacMoto]

Hi Chris,

A night club for dancers (as opposed to standard clubbers) should have:
At least one large sprung wooden dancefloor of a simple shape with no obstructions/hazards such as pillars (or trees :lol: -- one of the clubs I dance at has an artificial tree growing in the middle of dancefloor :evil:. Not a bright idea).

Seating areas with wide enough space for traffic from the bar, clearly separate from the dancefloor but with easy access to the floor. I went to one club that had two levels. Downstairs had a bar and the dancefloor but no seating. To sit down, you had to take your drinks and go up two flights of stairs to the gallery, which meant you'd miss out on the dancefloor action. Keen dancers ended up standing around the dancefloor with a drink in hand/on floor all night. I think a split level design to separate seating and dancefloor is fine as long as you can see the dancefloor from the seating area well and can move from one level to the other quickly enough, but not two bleeding flights of stairs :evil:.

Bar adjacent to the seating areas, not the dancefloor.
There are clubs where people have no choice but to walk across or on the edge of the dancefloor to get to seats from the bar. You end up with drink spills all over the floor, which can be dangerous.

Reasonable level of light so you can see the partner's hands (important in salsa dancing). I find some clubs' lighting too dark. Even worse are dark clubs with strong spotlights or strobes. Every time you turn to the direction of a spotlight, you are blinded and can't see anything.

Good air conditioning!

Plenty of toilets! Remember, think of a number you think is sufficient, then double that for ladies.

And of course, a good sound system and a band stand/stage next to the dancefloor (for those live band events).

As long as you get these things right, I don't care about the colour scheme or decor. I like light, airy and elegant, but I'd be equally happy with a grungy basement look as long as it's a dancer-friendly place.

Good luck with your project.

[cocodrilo]

Hi Masnbridge! I am a graphic designer by trade and also produce latin dance parties(not ballroom) and agree with what Macmoto has to say entirely. Just what aspect of design are you embarking on? Is this architectural design? Industrial design or interior design? You will notice most of us on DF come from all parts of the world and here in Japan, ample parking is also a necesity. Ditto that about ladies' restrooms and include a changing room or two if it's more than a "club"(ie.e there will be "social" dance lessons held there in afternoons, etc). Also, a bit of a high ceiling will be important for those lighting fixtures. Over here, I get blinded by the lights (as they are low & I am tall!) and at some dnce studios have to actually watch my head for low-hanging TV/video monitors...