The Year is an industrial space turned into a dance club, with its hangar reimagined as an interactive light installation. Located in Vila Nova Leopoldina and designed by Guto Requena, The Year complements the urban transformation of the São Paulo industrial zone, more recently becoming a space for film productions and the creative industry.
Both a futuristic and cozy atmosphere, it includes gardens that use warm Brazilian materials. It is a flexible space, welcoming big, small, or intimate parties, day or night, as well as bands, performances, electronic dance parties, and after hour events.
An organic geometric pattern, inspired by nature cells and created with a parametric design process, was used for the details of the hallway ceilings. Laser cut into wooden plates, the recurring pattern is a digital aesthetic that appears in different places, and brings a strong identity to the club.
The club has two dance floors with an area for shows, three bars, a VIP area, dressing room, restrooms, kitchen, manage office, and cashiers that control entries and exits.
The inner dance floor is an interactive LED cage, responding to several sensors in the space. The DJ can control the light effects with his own dance motions, through a body sensor. Above the dance floor, another sensor is responding to temperature and movement of the dancing below, transforming this information into lighting effects. It’s a dance floor that reacts to the guests’ stimulation, working as an extension of their own bodies.
The DJ area can transform itself into a show stage. Six mobile VIP areas slide under a rotation, and the dance floor rearranges, according to the necessities of the mood of the night. Two bars are in this area, beside a staircase that leads to the upper floor, which consists of a VIP area and a dressing room.
The outside dance floor and bar has a retractable roof, an open sky back patio, with green areas and gardens, ideal for small shows, sunset parties and drinks.
all images © Fran Parente – video courtesy of Estudio Guto Requena