Clap Studio Turns an Iconic Spanish Nightclub Into a Study in Pure Sound

For club owners—or anyone with unusually loud neighbors—keeping sound contained can be a necessity. But completely eliminating unwanted sound is notoriously difficult. Spaces designed to absorb virtually all sound reflections, known as dead rooms, require specialized materials and acoustic expertise. (Think: vocal recording booths.) Drawing on that concept, emerging Spanish design firm Clap Studio reimagined a room inside an iconic Valencia music venue around the pursuit of pure sound.

Photography by David Zarzoso, courtesy of Clap Studio.

A temple of techno for decades, SPOOK is part of La Ruta del Bakalao (or “Ruta Destroy”), the legendary 18-mile club circuit along the CV-500 highway that captivated Spain and Europe’s electronic dance scenes in the 1980s and ’90s. When local practice Clap Studio was tapped to reimagine one of SPOOK’s rave rooms, the goal was architecturally pure sound: crisp, clear, and direct, like a recording studio.

Photography by David Zarzoso; courtesy of Clap Studio

Completed earlier this year, the 1,500-square-foot space is covered in spiky pyramid forms that extend the ceiling, pillars, and walls. Some are made of dark gray concrete, while others are crafted from polyurethane foam, doubling as acoustic paneling while reinforcing the interior’s austere energy.

Photography by David Zarzoso; courtesy of Clap Studio

The updated SPOOK is also completely coated in shades of deep blue, from ultramarine surfaces to pale blue speakers salvaged from the previous space and repainted. Even the room’s lighting casts an indigo hue across the dance floor, while a crisp ice blue emanates from the bar. In an intentionally monochromatic space, these shifts in light create striking contrast.

Photography by David Zarzoso; courtesy of Clap Studio

Paying respect to the club’s 1980s roots, Clap Studio also created a custom-designed sofa and pouf from denim fabric scraps. The gesture is small, but it reflects SPOOK’s broader approach: preserving traces of its past while reshaping the space for its next era.

Clap Studio founders Jordi Iranzo and Àngela Montagud at SPOOK. Photography by David Zarzoso; courtesy of Clap Studio.