A few years ago ICA, London, provided an opportunity to glimpse the eccentric and spirited design of Gruppo 9999. It was then when I was exposed to what was the Radical Disco Architecture of 1960s and 70s Italy – a design movement conducted by the group of avant-garde architects. The testing and daring approach of Gruppo 9999, that was immediately obvious, was nothing short of unfamiliar - even for someone who's 50 years late in admiration. What impression must it have left on someone in the 70s?
The Florence University students channelled their enthusiasm for discotheque and architecture to birth an aesthetic that transformed Italian nightclubs. The vibrant interior design lead the way to a space for leisurely and creative freedom, in which art, politics, theatre and music were unified.
The radicalisation that happened for the 60s and 70s Italian nightlife fed party-goers sociable and fun spaces to dance in and cherish as an opportunity to let go. The clubs included multiple areas of seating, with a curiously theatrical aesthetic, using a discord of bright and muted retro colours. Raised platforms made up dance floors that were surrounded by artistically decorated walls, including the treasured work of Andy Warhol.
Nightclubs such as Piper, Turin, and Space Electronic, Florence, encompassed the paradox of technology and nature, to allow the nightclubs to be more than just a sticky dance floor.
Examples of this unification included the lower level of Space Electronic featuring a vegetable garden for the Mondiale festival; thus earning Gruppo 9999 the MoMa’s Competition for Young Designers Award in 1972. Contributing to theme of futurism, the interiors took advantage of bold, abstract lighting, projectors and the club itself being named ‘Space Electronic’. In contrast to the post-war technological age, Gruppo 9999 also hinted towards the encouragement of recycling and re-use, as opposed to simply all new and fresh-out-the-box fit out. Space Electronic, for example, used furnishings made up of discarded washing machine drums and refrigeration casings.
In a Post World War 2 era, the creatives saw an opportunity for social reform. Gruppo 9999 used their unique ideas to enhance the atmosphere of the space that people wanted to spend their leisure time and separate from reality; discotheque was theirs to experiment and have fun with - and I think they nailed it.
Written by Juliet Wilson
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