More stories

  • in

    Fettle channels Soho’s “grittier” years at 1 Warwick members’ club

    Interiors studio Fettle drew on the neo-baroque architecture of this Edwardian building in London’s Soho when converting it into a members’ club, as well as nodding to the area’s colourful history of the 1950s and 60s.

    Owned by Maslow’s, the group behind Fitzrovia club Mortimer House, 1 Warwick features mid-century furniture and lighting along with bespoke designs that reimagine the furniture of the period.
    Fettle has designed the 1 Warwick members’ club in LondonThe mix includes jaunty elements such as splayed-leg easy chairs and scallop-edged rattan lighting.
    “During this period of history, Soho was much grittier than we find it today, so we wanted to underplay the more elevated finishes that you would typically find in a members’ club,” Fettle’s director Andy Goodwin told Dezeen.
    “We have referenced the less polished nature of Soho in this period with raw plaster wall finishes and exposed brick.”

    The club has a rooftop restaurant called YasminFettle juxtaposes these references with some influences from the neo-baroque mansion itself, reworking its sense of assured comfort in a contemporary way with richly toned wood panelling and elaborate chandeliers.
    “We wanted to ensure that we referenced this period within the final design,” Goodwin said. “We simplified a traditional Edwardian baroque skirting and architrave style within the bespoke joinery that was designed for the ground and first floors.”
    “Typically, buildings of a similar age had common features, including bold geometric floor patterns within the entrances. And as such we reimagined a pattern from the period in the lobby of 1 Warwick.”
    Its wraparound roof terrace offers views across SohoWhile drawing on the history of the building and the area, Fettle worked hard to ensure that the club feels fresh, welcoming and contemporary.
    “We have mixed furniture, lighting and accessories from a variety of different eras and curated a space that feels relaxed and residential in its aesthetic,” he continued.
    “When designing furniture specifically for the project, we referenced more traditional designs, however. We looked at the details through a modern lens to make the space feel familiar yet contemporary.”

    Fettle designs apartment block The Gessner to resemble a hotel

    Set over six floors, the crowning glory of 1 Warwick is the rooftop bar and restaurant Yasmin with its wraparound roof terrace and views across Soho.
    Here, pink mohair-upholstered bar stools nestle against a wood-clad marble-topped bar while the menu is Middle Eastern, inspired by executive chef Tom Cenci’s time in Istanbul.
    Two lounge spaces – the Living Room and adjoining Den – are at the heart of the club, where Fettle used an earthy-toned palette, along with exposed brick walls and geometric patterned rugs to bring a sense of warmth to the interior.
    The club has several co-working areas”We wanted to let the existing architectural features be visible within the final design to create a more neutral backdrop, onto which we layered playful choices across the furniture and fittings,” said Goodwin.
    “We used deep, saturated, colourful fabrics for the upholstered pieces and we have looked to mix mohairs and velvets with more vibrant leathers and patterned fabrics to give an eclectic feel to the space,” said Goodwin.
    In the daytime, 1 Warwick offers spaces to suit different kinds of working styles, from private studies and rentable desks to the Pied-à-Terre – an open-plan workspace featuring long, library-style tables and comfortable lounge seating.
    Members can also work in private meeting roomsAt ground level, there’s the neighbourhood bistro and bar Nessa, open to all and offering a playful take on British classics while the more intimate, horseshoe-shaped bar serves up its own menu of small plates.
    With a colour palette of warm, autumnal tones and a material mix of exposed brick, wood panelling and marble-topped tables, the atmosphere here is welcoming and down-to-earth.
    The Nessa restaurant is set on the ground floor and open to the publicFounded in 2013, Fettle has a long history in hospitality design with previous projects including the Schwan Locke Hotel in Munich, which was conceived as an homage to early German modernism.
    Elsewhere in London, the studio was also responsible for designing The Gessner apartment block to resemble a hotel, complete with a cafe and co-working area.
    The photography is by Simon Brown.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Thirdway transforms Georgian townhouse into women-only members' club in London

    American members’ club Chief has set up its first London outpost inside a centuries-old townhouse in Bloomsbury, with cosy interiors conceived by design studio Thirdway.

