SUPERCLUB ZOUK KL HAS SOMETHING TO SHOW THE WORLD

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The much-awaited, new RM38-m home of global club brand Zouk Kuala Lumpur [KL] is launching next month at TREC along downtown Jalan Tun Razak. TREC is Malaysia and KL’s first and largest purpose-built entertainment and lifestyle enclave.

This follows the recent two-part farewell parties [July 11 and July 25] at its former club space at Jalan Ampang, where Zouk KL has been located since 2004.

The new multi-room complex will open nine venues on Aug 21, after its private preview for invited guests on Aug 20, and the remaining two venues will open on Sept 4.

At a staggering 106,000 sq ft, the newly-built, two-storey Zouk KL comprises 11 venues – of which three are new concepts – which occupy a total of 60,000 sq ft of built-in space. This is twice the entire size of the previous club complex at Jalan Ampang.

The new Zouk KL’s underground carpark [for 150 cars] makes up the remaining 46,000 sq ft. With distinct straight line edges defining its external appearance, the new structure is a vision that embodies the innovative concept of the 24-year-old a world-class brand – and it is a symbol of leadership in Asia’s entertainment industry.

Zouk KL, the capital of the city’s electronic dance music scene, is lavishly outfitted with a state of the art lighting and sound equipment, set against a kaleidoscope of soundscapes from EDM, House, Electro, Open Format, Trance, Techno, Trap, R&B, Hip Hop to Indie and Nu-Disco.

With 11 venues, each possessing a unique, individual identity – there is diversity and a self-supporting ecosystem even within the club complex. The challenge was to create unique, individual experiences for each outlet that would also preserve the Zouk brand, combining its unique savoir faire, design, and functionality. Zouk KL’s co-founder Cher Ng says: “It’s about re-imagining spaces – integrating architecture, interior design, music, art, decor, lighting and effects, making each space one of its kind and individualistic – just like the Zouk clientele. And, that’s what Zouk KL is all about – the experiential journey.” 11 E X P E R I E N C E S With a series of interconnected rooms, entry and progression were one of the most important considerations in creating unique, new experiences that allow guests to be given a choice as to which path they would like to take to each venue. Adding to that are the lights, graphic elements and transition spaces, where visitors can sample the views and vibes before they enter, creating an immersive experience that amplifies the senses. Each of the 11 spaces has at least one special feature. Welcome to Zouk KL. Let the dance through begin..

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1. ZOUK CAFE BAR

Pitstop for drinks, good food and conversations. Opens: Daily, 5pm-5am 

VIBE: Popular Happy Hour spot for the after-5 crowd from the nearby offices. This is also the clubbers’ meeting point before they head inside Zouk KL. The 3,303 sq ft Cafe features a kitchen with a service bar where food is plated. Local and western cuisines, and catering are available. Oh yes, you’ll find Zouk’s iconic hotdog stand here, too. This is not a ticketed venue. Adjoined to it is the 1,485 sq ft Beer Garden.

SENSORY: Zouk Cafe Bar [above] “floats” above the water pond beneath it. The Cafe is visible from a distance as the plush sofas are illuminated with soft sepia lights. Its earthy and organic tones are accentuated by delicate floral motifs that blanket the ceiling.

SPECIAL FEATURE: Breathy view of TREC’s Electric Boulevard plaza from this alfresco where you can people-watch.

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2. BEER GARDEN

Adjoined to the Zouk Cafe Bar, this is an alfresco space to hang out, or have a sumptuous meal before the party.

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3. ZOUK MAIN ROOM

The pulse of Zouk KL with its altar-like console, massive arrays of LED and visual displays. Opens: Tuesdays 10pm-3am Wednesdays & Thursdays 10pm-4am Fridays & Saturdays 10pm-5am

MUSIC: EDM, TRANCE, TECHNO, ELECTRO, TRAP

VIBE: Heart of Zouk and home to the cool club kids, the 6,574 sq ft room [above] – the biggest room in Zouk KL – is the soundscape of the superclub. One that defies musical boundaries with the intense rhythms pounding from the state-of-the-art Funktion-One sound system that reverberates through the room, breathing life onto the energetic dance floor.

SENSORY: A long tunnel entrance heightens the anticipation as you prepare to step in. The ceiling stretches to the end of the room, drops down and rises again, providing an engaging lighting effect over the banquette seating, so you’re greeted by the room’s magnitude as well as a sense of coziness. The club features a fiery red hue with splashes of grays and silvers to give it a membranous feel. Under the inviting lighting, the reds appear as a softer burgundy that coats the hall giving it more depth and warmth. A double-storey void on either side of the ‘fall’ and the banquette seating which drops down a level, again creates a feeling of space between the floor and the ceiling. The use of light and materials provides a functional lighting effect – a resin screen element diffuses light and separates the bar from the tunnel entrance.

