YongCai Huang's Xclub: A Walk in the Clouds

Imaginative Design Meets Emotional Demand in this Award-Winning Club

YongCai Huang's inspiration for Xclub came from the desire to create a space that is unpredictable and refuses to conform to the mundane. The name Xclub signifies this unpredictability and refusal, as X is often used to represent the unknown. The club aims to provide an imaginative, emotional, and demand-driven experience, such as a cloud walk, that is vivid and definite.

The unique properties of Xclub lie in its use of "GRG" white cloud clusters, designed with decorated-light overhead to establish a starry-sky scene. One side of the center-pipe is covered by a LED screen, and the colors on the cloud cluster constantly change following what the subject LED screen plays. The middle part of the quiet-bar area is constructed of acrylic, and LED screens of various sizes and shapes surround the sky-ceiling.

The realization of Xclub's design involved the use of "GRG" material, LED screens, and acrylic. The project, which spans 1166.4 square meters, is located in Nanning, China. The design process began in December 2015 and was completed in December 2016. The use of GRG, a pre-cast glass fiber reinforced gypsum board, and acrylic tubes, added to the uniqueness of the design.

One of the challenges faced during the design process was convincing the owner to change the concept and realize irregular space modelings. This was a departure from the conventional bar design, and the owner had to go through a period of wavering on business operations. The irregular shapes also increased the construction difficulty and cost.

Despite these challenges, Xclub stands as a testament to YongCai Huang's creativity and innovation. The design was awarded the Golden A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2018, a prestigious accolade granted to marvelous, outstanding, and trendsetting creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom. These are venerated products and bright ideas that advance art, science, design, and technology, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with their desirable characteristics.