    Established in 2019, Chief has locations in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco, where women working in senior leadership roles can connect, learn from industry peers and find ways to drive more women into positions of power.
    Thirdway has completed the Chief members’ club in LondonWhen it came to designing the club’s first overseas branch, Thirdway was asked to maintain the homely aesthetic established across its US outposts while also speaking to the unique architecture and location of the townhouse.
    “We wanted a mix of what felt like Chief but with a London stamp on it, while also being sympathetic to the age of the building and the local London area,” explained Alex Hodson, a senior designer at Thirdway.
    A gridded ceiling and leafy plants nod to the look of an English conservatoryThe club occupies a Grade I-listed townhouse in Bloomsbury, which Thirdway extended by connecting it to an adjacent four-storey mews house via a glazed walkway, allowing enough space for all of Chief’s amenities.

    Members enter via a forest-green reception area that’s anchored by a wooden desk.

    AvroKO creates residential feel inside Chief members club in Chicago

    Arched panelling fronts the table in a nod to the townhouse’s curved windows, while its fluted detailing references the grooves on the building’s original fireplaces.
    Rich hues go on to appear in the club’s other rooms. In the bar, for instance, the drinks counter is clad with glossy, emerald-green tiles. Here, the arch motif also reappears in the form of the storage cabinets holding the bar’s glassware and wine bottles.
    Some of the club’s rooms feature wood-lined wallsPlump teal and mustard-yellow sofas were dotted throughout the sunroom on the lower-ground floor, alongside poufs covered with the same fabric that was used to upholster seats on London’s Piccadilly underground line in the 1990s.
    To emulate the look of a traditional English conservatory, a white grid was installed across the ceiling while a number of leafy potted and hanging plants were dotted around the space.
    A grand piano takes centre stage in one of the roomsAnother events room on site was given a slightly more sophisticated feel with wood-lined walls and vermillion-red velvet seating.
    Other women-only members’ clubs in London include Allbright in Mayfair, where the walls are exclusively covered with works by female artists.
    All images are courtesy of Peter Ghobrial Photography.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Hollywood puppet theatre becomes Chief LA members' club

    A clubhouse for women in business now occupies a 1940s theatre in Los Angeles, following renovation work by JM|A+D and TAP Studio, with interiors by AvroKO.

    The three studios collaborated to rehabilitate the former Hollywood puppet theatre to create the Los Angeles flagship for Chief, which offers memberships to women in leadership roles.
    Like Chief’s other locations, the LA flagship clubhouse is designed to have a residential feel”Designed as a space for the most powerful women in business to connect and find community, we re-conceptualized the historic structure as a modern pied-a-terre, reinterpreting the best elements of traditional member’s club environments with a bold, lush palette,” said the team in a joint statement.
    JM|A+D and TAP Studio – both based in California – worked on restoring the theatre building while updating the spaces for their new purposes.
    The former theatre was converted to include two bars, five conference rooms and multiple lounges”From scattered wet bars and mothers’ rooms to carefully scaled seating and meeting areas, our goal was to develop a female-focused environment that brings the membership network’s mission to life,” the team said.

    “We dovetailed original building elements with new millwork, pathways, and technology to create an enfilade of communal and enclosed zones designed to host large events, lingering, chance encounters and focused work.”
    Conference rooms are each identified by a different colourThe interiors incorporate some of the design elements in Chief’s New York and Chicago locations, the latter of which was also designed by AvroKO and was named Large Workspace of the Year at the Dezeen Awards 2021.
    The visual threads between the different outposts include the use of rich colours and mix of furniture styles to create a residential feel, and incorporating many pieces by female artists and designers among custom millwork and vintage finds.
    Nods to the building’s former use include framed signatures of those who performed thereThe 14,000-square-foot (1,300-square-metre) LA clubhouse is split over two levels and includes two bars, five conference rooms, multiple lounge areas, and smaller private rooms for meetings or focused work.
    An outdoor patio is also available for members to sit among the trees or around a fire pit.