SPECIAL FEATURE: Over a million LED bulbs dazzle the room. Zouk Main Room also features a custom-built moving truss for lighting above the dance floor, adding to the electrifying atmosphere.

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 4. ACE

From Zouk Main Room, slip into this cool Hip-Hop club via the side staircase Opens: Thursdays 10pm-4am Fridays & Saturdays 10pm-5am

MUSIC: HIP-HOP, R&B VIBE: Located on the first level, the 2,346 sq ft Ace [above] overlooks the dance hall and DJ console of the Zouk Main Room. This Urban Hip-Hop Bar is a room for the very expressive younger set with a penchant for hip-grinding urban rhythms of crisp hi-hats and banging snares. The space is also used as an extension to the Zouk Main Room with pipe-in music from the latter to accommodate a bigger turnout when an international guest DJ performs.

SENSORY: Strong graphic elements line the walls of the tunnel leading to Ace that heightens the anticipation. Behind the angular concept loft are Hip-Hop bling-inspired iconic symbols, and a ceiling plane over the bar that provides a dramatic overhead lighting feature. Separating the alcoves are illuminated candy poplike rods made of coloured resin, which rise elegantly from the ground. True to its Hip-Hop spirit, Ace’s bar faces are truly phat-worthy, studded with crystal beads, and the banquette upholstery is deliberately puffy. Even the stools are overstuffed with sparkly upholstery to complete the OTT effect, and with much pride.

SPECIAL FEATURE: An island bar dominates with banquette alcoves around the perimeter offering an interactive lighting

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5. PHUTURE

Head back to the ground floor to check out the futuristic décor Opens: Wednesdays & Thursdays 10pm-4am Fridays & Saturdays 10pm-5am

MUSIC: EDM, OPEN FORMAT, MASH-UP VIBE: The 5,200 sq ft room [above] is the residence for the funloving, trendy and cosmopolitan set who transform the dance floor into a rhythm nation.

SENSORY: The club is approached by a tunnel which is like a blind alley leading to the space, and it’s pulling these retro ideas but made crisper and inspired by the façade and with an angular texture, making it more 21st Century. The light lines lead you through the tunnel with light reflecting material, a magic maze that draws you in. Inside, a series of three platforms with soft seating step up into the space, which is completed with a centralised DJ console, a couple of raised VIP pods, and a super VIP area behind – the party room – which can be reserved. Your eyes are drawn to an androgynous space sculpture at the luminous bar – and light lines that lead you to the back and the VIP area framed by hanging LED tubes. Specially designed, contemporary space-like sculptures, along with hues of blues and grays from the panels, give the entire room a futuristic and avantgarde look.

SPECIAL FEATURE: A suspended track hoisting dancers around the dance floor in a Cirque du Soleil fashion.

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 6. VELVET UNDERGROUND

Posh, lush interiors befitting its discerning clientele Opens: Tuesdays 10pm-3am Wednesdays & Thursdays 10pm-4am Fridays & Saturdays 10pm-5am 

MUSIC: OPEN FORMAT, COMMERCIAL HOUSE VIBE: The 5,700 sq ft Velvet Underground [above] is alluring and seductive, and it is here the trendy, beautiful crowd and fashion-conscious call home.

SENSORY: Lining the tunnel leading to Velvet Underground is a series of reflective squares – it’s like a grid, but with offsets. Once inside, you’ll notice the feature wall made up of illuminated protruding resin blocks and this is reflected on some screens that separate some of the areas. Its magnetic appeal is underlined by the colouration that verges towards bronze and other metals – coppers, golds, silvers and gun metal, and within these are accents of deep indigo as well as a little bit of softer, velvety hues, giving the space an intimate, feminine chic with a hint of mystique. The high energy dance floor is matched by a combination of five different tones of wood. The central seating area features some loose furniture elements which are upholstered in velvet, and a ceiling feature of an array of overhead hanging LED panels that cast a warm, inviting glow.

SPECIAL FEATURE: As you look towards the DJ you’d feel it dips into a pit. The console’s face is composed of rods arranged in a three-dimensional tartan pattern, in three different metal tones with a rich fabric drape as a backdrop for a luxurious effect.

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7. MEMBER’S LOUNGE

Opens: Tuesdays 10pm-3am Wednesdays & Thursdays 10pm-4am Fridays & Saturdays 10pm-5am

MUSIC: EDM, OPEN

FORMAT VIBE: Located between Velvet Underground and Phuture is the Member’s Lounge. This 1,194 sq ft intimate space [above] is a symmetrical room focused on the service bar.

