Ganesh Club Pictures, Amarante Building Design, Portugal Nightclub Photos, Portuguese Project
Ganesh Club, Amarante, Portugal
Nightclub Architecture Portugal design by PORMENORarquitectos
12 Aug 2010
Design: PORMENORarquitectos
Location: Amarante, Portugal
Photographs: Filipe Paiva
Ganesh Club in Amarante
PORMENORarquitectos were invited to integrate a bar into a natural environment. As a limit, besides the standard local legislation, 3 million euros were the budget.
An equipment such as a bar urging to influence a wide spread area, implemented on a remote location, required the design to take a stand. The PORMENOR team’s concept was to create a powerful and massive object as if it grew from the luxurious Portuguese green mountains, capable of containing an explosion of sound and light.
The emerging black volume suffered rhythmic additions and subtractions, thus linking its form to the surrounding terrain. With the light and sound imprinted on the exterior reinforced concrete walls, it glows its function from the façades, trying to expand itself constantly by light.
The building was structurally built in reinforced concrete. In order to control the sound beat panels of extruded Cork were used inside, covering the ceiling surface. Besides sound, these panels are also especially valuable as temperature insulation maintaining a habitable environment throughout the year on a region with a wide climatic range.
Considering the sustainable concerns of PORMENORarquitectos®, all the exterior lighting was designed to be with an “RGB” capable LED system. Also most of the interior lighting is based under the same LED principle, what allows considerable savings of energy on an equipment meant to spring alive from electricity.
The interior was designed to resemble a cult area focused on entertainment alone, where the Dj is the altar, with two secondary wings for his followers. The main room layout allows several activities from concerts to foam parties, and the mutation of the building also allow it to become a massive showroom area, where even cars and large pieces of machinery can be exhibited.
The entrance was specifically made spacious and white, with several mirrors surrounding it, so that the clients can observe themselves after removing their coats and hats before entering the main room. The light offered on this first stage is also meant to obfuscate the user to what he is about to see, a double height main room where white aleatory stripes form a spatial composition.
Those stripes subtract matter from the thick volume, creating a pocket of air where light can travel freely and the laser beams can be displayed without contempt. The main “altar” placed in the center of the room, closely resembling a Buddhist temple, is formed by a black remaining volume not suppressed by the white stripes. The same kind of volumes create another secondary wing where stages for concerts can be set.
The dance floor was designed to be visible by every room in a way that only the Dj and the dancers become the main protagonists of the night. It is defined by a detail line of white tiles on the floor. White speakers also hang from the ceiling, pointing directly at the center of the dance floor, where the animation is meant to be of utmost intensity.
The four bars inside were also an essential part of the project since they are crucial to irrigate the crowd. Two of them are placed in close connection with the dance floor. One bar is held behind the Dj altar and it is the first to be seen. The second bar was placed on the end of the dance floor, intended to define a physical limit since the black surrounding walls absorb all the light thus prolonging the notion of space.
The third bar is of extreme importance although ducked underneath the white structural columns. The necessity of maintaining a darkened place was essential, not to disturb the dance floor lighting. Conscious of the fact that inside a club, space often stalls around bars leaving a dull area surrounding them, PORMENORarquitectos® decided to tackle that problem, and mutation through LED lighting was the chosen solution.
The bar’s structure was created with inox steel, covered with opaline polycarbonated solid sheets. The lighting was achieved with a remote controlled RGB-LED system. The everchanging chromatic range is the only surrounding light source thus creating a soft space mutation between colors.
On the first floor above the entrance there is a multifunctional area, currently used as an exhibition room where the phases of the construction are represented. Also on the first floor, on the opposite side, a more relaxing bar rests, bathed by the exterior images of River Tâmega cruising through lushly dressed green mountains. This bar can also be changed into a buffet lounge, allowing the club to multiply its functions.
At night the building shines, and with the sound of the Dj, it pulsates.
Ganesh Club – Building Information
Architects: PORMENORarquitectos
Location: Amarante, Portugal
Project Team: Carlos Bessa, Jose Soares, Luis Portas
Engineering: Nuno Soares
Project Area: 900sqm
Client: Private
Budget: 2,800,000 €
Project Year: 2010
Photographs: Filipe Paiva
Ganesh Club Amarante images / information from PORMENORarquitectos
Location: Amarante, Portugal
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PORMENORarquitectos
PORMENORarquitectos® is a Portuguese based practice with a XXI century view. Every project is developed in 3d and coordinated with a multidisciplinary professional team.
PORMENORarquitectos® aims to maintain a high end architectural production, based on sustainable principles, always welcoming the vision of young professionals in order to achieve new and innovative building designs.
Throughout the years the PORMENOR team has developed several national and international projects and competitions.
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