American movie director David Lynch has completed a nightclub in Paris that's inspired by and named after Club Silencio from his 2001 film Mulholland Drive.
Members descend six flights of stairs to the basement of 142 rue de Montmartre, a former publishing press where Emile Zola printed his famous headline J'accuse in 1898.
The location is steeped in history: 17th century playwright Molière was reportedly buried there and socialist leader Jean Jaurès was murdered just across the street in 1914.
The curved walls are lined with wooden blocks coated in gold leaf and Lynch has furnished the bar with his own chair designs. The venue incorporates a cinema, a stage, a forest-like smoking room and a library. It will host films, art and performances in a program developed with Lynch.
Silencio opens to members on 6 October and membership will cost between €420 and €1500.
Here are some more details from the club's owners Savoir Faire:
Situated in the heart of historic Paris, 142 rue Montmartre is a mythical address that was once home to two influential leftist newspapers, L’Humanité and L’Aurore, which was famous for printing Émile Zola’s “J’Accuse.”
Today, Arnaud Frisch, manager of the Social Club and the music production company Savoir Faire, endeavours to give this abandoned landmark back its soul with the opening of SILENCIO, a club whose interior was designed by multidisciplinary artist David Lynch.
While its name offers a sly allusion to the club from the director’s 2001 Academy Award nominated film Mullholland Drive, SILENCIO in Paris stands alone as the realisation of his vision for a unique club experience.
The 2,100-square-foot space consists of a series of intimate rooms, each dedicated to a certain purpose or atmosphere, including a live stage with a reflective dance floor, an intimate art library, a cocooned sitting lounge, a spacious 24-seat cinema scheduled by MK2, and more.
Each room evokes Lynch’s visual style through an incisive composition of architecture, furniture, artwork, texture and lighting, a look he achieved working with designer Raphael Navot, architectural agency Enia and light designer Thierry Dreyfus.
Lynch also created three original furniture designs showcased at SILENCIO: “Black Birds” a series of asymmetric faceted black-leather seats and tables; “Wire” a collection of welcoming seats and sofas; and an ergonomic cinema seat that refines the movie-going experience. In addition, the main entrance hall, bar and lounges all feature carpeting with edging designed by Lynch. All furniture and materials were made-to-measure especially for SILENCIO by craftsmen from prestigious firms such as Domeau & Pérès and Ateliers Gohard.
SILENCIO is open daily from 6pm to 6am. Until midnight, the club is reserved exclusively for cardholders and their guests, who can enjoy unlimited access to concerts, films and other performances.