SENSORY: Its faux marble effect projects a dramatic, almost art deco feel. Adding to that is the shimmering sheer fabric that wraps the banquette seating. This is midcentury modern meets Capellini – very elegant, with a dash of gold and black. SPECIAL FEATURE: Watch people glide [literally] into the Member’s Lounge via a fantastic slide that comes down from Imperial above it.

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 8. APEX LOUNGE

Take the staircase from the ground floor to this club Opens: Sundays, Mondays & Tuesdays 6pm-3am Wednesdays & Thursdays 6pm-4am Fridays & Saturdays 6pm-5am  

MUSIC: HOUSE, NU DISCO, INDIE, CLASSICS VIBE: En route to the 5,638 sq ft lair is Apex Lounge – the breeding ground for the free spirited and creative hounds, from the advertising, arts to music and design communities. An alternative bar-lounge, it is the proud host to a diverse musical fare, lending to its individualistic personality.

SENSORY: Enter this room and you’ll be greeted by an expansive island bar with a mushroom-like canopy extending overhead, bathing the club in a gentle, luminous glow. Here, the warm, comforting atmosphere envelops you. The surrounding – accentuated by its soft lighting, alcove seats with deep arches that gives it an aerodynamic characteristic within the space – creates an effect both intimate and welcoming that aptly reflects the eclectic spirit.

SPECIAL FEATURE: A 5m floor-to-ceiling glass window lets you to enjoy the spectacular view of the streetscape on Jalan Tun Razak. Apex Lounge is also the space of comfort offering the earthier pleasures of gastronomy. A delectable Japanese tapas menu – sashimi, rolls, tempuras, salads, and more – keeping flavours diverse yet pleasing for communal enjoyment. You’ll find the Pinot Noir and cocktails as savoury as you would the tenderly grilled yakitori. Apex Lounge’s playlist is curated by Zouk KL’s resident jock Blink from BFM 89.9 radio shows The Muddy Confluence Musical Companion [indie]; Into The Blue [forward-thinking genres]; Take Five {contemporary]; and 33rpm [alternative]. 

9. GLASS BOX

Hidden gem of Zouk KL. Perfect for private events

GLASS BOX VIBE: If you’d like some privacy for you and your guests, this 750 sq ft room adapts suitably for private events [private dining, atmospheric and party-centric bashes] for up to 30 people.

SPECIAL FEATURE: Its floor-to-ceiling glass wall on one side overlooks the golf course, and another side with a full height glass wall with a door opens to a balcony with a glass balustrade, with the view of Zouk Outdoor Cafe.

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10. IMPERIAL

Exclusive services not seen in any KL club, including a password-activated private lift from the basement car park straight to the nightspot Opens: Wednesdays & Thursdays 10pm-4am Fridays & Saturdays 10pm-5am

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Connected to the Imperial, enjoy the spectacular view of the Royal Selangor Golf Club from an outdoor setting

MUSIC: HOUSE, EDM VIBE: Celebrating the highlife is the 6,671 sq ft Imperial, the newest concept from Zouk KL. Opulent in its design, it was conceptualised for the growing affluent, high society who pursue the finer things in life where premium wines and champagnes are top tipples. This is the second biggest room in Zouk KL. Imperial provides a highly personalised service such as prominent parking spaces for supercars, as well as club entry via private lifts for guests who desire privacy, and a dedicated for-hire VIP concierge that includes party planners, security and special bottle rituals, designed for the top tier demographic.

SENSORY: Design wise, there’s a vestibule approach that leads to a large open space. In the middle of Imperial is a column which ‘grows’ into an organic- looking tree with metallic branches and leaves that descend over three signature VIP pods. Around the perimeter of Imperial is an arcade effect with its indirect lighting on fabrics giving it a soft elegant glow. Imperial is filled with a champagne and orange iridescence, and this luxurious feel extends even to its washrooms. In the back of the room is an L-shaped space with more standard groupings, which gives guests a vantage point to view what’s happening in the club. The fluid idea in the centre of this room is an organic chandelier that drops from its roof. It’s has a luxe, vintage appeal to it. The room has an underlying champagne theme, right down to the windows at the back that overlook the gardens. The hero of this space is the ‘bling-bling’ champagne bar [center] that sparkles from 1,200 Dom Perignon champagne bottles, which are lit with an LED array.

SPECIAL FEATURE: Forget the lift if you’re heading to the Member’s Lounge on the ground floor. Jump onto the slide that will take you straight down. PERK: A private lift takes VVIP customers from the basement carpark straight to Imperial – minus the queue. A password is given to guests of the VVIP Pods for the door access panel for the lift. Imperial Lounge will also feature a whisky collection, which will include rare and award-winning whiskies from around the world.