    AvroKO creates residential feel inside Chief members club in Chicago

    Inside, another fireplace is clad in narrow, glossy ceramic tiles and forms a focal point at the end of the bar.
    Each of the conference rooms is identified by a different colour, such as a large room with a sienna-hued ceiling and another that’s painted dark blue.
    A mix of furniture styles includes custom pieces, vintage finds and many designs by womenOchre yellow, dusty rose and various shades of green can also be found in upholstery, rugs, artwork and styled accessories.
    Nods to the building’s previous use are also scattered throughout. “We integrated a wall with celebrity signatures from roasts hosted at the theatre into the design,” said the team.
    Chief LA also has an outdoor patio for members to enjoyJM|A+D was founded by architect Jeffrey Miller and also has an office in Oregon. The studio has previously collaborated with TAP principal Tanya Paz on several residential projects.
    AvroKO is best known for hospitality projects and also designed the Mortimer House members’ club in London.
    The photography is by Aubrie Pick.
    Project credits:
    Architecture: JM|A+D and TAPInterior design: AvroKOCivil engineer: KPFFMEP consultant: Interface EngineeringAudiovisual consultant: VanWert Technology DesignLighting consultant: Focus LightingFood and beverage consultant: Sam Tell

    Read more: More

  • in

    Latest Soho House outpost in Los Angeles takes cues from California's mid-century art scene

    Soho House has opened Holloway House, its third members’ club in Los Angeles, where colours and patterns are based on the work of artists such as David Hockney.

    Holloway House is located a few blocks east of Soho House West Hollywood but offers hotel rooms on top of lounge and dining spaces, while its sister property only has the latter.
    The Club area at Holloway House features green terrazzo flooringSpread over four floors and a rooftop, the club was envisioned by the company’s in-house design team, with nods to the bright block colours and strong geometric shapes of LA’s mid-century art scene.
    The interiors draw “inspiration from the Southern California landscape as well as the art movement in the 1950s and 1960s, when artists like Ed Ruscha, David Hockney, Robert Irwin and others found an unlikely home in the city,” the company said.
    Dark grey shelving in the library is contrasted with a boldly patterned carpetThe Club space on the ground floor features mint-green terrazzo floors accompanied by bespoke furniture upholstered in neutral-toned velvet and patterned fabrics.

    The flooring continues into the bar area – an outdoor atrium with table seating in golden textured fabrics to complement the various shades of green.
    The restaurant on the ground floor features burgundy leather boothsIn contrast, the library is decorated in dark grey, with a bold-patterned carpet and floor-to-ceiling shelving that wraps the space and is populated with artworks, books and lamps.
    Burgundy leather booths are paired with vintage chairs in the ground-floor restaurant, which has a menu built around popular dishes from other Soho House locations.
    Rows of cabanas face lounge seating and plants on the roofOn the roof, stepped rows of shaded cabanas face lounge seating, a screen of tropical planting and views of both the Hollywood Hills and Downtown LA.
    The Mandolin Mezze restaurant, an offshoot of the Mandolin Aegean Bistro in Miami, serves small plates and organic Greek wines to guests lounging on the neutral-toned outdoor furniture.

    Soho House Nashville opens in Music City hosiery factory

    Colour is introduced to the rooftop through bold checked floor tiles, burgundy-piped umbrellas and an abstract mural by local artist Jessalyn Brooks.
    Other artworks throughout Holloway House were sourced from LA artists under 40 and include sculptures, photographs, works on paper, paintings and textile-based pieces.
    The building includes 34 guest bedrooms decorated with 1960s-influenced furnitureThe building also offers 34 hotel rooms set across its middle three floors.
    “Each is decorated with 1960s-inspired furniture, aged wooden floors and woven tapestries made with fabric designed in Southern California especially for the House,” said the design team.
    Holloway House is located just a few blocks from Soho House West HollywoodSoho House was founded in London in 1995 by Nick Jones and now has 36 properties as far-flung as Tokyo, Mumbai and Istanbul.
    Its other locations in California are Soho Warehouse in Downtown Los Angeles and Little Beach House Malibu, while other recent additions in the US include outposts in Austin and Nashville.
    The photography is by The Ingalls.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Pirajean Lees and Olly Bengough design “timeless” interiors for House of Koko members' club

    Low-lit bathrooms informed by dressing rooms and a stage-kitchen-like restaurant feature in a members’ club at iconic music venue Koko, which pays homage to its theatrical past. 

