Renowned Renovation: Clap Studio Revives El Cubo at Spook Nightclub
Located in the vibrant heart of Valencia, Spain, Spook nightclub has long been a staple of nightlife, a celebrated remnant of the 1980s Ruta del Bakalao club circuit. In an exciting recent renovation, the Spanish architectural practice Clap Studio took on the task of reimagining the El Cubo room, drawing inspiration from the concept of “dead rooms” typically found in professional recording studios.
The Historical Context
Spook, known for its rebellious spirit and hedonistic atmosphere, features multiple rooms, with El Cubo standing out as a unique space within the club. Following Clap Studio’s success with another nightclub, Oven, the studio was tasked with a dual challenge: to revitalize El Cubo while respecting its rich heritage.
Technical architect Àngela Montagud articulated the essence of the project: “The brief was simple and demanding at the same time. [The owners] wanted us to renew the room, but with full respect for what Spook is and has been.”
The Concept of the “Dead Room”
Clap Studio chose to base its design on the archetype of a “dead room”: an acoustically precise space engineered for optimal sound fidelity. Montagud explains that a dead room is characterized by total sound absorption, creating an environment where music can be experienced with absolute clarity. “Spook is, above everything else, a place about music,” she notes, emphasizing the importance of honoring the club’s musical legacy.
Creating Tension through Design
What’s fascinating about this renovation is the inherent tension between the auditory and the experiential. Montagud elaborates that the intention was to take the geometry of listening spaces and transform them into an environment where bodies could engage with music viscerally. “We liked borrowing the language of the first to intensify the second,” she explains, crafting a space where hundreds of revelers not only hear the music but feel it.
Architectural Features
Spanning 140 square meters, the El Cubo room features walls, ceilings, and pillars adorned with a striking array of pyramids reminiscent of acoustic panels used in recording studios. These acoustically-focused shapes are not merely decorative; they play a vital role in sound optimization. Within reach of patrons, the surfaces are made of rigid pyramids crafted from porous plaster and finished with a dark gray cement-like material. Higher surfaces, beyond the reach of the crowd, feature actual acoustic foam to ensure superior sound quality.
Functionality Meets Aesthetics
The studio’s approach was firmly grounded in the realities of functioning nightlife. Montagud points out that while studios can use soft acoustic foam freely, nightclubs require materials that are durable and resistant to the wear and tear of energetic crowds. The central dance floor is complemented by a lacquered-wood DJ booth and a curved bar constructed from vertical wood and steel panels, which seamlessly blend functionality with style.
Design Elements and Inspirations
Additionally, a bespoke sofa and pouf, upholstered in reclaimed denim, pay homage to the counterculture patrons of Spook’s past. The past meets the present, as original speakers from the club’s glory days punctuate various corners of the El Cubo room.
The interior color palette features striking blue accents interwoven through the lighting, plaster, and seating, reflecting Spook’s “sober, dark, techno” identity. This careful selection enhances the atmosphere without overshadowing the primary focus: the sound.
Emphasis on Acoustic Integrity
Throughout the design process, Clap Studio remained steadfast in their commitment to ensure that the architecture facilitates rather than detracts from the auditory experience. Montagud’s statement underscores this ethos: “The room isn’t the subject; the music is. The most important thing here is invisible, the sound.”
A New Chapter for Spook
As El Cubo welcomes back patrons, the renovation by Clap Studio stands as a testament to the delicate balance between honoring a nightclub’s storied past while embracing the future of musical experience. This room is not merely a backdrop; it is an essential part of the sonic landscape where music and movement intertwine, empowering revelers to immerse themselves fully in the rhythmic pulse of Spook.
Photography for this article is credited to David Zarzoso.