位於倫敦文青最愛逛的 Shoreditch 區,經營約八年的 The Book Club 是最早期駐進此區的店家。當時英國經濟蕭條,原本經營酒吧的創辦者發現唯有轉型才能生存下去,便萌生了他認為當地居民最需要的一個空間,一個結合玩樂與文化的共用空間。早期的 Shoreditch 原是主要為藍領階級的區域,在許多大公司分別入進東倫敦後,陸續引來了許多藝術家以及從事創意的新居民,開始了一波接一波的士紳化;隨著一間又一間的藝廊,餐廳,風格店家駐進,房價與地價暴增,Shoreditch 更是成為眾所皆知的「文青指標地區」。
獨樹一格的 The Book Club 一樓為咖啡廳兼展覽空間,地下室在晚上則變成酒吧。除此之外,店裡也設置了乒乓球桌與桌上足球台,甚至每天都舉辦各種不同的文化活動,從 展覽,DJ派對,工作坊,到聯誼派對,募資會,總之各種提升文化知識玩樂的聚集應有盡有。每三個月定期更換的展覽更是由策展人所精心挑選,風格大不同的藝術家所展出。喜歡跑咖啡店與結交朋友的文青們,來到倫敦一定不能錯過 Shoreditch 區,更別錯過 The Book Club 的各種文藝活動。這次我們採訪了 The Book Club 的經理 Dan,來一同深入英國青年的世界吧。
Situated in Shoreditch, the hippest district in London, The Book Club was one of the first venues to settle in this arts and cultural hub. Its previous life as a bar was facing difficulties during the times of economic stagnation in London, and the creators of The Book Club realized they had to do something different to survive, something different that combined both entertainment and cultural affairs.
Shoreditch in its early stage was a district for mostly blue-collar workers. Slowly, along with the inset of large corporations into East London, many creative entrepreneurs and artists moved in, beginning waves of gentrification. Property prices ascended enormously, cafes and restaurants, galleries and stores opened one after another. Shoreditch soon enough became the symbol of creative, trendy East London.
Cafe and exhibition space in the day, bar and club at night, The Book Club is also equipped with ping pong and foosball tables, with a plethora of cultural events held on a daily basis, from dance parties to workshops, speed-dating, to fundraisers and film screenings. The exhibitions that happen on a quarterly basis are also carefully curated, selecting artists who are stylistically very different.
希望可以讓玩樂與文化合併在一塊。在倫敦我們可以看見許多單純是酒吧的酒吧,單純是遊樂場的遊樂場,或單純是書店的書店,但我們希望可以結合兩者,讓大家可以有不同的體驗,在玩樂中攝取知識。我們所有的店家(共四個:The Book Club, Queen of Hoxton, Patterns, Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen) 都是由 Studio Alt Shift 所設計的。
由於我們每天都舉辦不同的活動,每天都跟大量不同的人接觸,談論,靈感是源源不斷的。與其說書或電影,我想最大的靈感都是來自各種不同的人們。
Goodhood, Labor and Waite, Dover Street Market, Barbican Center
Norse Projects, Rick Owens, Hay
我喜歡簡單的線條與顏色,所以應該是北歐風
不要把房子弄的太誇張,有想法還是讓他盡量保持簡單,不要弄過頭。讓家裡的擺設保持平衡很重要,硬的家具要配上柔軟的配件。在我個人的家裡,因為我們喜歡非常簡單的色彩,所以更加注重於東西的質地 (texture)。有些人喜歡掛印刷品,我們則喜歡掛布料,也搜集了很多獨立藝術家的陶作品。
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