    Local studio Pirajean Lees and owner and creative director of Koko Olly Bengough collaborated to create a members’ club within the London venue, which has been renovated over the past three years.
    Top: soft furnishings in Ellen’s bar control its acoustics. Above: Modular furniture that is easy to move features throughout the clubNamed The House of Koko, the members’ club consists of numerous bars, dining areas, lounges and a speakeasy arranged over several floors in a space alongside the public areas of the venue.
    The members’ club is directly connected to the refurbished 122-year-old, Grade II-listed theatre, which was renovated by architecture firm Archer Humphryes Architects.
    “The heart of the whole project is the theatre,” Bengough told Dezeen.

    A 1970s-style private dining room sits close to the main theatrePirajean Lees and Bengough took cues from Koko’s history as a music venue when designing the members’ club interiors, which intend to playfully reflect how traditional theatres used to run.
    On the first floor, The Battens Bar is a cocktail lounge that features a central banquette with punk-era red leather trim and a ceiling canopy crafted from cloth by Richmond Design Inc that has previously only been used to make speakers.
    Next to this space, there is a minimalist restaurant featuring Japandi interiors and an open-plan kitchen and dining area that was informed by the simplicity and community of old stage kitchens.
    Vinyl-listening, train-like booths create a sense of intimacyAnother bar is Ellen’s – an intimate 1940s-style speakeasy named after actor Ellen Terry, who opened Koko when it officially started as The Camden Theatre in 1900.
    The space is defined by soft furnishings that control its acoustics and a one-of-a-kind carpet with quirky illustrations of cigarettes.
    A bespoke bar in the penthouse by Pirajean LeesA private dining room with a geometric glass chandelier has panelled walls that hint at the main theatre located next to it, while dedicated vinyl-listening rooms with under-seat record storage give occupants the feeling of being in a vintage train carriage.
    “Because we inherited such a rich history of Koko, I don’t think anything contemporary or very modern would’ve allowed everything to carry on as if it had never closed and as if we had always been here,” explained Pirajean Lees co-founder Clémence Pirajean.
    The rooftop restaurant includes a funnel-like fireplaceAlso included in the members’ club is a piano room and library that are designed in the same eclectic material palette as the rest of its spaces.
    There is also a penthouse with a recording studio and a lounge with numerous hidden microphones to allow artists to record music all over the room.
    An airy roof terrace and restaurant lead to The House of Koko’s final space, an attic-like bar hidden in the venue’s famous dome, which was restored after a fire in 2020 destroyed it and extended Koko’s closure.

    Soho House Nashville opens in Music City hosiery factory

    Deep olive doors informed by those that were located backstage throughout Koko in the 1920s run through the entire building and feature bespoke handles designed by Pirajean Lees.
    Bathrooms with illuminated, angular mirrors intend to give visitors the feeling of getting ready for a performance backstage in a hair and make-up room.
    Wooden joinery in various rooms also intends to reference the main theatre’s fly tower, which is a 360-degree stage and shaft formerly used to store props and scenery that was discovered during Koko’s renovation.
    A curved staircase leads to the dome bar”The thinking was let’s really go back to the past and get the past right, which sets you up to do the future in quite an interesting way,” said Bengough, describing the designers’ process.
    “Because if you make it beautiful, and timeless, and classic and all connected, then you’re like, wow, part two is as interesting and as beautiful as part one,” added Pirajean Lees co-founder James Michael Lees.
    The dome features an attic-like bar with views of the rooftop restaurantAs well as the members’ club, Pirajean Lees and Bengough also designed the interiors for two public spaces at the music venue.
    These are Cafe Koko, a pizzeria featuring a bar that doubles as a small stage for live performances and a shop selling Koko merchandise.
    Koko will officially reopen to the public on 30 April, with live streaming capabilities installed throughout the venue so that artists can reach audiences all over the world.
    Previously, Pirajean Lees also created the interiors for a jazz-age-style restaurant in a converted Dubai nightclub.
    The images are courtesy of Pirajean Lees and Olly Bengough. 

