A few short years ago, the industrial district of Certosa was one of Milan's forgotten corners. A neglected neighbourhood on the city's northwestern fringe, it was a landscape of former factories, warehouses and industrial buildings. But in a metropolis developing as rapidly as Milan, few areas of the city and its immediate outskirts have remained untouched. Today, thanks to an ongoing wave of regeneration, the post-industrial district is home to newly built offices, hip cafés and restaurants, and, most recently, the latest addition to Milan's burgeoning nightlife scene: Duro Club.
Duro Club, Milan's latest nightlife opening
Housed inside a former cement factory, the club was designed by Gianluca Bocchetta and Rosella Castagnotto of Turin-based Velvet Studio. Their aim was to 'preserve the building's original Brutalist character,' says Castagnotto, 'while completely rethinking the existing layout and circulation.' Fortunately, the brief from the owners was largely logistical. 'They told us how many people the club needed to accommodate, that it required a chill-out area and an outdoor smoking terrace,' she says. 'Beyond that, they gave us complete freedom.'
The pair drew heavily on the building's industrial past, retaining much of the exposed concrete while introducing stainless steel, coloured tile and mirrored surfaces. The mirrors are concentrated along the central corridor that runs the length of the building, punctuated by porthole-like openings that offer glimpses into the main dance floor and the adjoining aubergine-coloured lounge. 'We wanted to play with viewpoints,' says Castagnotto. 'The mirrors and openings create this interesting "see-but-can't-see" effect.'
At the end of the corridor lies the dance floor, an expansive room with warm parquet flooring inset with white squares that echo the colour-block lighting installation overhead. 'The white squares make it feel as though the light is projected onto the floor,' explains Castagnotto, who collaborated with ILTI Luce on the lighting design. 'But we didn't want the lighting to dominate. It had to be more about shadow than illumination.'
Near the far end of the room, a rectangular concrete-and-stainless-steel island serves as the bar — a monolithic centrepiece surrounded by built-in benches that provide a moment of respite without disconnecting from the energy of the dance floor. Opposite, the DJ booth appears to have been carved into the wall like a bunker. A projecting steel frame forms a rectangular aperture from which the DJ surveys the scene below. On either side, a pair of semi-private booths offer more intimate vantage points while remaining partially concealed from the crowd.
Duro Discoteca is the latest venture from brothers Marco and Riccardo Augeri, the entrepreneurs behind Da Orient, the vintage store-turned-cocktail bar in Milan's Chinatown. While Da Orient has become synonymous with the city's aperitivo culture, drawing crowds of stylish young Milanese onto Viale Montello each evening, Duro is conceived as a destination for late-night dancing and experimental electronic music.
'It has a Studio 54 spirit,' says Castagnotto of the club, which opened in April. 'People arrive dressed up and aren't afraid to be extravagant. It's not the typical Berlin club where everyone wears black from head to toe. Here there's colour — it’s very refined.’
