Club culture - Eleanor Curtis

Clubs by their definition offer 'exclusivity': to be a member of a club you have to meet the selected criteria, whatever that might be. The image of a club becomes the key to how its members identify with it – be it the relaxed wholesome logos of health clubs; or the sleek aerodynamic images found in business–class airline lounges. This issue of AD sets out to examine how architects and interior designers effectively use the physical spaces of clubs to enforce images of exclusivity and collective belonging. Traditional gentlemen’s clubs are looked at alongside a new generation of sports, media, commercial and night clubs that are springing up across the world. It also features interviews with Nigel Coates and David Adjaye.