Is Wynwood, Miami's arts district and hipster mecca, ready for a full-fledged nightclub? Mark Lowe thinks so.
Lowe, the man behind Fort Lauderdale's Living Room, is poised to open a 9,000-square-foot party spot called House, which scheduled to open February 2012.
"It's definitely not a lounge, but I wouldn't describe it as a megaclub either. It's really its own entity -- it's a house," Lowe tells Crossfade over the phone.
The idea: converting this former warehouse space (exact location is unknown at this point) into a living, breathing home.
"It has kitchens, bars, VIPs, showers. It's literally a house. I'm trying to approach it in a different way, telling myself I'm creating a house -- essentially a house party. It's something I can't fully define."
Lowe adds that House is basically the house of the future, with rotating "cyber-art" that could help local artists reach a wider audience. And according to a press release, the venue will be equipped with a "state-of-the-art sight and sound installations such as 360-degree panoramic projections, 3D architectural mapping, holograms and cyber technology unparalleled in the world. In order to evoke the warmth and intimacy of an actual home, kitchens will be bars; showers in VIP areas; beds with bed sheets; cocktail waitresses dressed only in crisp men's T-shirts; and pajama-clad bouncers, even sexy little surprises in the nightstand tables."
As far as what kind of events and programming we can expect, Lowe says it will mostly be DJs, but he hopes there will be live art, installations, and performance art happenings too.
"I think the art district is ready," Lowe says catching on our of skepticism. "You have Cafeina, Bardot, and a huge influx of people who live in Midtown that don't necessarily want to drive over the bridge."
Sure, Wynwood already has Bardot, Electric Pickle, and Cafeina. And bars like Lester's and Wood Lounge have popped up recently. At 9,000 square feet, though, House would dwarf those spots. Can the area sustain such a place?
"If you create something you unique, people will want to check it out. I also have a very strong following in Fort Lauderdale, and I have a strong following in Miami as well. I have that pull promotionally."
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