    Read more: More

  • in

    Roz Barr designs co-working club Bureau in Greenwich Design District

    Roz Barr Architects has designed a co-working members’ club for London’s new design district, featuring a bright red salon, stairs you can sit on, and a workspace that doubles as a dinner table.

    Bureau offers a range of co-working and social spaces designed specifically for those working in the creative industries.
    It occupies two buildings in the recently opened Greenwich Design District: the concrete-framed D1 designed by Architecture 00 and the ripple-facaded C3 designed by HNNA.
    The ground-floor restaurant functions as a meeting space. Photo is by Ruth WardArchitect Roz Barr and her London-based team designed a series of playful interiors for Bureau, hoping to create a distinct identity that extends across both buildings.
    The buildings’ raw structures are left exposed but contrasted by bold flashes of colour, so that spaces feel characterful but open to adaptation. Bureau describes them as “elegantly utilitarian”.

    “The brief we developed was about offering a home for creatives, which allowed them to bring their own identity to how they occupied the spaces,” said Barr.
    “A language of elements and materials form a rhythm between both buildings,” she told Dezeen.
    Members have access to shared facilities including meeting rooms and phone booths. Photo is by Ruth WardThe C3 spaces were the first to open, as part of the Greenwich Design District’s official launch in September.
    Occupying four floors, the offer here includes private studios, a mix of fixed and hot-desk workspaces, plus a range of shared facilities that include a restaurant, a lounge, meeting rooms and phone booths.
    The salon is a red-toned lounge that doubles as an events space. Photo is by Joe HowardThe recent addition of D1 broadens the variety of space available. Its five floors include both indoor and outdoor workspaces, plus flexible spaces that can be used for a variety of events and group activities.
    In both buildings, the ground floor is designed to offer spaces where members can come together and share ideas.
    C3’s all-red salon can host talks and film screenings, while the restaurant functions as a gathering space.
    A long table offers opportunities for group collaboration or dining events. Photo is by Alex UptonMeanwhile, D1’s ground floor contains a 14-metre-long table that can be used for group collaboration or dining events.
    D1 also includes a space known as the forum, a lounge that can also be used for presentations. A staircase-like furniture element made from recycled plastic creates casual tiered seating.

    London’s Design District officially opens to the public

    “We understood we were creating a place for the creative industries to work, meet and relax,” said Barr.
    “Bureau is the centre of design district, so it was seen as a place where members of the community would join and form a sort of collective.”
    Felt screens help to improve the acoustics. Photo is by Alex UptonMaterial finishes throughout the interiors would be more typically be found in industrial workshops than offices, emphasising the creative nature of Bureau’s members.
    Floors are either bare concrete or covered in colourful marmoleum, while wall finishes include cement boards and corrugated metal, and perforated metal screens function as space dividers.
    Perforated metal screens allow light to filter through. Photo is by Ruth WardThese details are softened by textiles and lighting. Recurring elements includes globe lighting pendants, floor-to-ceiling curtains and digitally printed carpets and rugs.
    “We used a palette of materials that worked across both buildings, using metal stud walls that were clad in perforated metal sheets, acoustic felt, and doors and tables clad in furniture linoleum,” said Barr.
    “This language offers a soft backdrop for users to personalise however they want.”
    The terraces of D1 allow for outdoor working. Photo is by Alex UptonBarr chose contemporary furniture designs to accompany the custom elements, with designs from the likes of Richard Lampert and Philippe Malouin.
    With so many external terraces in D1, Hay’s Palissade outdoor furniture, designed by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, features both inside and out.
    “As ever, flexibility is key,” added Barr. “For larger events, rugs can be rolled up and furniture moved out onto the terraces.”
    Bureau occupies two buildings in the Greenwich Design District. Photo is by Taran WilkhuGreenwich Design District is London’s first dedicated design district.
    It includes 16 new buildings, including a transparent bubble-shaped canteen designed by Selgacano and an entrance building by David Kohn Architects with the words “design district” spelled out on the roof.
    Created by developer Knight Dragon, the district offers workspace for up to 1,800 people and a range of specialist facilities.
    Bureau members have access to other facilities in the design district, including photography studios, post-production suites, a sound studio and a pottery workshop.
    Photography is by Alex Upton, Joe Howard, Ruth Ward and Taran Wilkhu.

