Located in an old Victorian warehouse, The Double Club is offering a unique approach to entertainment and hospitality, as well as creating a dialogue between Congolese and Western contemporary music, lifestyle, arts and design.
The Double Club is not only a vibrant new public space in London but also an alliance of two cultures in real life that facilitates their cross-pollination without any attempt at fusion.
At the invitation of Carsten Höller, Clemens Weisshaar & Reed Kram have designed key elements of the Western sections and lent the artist technical expertise in the production of other pieces throughout the Double Club.
The Double Club consists of three spaces: Bar, Restaurant and Dance Club. Each space is divided into equally sized Western and Congolese parts on a decorative and functional level, generating an inspiring perspective on double identity as well as on cultural coexistence.
The different sections have been conceived and designed to represent the most challenging elements of both cultures, encompassing music, food and visual aesthetics.
COURTYARD
The Courtyard is at the heart of the Double Club experience. The space is divided into four slices: two Western and two Congolese, and is covered with a glass roof lending it a special outdoor feeling.
COURTYARD BARS
A double fronted centrepiece bar dominates the courtyard space. The Congolese bar boasts imported wood and corrugated iron from Kinshasa and is modelled on infamous musician’s bar, Franco’s. The Western bar, by contrast, is a solid copper monoblock lit up by neon signage announcing the Two Horses Riders Club — for people who enjoy riding two horses simultaneously. [Designed by Clemens Weisshaar, Reed Kram, Carsten Höller. Manufactured by Knobling in Bavaria, Germany]
Special edition copper TRITON STOOL designed by Clemens Weisshaar for Classicon is used at the Western bar in the Double Club.
RESTAURANT
A new series of Clemens Weisshaar and Reed Kram’s acclaimed Breeding Tables slot in amongst Congolese plastic tables in the restaurant of the Double Club. In direct opposition to the plastic tables from Congo, which comply with the modernist requirements of simple and functional design at low production cost, the Breeding Tables are granite and steel, coated in black and represent high-finish post-industrial furniture. Each of these is a unique object, parametrically generated by a custom-made computer application according to the designer’s specifications.
The Congolese tables are matched with white moulded plastic chairs, ubiquitous to every Kinshasa restaurant whereas Breeding Tables are mated with these chairs' ancestor, Vico Magistretti's Gaudi chair for Heller.
BREEDING TABLES
for The Double Club London
Mild Steel laser cut and brake bent, Granite top
COURTYARD AZULEJOS
The first vector on the left side of the courtyard bar features an azulejos mural, depicting a sci-fi interpretation by Russian architect, Georgi Krutikow of flying cities (drawn in 1928). [Artwork by Carsten Höller. Produced by KRAM/WEISSHAAR. Custom made by Viuva Lamego, Lisbon]. The mural also features under-bench heating and a functional fireplace. Plus a two-way mirror into the adjacent discotheque room. The ground of the second vector features original Victorian cobblestones that lead to the end of the room. Here, the wall is dominated by colourful billboards of the Congo’s leading beer brands. A Kinshasa-imported barbeque will serve up tasty skewers of beef and goat brochettes.
DISCOTHEQUE
At The Double Club, Congolese DJs and live acts are showcased alongside eclectic Western counterparts.
A virtual line across the room divides West and Congo, and in the centre a circular dance floor slowly revolves at about one turn per hour. [An artwork by Carsten Höller. Produced by KRAM/WEISSHAAR. Manufactured by Knobling in Bavaria, Germany] A large one-way mirror adorns the wall opposite the dancefloor, allowing for a look into the discotheque from the adjacent central courtyard.
The Western side of the room has soft furnishings designed by Clemens Weisshaar and Reed Kram.
The African side features a stage platform, decked out VIP-room style in black leather, a LED-illuminated plastic palm tree and mirrored strips, mimicking Kinshasa’s most popular nightclub, Chez Ntemba.
THE DOUBLE CLUB — A CARSTEN HÖLLER PROJECT BY FONDAZIONE PRADA
Dates: Opens 21st November for six months.
Address: 7 Torrens Street, London. EC1W1NQ (Angel underground)
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7837 2222
Opening Times:
Tuesday to Saturday.
Bar: 6.00pm to 3.00am
Restaurant: 7.00pm to 12.00am (last orders) — Tuesday to Thursday. 3.00am close 7.00pm to 1.00am (last orders) — Friday and Saturday. 3.00am close
Dance club: 10.00pm — 3.00am
NB. The Double Club endorses a non-membership policy and there is no entry charge.
Charity: The Double Club is a not-for-profit organisation. 50% of its profit will be donated to the City of Joy charity that generates specialised projects to help abused women and children in the Congo.
A fund-raising event is also being scheduled for February 2009.
Artist: Carsten Höller
Project: Fondazione Prada
Design West: Clemens Weisshaar, Reed Kram, Carsten Höller
Design Congo: Bellou Luvuadio Bengo, Carsten Höller
Project director: Jan Kennedy
Operating partner food&beverage, music: Mourad Mazouz
Music West: Richard Mortimer, Steve Mackey
Music Congo: Réginal Kudiwu, Popol Mukelenge, Stern Music
Main chef: David Simons
Lightning consultant: Arnold Chan