London-born, Los Angeles–based DJ Harvey got his start on the streets as part of U.K. sound systems, but more recently he’s cast his disco/acid/Balearic house spell over venues far and wide. He was the first resident DJ at the famed megaclub Ministry of Sound; the most famous resident of Ibiza playground Pikes Hotel; and a partner at thirtyninehotel, a disco destination-cum-artspace deep in Hawaii’s Chinatown. This is all to say: DJ Harvey doesn’t just know how to play the right tunes, but also how to tune a room.
It’s no surprise, then, that he’s recently segued into designing a new nightclub with OMA from the ground up—even deeper than that, really, as it’s semi-subterranean. The Klymax Discotheque at Desa Potato Head resort is the beating heart of Bali’s nightlife scene, and from the start, Harvey and OMA were deep in the mix.
“We worked closely with DJ Harvey to translate technical audio specifications into architecture,” said OMA project architect Ken Fung. Previously a carpark, the 670-square-meter club sits within 20-centimeter concrete walls fitted with 365 millimeters of acoustic layers with a rockwool base. Panels of 25-millimeter plywood cover the walls and ceiling, perforated with more than 2,500,000 holes to diffuse sound. A top layer of teak veneer adds local color, a horticultural connection made explicit by a glassed-off lobby alcove of trees already taken root in the underground space. Those trees reach into the sky, their branches reflecting in the rooftop pond which, like most Klymax details, operates both aesthetically and acoustically: It prevents noise from the bustling resort from penetrating the club itself. “I’m particularly fond of the courtyard,” said OMA managing partner David Gianotten. “It’s a manifestation of the genuine connections that Potato Head, we, and DJ Harvey aim to create.”
The interior of the club operates asymmetrically, with a VIP booth tucked to one side and, strangely for such a forward-thinking nightlife space, gendered bathrooms. But an oversize disco ball (1 full meter in diameter) directs attention to what really matters: Klymax’s vast dancefloor, sprung like ballrooms of yore to reduce both dancer fatigue and sonic vibrations. A simple but effective lighting rig ensures the space can be used by day for cultural events and conferences, then come alive after dark. The team worked with acoustics engineer Theo Raijmakers, along with audio engineer George Stavro and Studio 54 and Paradise Garage engineer Richard Long, on the state-of-the-art sound system, which is secured on thick concrete “padding”.
The best clubs service the crowd as well as the selector, and Harvey has ensured Klymax makes the DJ feel right at home, too. A floating DJ booth is isolated sonically, though its monitors use the same drivers as the main room speakers, ensuring the DJ and dancers are in sync. Its high vantage point means the crowd can watch the magic happen. And its dedicated green room and private bathroom means the DJ can stay in the mix even if nature—or social obligations—call.