    Read more: More

  • in

    Soho House Nashville opens in Music City hosiery factory

    A former hosiery factory in Nashville has been converted into a Soho House hotel and members’ club, designed with nods to its industrial setting and the city’s musical heritage.

    The launch of Soho House Nashville earlier this week marks the company’s second location in the American South, following the opening of the Austin house in 2021.
    Soho House Nashville has opened in the May Hosiery BuildingThe May Hosiery Building, constructed in the early 1900s in the Tennessee city’s artsy Wedgewood-Houston neighbourhood, now contains a series of club spaces and accommodation.
    The Soho House design team used the building’s industrial past and Nashville’s reputation as the Music City to inform the renovation and decor.
    “The house design is influenced by a strong pre-war, European aesthetic, connecting to the building’s history with Bauhaus-inspired, striking geometric patterns, bold industrial finishes, and bespoke fixtures,” said the team.

    Metal shelving divides spaces in the Club RoomPlaying on the colour of original verdigris copper doors, various teal shades were used across the different spaces to visually tie them together.
    Meanwhile, the striped tiling around the swimming pool evokes the pattern of a guitar string board.
    “Music City influences do not escape Soho House Nashville with its warm, rich textures of the rock and roll era and decorative patterns that nod to the jazz and blues genres,” the design team said.
    Striped tiling around the pool is designed to mimic a guitar string boardThe building contains three indoor and outdoor performance spaces, a pool, a health club and a screening room.
    Food is offered at Club Cecconi’s, the first in-house restaurant of the Cecconi’s chain of Italian eateries owned by the Soho House group.
    Soho House Nashville’s hotel has 47 bedrooms that vary in sizeAt the heart of the building, the Club Room is divided by industrial metal shelving into intimate spaces including a library with a fireplace and a games area.
    The Sock Room also celebrates the factory’s prior use for producing socks that astronauts wore to the moon, and now hosts live music and events.

    Soho House Austin blends Texas modernism with Spanish influences

    Referencing the machinery once housed in the space, bespoke bar lamps with an industrial aesthetic contrast softer materials like velvet and textured sheer linen.
    Soho House Nashville has 47 bedrooms that range in size, including a large loft suite that spans over three floors.
    Bedrooms all have large chandeliers and a variety of textilesThe rooms are furnished with bespoke, locally made designs and vintage accessories, as well as large chandeliers and metal screens that conceal the bathrooms.
    “Each bedroom has been designed to feel traditional and cosy with woven tapestries, made with bespoke fabric designed in Nashville specifically for the house, to hide all TVs,” said the team.
    The rooms feature a mix of bespoke local furniture and vintage accessoriesA total of 170 pieces were acquired from 41 local artists to be displayed throughout the hotel and club areas.
    They join the wider art collection exhibited in the Soho House locations across the globe, which the company has gradually added to its portfolio since its founding in London in 1995.
    Metal screen doors enclose the bathroomsAlong with Austin, the group’s outposts in North America include Soho Warehouse in Downtown Los Angeles and Dumbo House in Brooklyn.
    It’s not surprising that the brand chose to open in Nashville – one of several southern US cities that has seen a recent influx of young creative people, and therefore an expanded repertoire of cultural and entertainment venues.
    Also new to the city’s dining and drinking scene is The Twelve Thirty Club , which is owned by restauranteur Sam Fox and musician Justin Timberlake.
    The photography is by Andrew Joseph Woomer.

    Read more: More