It has been more than three decades since Ministry of Sound first opened with its pioneering sound system, and was quickly anointed as ‘sacred turf’ by devotees. Today, the south London institution continues to build on its legacy, drawing on its heritage as a superclub while opening itself to a new generation equally loyal to its electronic and house-powered dancefloor. Its carvenous interiors are also being reimagined, most recently with a dramatic members-only enclave conceived by local design studio A-nrd (recently behind Mason & Fifth Westbourne Park’s Canal restaurant).
Ministry of Sound introduces No Velvet Rope Society bar
Founder Alessio Nardi and creative partner Lukas Persakovas are lifelong clubbers themselves, making it essential, in their words, that ‘this new space feel authentic to that culture’. Positioned on the reworked mezzanine above The Box (the club’s main room), the new No Velvet Rope Society nods to Ministry of Sound’s brutalist Elephant and Castle setting, while embracing a sense of theatre and glamour.
‘The mood is deliberately layered and tactile, with contrasts between concrete, terrazzo, velvet and steel heightened by the play of light,’ says Nardi. ‘The palette is dark, moody and architectural, punctuated by saturated colour and flashes of reflection.’ At its centre stands a monolithic concrete bar, topped with grey-black terrazzo and softly backlit in amber, its strict linear bottle display lending a sense of rhythm and ritual.
Bespoke furnishings designed by A-nrd soften the raw architecture, their forms curved and inviting. Two distinct booth zones bring tonal variation: to the rear are enveloping banquettes in Panaz Allure Ink velvet; to the front, it's all textured chenille in Gancedo Chromatic Wine, adding a more expressive flourish. Spiral-formed tables continue the theme, each with a Verde Alpi resin terrazzo top and raw steel frame, tiered for bottles and glasses. Tom Dixon wall lights punctuate the concrete, their concentric ripples amplifying the play of shadow and sound.
Avoiding the trap of exclusivity clichés, Nardi and Persakovas instead sought openness and drama. Floor-to-ceiling fuchsia velvet curtains frame the view onto The Box, and can be drawn closed to heighten intimacy, or flung open to intensify spectacle, letting the pulse of the dancefloor flood in.
Ministry of Sound is located at 103 Gaunt St, London SE1 6DP, United Kingdom. For more information on No Velvet Rope Society, visit ministryofsound.com
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