Discotecture: Altered States

By: Iván L. Munuera + TAKK
Location: Chicago Architecture Biennale

With the support of: Institut Ramon Llull; Bard College; Columbia GSAPP; Acción Cultural Española AC/E

The 6th Chicago Architecture Biennale “SHIFT: Architecture in Times of Radical Change” was curated by Florencia Rodriguez

Chicago has long been a city where music and architecture intersect, sparking a spatial revolution—from pioneering blues and jazz venues to the birth of Chicago House in legendary spaces like the Warehouse. Yet, nightclubs are often perceived as dark, autonomous interiors dedicated solely to hedonistic sound. In reality, they are dynamic arenas where bodies, technologies, spaces, and politics are continuously negotiated and reshaped.

Since their emergence in the 1960s, nightclubs have shaped, contained, and disseminated a distinct architectural language: discotecture—the architecture of the disco. These spaces embody the political and social constructs of their time, acting as stages for evolving cultural expressions. Discotecture is both an ongoing performance and a collection of assemblages that reveal the intricate relationships between bodies, technologies, media, and environmental ideas. Through interactions between designers and clubgoers, DJs and dancers, as well as the interplay of technology and regulation, discotecture fosters unexpected connections and new forms of belonging.

The proposed intervention examines the spatial elements that define nightclubs through a comprehensive lens—extending from the dancefloor to sound and lighting systems, from flyers and media to makeup, hairstyles, chemical regimes, and architectural interventions beyond the club’s walls. Through an immersive installation that spans the entire space—from walls to ceilings and floors—along with a collection of mobile devices, visitors will embody various altered states in which discotecture is explored.