This project takes visitors on a journey through the evolution of jazz music and its global impact. It highlights key values seen in jazz, illustrating its role in cultural exchange, expression and connection, which is my primary focus for the spaces. I aim to create multicultural environments that promotes connections through jazz music and its ambiance. The layout will allow visitors to explore different floors, each representing various influential locations in the globalisation and development of jazz, focusing on nightlife and jazz venues from around the world, transporting them across eras and promoting cultural exchange. My design concepts prioritise a warm, inviting atmosphere with open areas that encourage social interaction. Ill incorporate spaces for both calm reflection and energetic engagement, along with private and public areas to ensure comfort for all. Lighting will be a key feature, inspired by the dim, warm glow typical of jazz venues, using both original and modern approaches. Each area will reflect the jazz era, blending contemporary elements while preserving the unique, soulful, and intimate vibe of a jazz venue.

Ground Floor – The Welcome & Performance Space

As the first point of entry, the ground floor sets the tone for the entire experience. I aimed to create an immediate sense of atmosphere and presence by designing a decorative and visually rich space, centered around a double-height performance hall that captures the grandeur of early jazz venues.

This central space draws inspiration from the origins of jazz in New Orleans, evoking the welcoming, communal spirit of the 1920s jazz scene. The design blends ornate historical elements, such as rich materials, warm wood tones, and decorative detailing, with contemporary design touches that maintain a fresh, inviting atmosphere.

Although the layout is open and expansive, intimacy is created through thoughtful seating arrangements and ambient lighting, echoing the mood and rhythm of traditional jazz clubs. The result is a space that balances elegance and comfort, while encouraging social connection and cultural exchange, a fitting tribute to jazz’s multicultural roots.

Extending Design – Design Concept

At the heart of my jazz venue will be a sculptural, multifunctional centerpiece that fuses Scottish plasterwork, and New Orleans-inspired wrought iron. This central feature draws on the cultural and historical significance of each material, reinterpreting them in innovative and modern ways.

Scottish plasterwork, traditionally reserved for ceiling moldings and decorative wall elements, will be pushed beyond its conventional role to become a bold, sculptural focal point within the space.

Through exaggerated forms and innovative applications the feature pushing usual dimensions and uses will have theatrical presence. While keeping to the tradition of hand-crafted ornamentation, these contemporary interpretations will amplify the expressive potential of plaster, transforming it into a dynamic centerpiece that commands attention and redefines its architectural role.

Wrought iron, inspired by the expressive balconies and gates of New Orleans’ French and Spanish-influenced architecture, will take on a sculptural role in the form of a central feature in the space. Moving beyond traditional applications, this element will embody the improvisational spirit of jazz, fluid, rhythmic, and alive with shadow and light. Influenced by Art Nouveau curves, it will serve as a visual metaphor for jazz itself: spontaneous, expressive, and full of motion.

This project explores the layered histories and craftsmanship behind each material tradition, merging them into a bold and cohesive design statement. The result is a central feature that reflects the soul of jazz, creative, rooted in tradition, yet pushing boundaries. It offers visitors not just a striking focal point, but an architectural experience that resonates with the energy, emotion, and artistry of music.

Basement Floor – Tokyo-Inspired Nightlife & Dining

The basement level offers a more intimate, atmospheric experience, shaped by its underground setting and inspired by Japan’s jazz scene and late-night culture. Drawing from the ambience of Tokyo’s jazz kissas and izakayas, the space blends music, food, and social interaction in a way that feels both private and personal, yet still part of a shared experience.

At its heart is a live performance area, surrounded by flexible social seating, some open, some semi-private, to encourage both conversation and quiet listening. A dedicated tasting room and dining area reflect the izakaya tradition of combining drinks, music, and shared meals in a casual, communal setting.

The design references the Japanese jazz age through the use of warm woods, lacquered finishes, and textured surfaces, paired with sleek modern materials like steel to create a subtle contrast. This fusion reflects Japan’s approach to modernity: minimalism enriched by material variety. The low ceiling height enhances the sense of intimacy, while an open plan allows the space to flow and feel connected.

Low ceilings and soft, dim red lighting evoke the atmosphere of a hidden underground speakeasy, enhancing the sense of discovery while creating an intimate, immersive setting for late night jazz and conversation.

Mezzanine Floor – Parisian Elegance & Creative Expression

The mezzanine level draws inspiration from 1920s Paris, a time when jazz flourished in elegant salons, cabarets and clubs. Influenced by the era’s sense of glamour, creativity, and refinement, the design embraces elements of Art Deco, seen in the use of geometric patterns, luxurious materials, and ornamental detailing.

An open-plan layout allows the mezzanine to overlook the main performance space below, with tiered seating offering a prime view while maintaining a sense of privacy and exclusivity. Soft furnishings, rich textures, and warm lighting help balance the openness with a more intimate, lounge-like feel. This area also connects directly to a stylish bar, further enhancing its role as a social and relaxed gathering spot.

In contrast, a second zone on the mezzanine celebrates the creative spirit of the Parisian jazz scene. Here, an interactive art installation invites guests to listen to jazz while visually responding through drawing or mark-making, creating a space for artistic expression and personal interpretation, mirroring the improvisational nature of jazz itself.

Upper Floor – Cuban Rhythm & Social Energy

This floor draws on the vibrant atmosphere of Cuban jazz culture, with a focus on rhythm, movement, and connection. At its centre is a dance floor, designed as a celebration of Cuban music’s physicality and energy. An adjoining bar area supports the lively flow of the space, encouraging informal social interaction.

The design reflects the open, communal nature of Cuban interiors, where architecture often blurs the line between indoor and outdoor life. To echo this, the layout is spacious and fluid, and the space is filled with lush greenery and potted plants that bring a tropical, outdoor vibe indoors.

A soft, amber-orange lighting scheme mimics the warmth of the Cuban sun, casting a dim, golden glow across the room. This lighting enhances the feeling of being in an open-air evening venue, creating a sense of intimacy without losing the room’s vibrant energy.

The space is furnished with handcrafted pieces and vintage décor, layered with bold textiles in traditional Cuban colours and patterns. These elements bring texture, history, and personality to the space, reinforcing the idea of a warm, welcoming environment where music, dance, and community come together.

Second Floor – Creative Space for Musicians

The top floor shifts the focus inward, away from performance for an audience and toward the musicians themselves. Recognizing that jazz is built on collaboration, improvisation, and experimentation, this level is designed as a creative hub: a place where musicians can jam, rehearse, record, and reflect.

The space includes a jam room, recording studio, listening lounge, and a screening room for viewing performances or archival footage. Each room is carefully soundproofed and designed with comfort and acoustics in mind, creating a professional yet relaxed atmosphere.

This floor also continues the venue’s multicultural narrative, incorporating materials, colours, and design cues from the global cultures explored throughout the building, from Cuban textures to Parisian finishes, New Orleans woodwork, and Japanese minimalism. These influences create an environment that not only inspires creativity but reflects jazz’s global evolution.

Including a space like this is important because it acknowledges the process behind the performance. It supports the artists who keep jazz alive, offering them a place to connect, create, and innovate. By giving musicians a dedicated space, the venue becomes more than a stage, it becomes part of the culture and the creative journey of jazz itself.