PM: CLUB, 

Studio Mode

Situated in Sofia, Bulgaria, the design concept for PM: Club is inspired by music for music lovers. Designed by Studio Mode, the British band Faithless led the concept for the interior design with their lyric ‘God is a DJ’.

Svetoslav Todorov of Studio Mode said “Everybody that is interested in music remembers the ‘Sunday 8PM’ album that the British group Faithless released in 1998. In the lead single Maxi Jazz sung: ‘God is a DJ’ which makes us want to add PM is a ‘Music Temple.’ ”

The entrance carries the temple theme with a series of domes, the likes of which are distinctive elements in public and religious buildings. Compositions of domes have been seen throughout the world going as far back as ancient Persia. Domes have structural independence, which were used to provide additional space for the interior.

Near the entrance, Studio Mode looked to widen the constrictive space towards the main open space, directing people inside and eliminating crowding at the entrance, evoking a fluid dynamic. In the project the Domes are used for additional purposes too; namely to conceal structural elements of the building, such as the concrete beams on the ceiling, as well as creating ‘invisible ventilation’.

By making the domes transparent, the domes become a blank canvas for the 1500-pixel, state of the art ‘light mural’ above guests, spanning the full 500sq.m space.

The large black lights above seating booths are custom-made, while black club-style spots blend into the overall aesthetic. Wall-sconce lamps fire up the furnished black walls at intervals between seating to further create the temple effect.

PM is a nightclub for music lovers, so as every temple has an altar, in this case the ‘altar’ is the DJ booth. Mode intentionally strengthened the architectural perspective to put emphasis on the DJ.

The club itself is divided into different zones, broken by the bar which is situated in the middle of the space. This is designed to create a ‘forced movement’ around the bar, while a theme of hexagons runs throughout on the tables, bar and domed ceilings.

The colour scheme for the interior is black, bathed in light. The floors, seating, tables and even the walls are black, with full length curtains running along the seating area walls.

The only aspect of the design that is not dominated by black are the conveniences, which have white polished surfaces and the unusual feature of a chair stuck to the ceiling.

To create an entirely unique identity for the PM: Club the design studio were responsible for creating custom designed furniture and equipment; this contributes to making the club a successful project.