Heineken invites young designers for future nightlife concepts

Posted on Apr 13, 2011 in Entertainment | 4 comments

Heineken invites young designers for future nightlife concepts

Heineken® today revealed plans for a new design programme, termed the ‘open design explorations’, that will create vibrant new concepts for bars, clubs and social spaces.

The first project in the programme will launch in June 2011 and will invite emerging design talent from around the world to envisage and create a pioneering ‘pop up club’ that will be unveiled in Milan to coincide with Salone Internazionale del Mobile 2012.

Based on the theme ‘light up the night’, the design brief for the concept club will ask upcoming designers to be part of a multidisciplinary design exploration team that will study social interaction in clubs around the world. This study of the ‘science of social interaction’ will provide real-world insights that will help them create the pop up club, a visionary nightlife environment designed to encourage an enjoyable and memorable experience.

To become part of the design exploration team, young designers will be selected via the modern-equivalent of sketching on the back of a beer mat. Talent nights will take place in major design and nightlife hubs in Asia, Europe, USA and Latin America. Once chosen, the design exploration teams will focus on designs in the fields of interior architecture, product, graphic, interactive and experiential, fashion and identity, all integral elements of an exciting and unique nightlife experience. Each team will be led by a world-class designer, including Luc Schurgers, founder of Mini Vegas and Fabio Rotella of Studio Rotella, and will be tasked with creating a particular element of the club space.

Mark Van Iterson, Manager Global Heineken Design & Concept said, “With the ‘open design explorations’, we’re kicking off a new approach to design that will see us co-create with emerging design talent and specialized studios to create new, visionary social environments and unexpected concept spaces.”

He continued: “We have a history of progressive design that has had lasting influence and changed the way people enjoy beer – from being the first to introduce green beer bottles to bringing draught beer to the home through DraughtKeg. Design is at the core of the Heineken brand.”

In spring, the company completed a global design refreshment, contemporizing and streamlining its global visual identity, and introducing new, innovative packaging with subtle but intelligent design details that improve the drinking experience. Included in the new line up was the exclusive STR bottle, Heineken’s newest high-end aluminium packaging, which in February received a coveted iF award. Inspired by the dimly lighted night-club atmosphere the bottle illuminates under a black light to reveal a hidden graphic of stars and streaks.

The unveiling of the ‘pop up club’ will coincide with Salone Internazionale del Mobile 2012, and will give the design talent involved in the project a platform to showcase their work on a global stage. In line with the approach of the ‘open design explorations’ the club will also provide an environment for designers to share views and ideas, giving an opportunity to take the exploration on to the next stage. Further information on the project and activity in 2012 will be available later in 2011.

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