© Silencio / Photography: Pauline Shapiro

New York City‘s Hell’s Kitchen can hardly be called louche these days, but the neighbourhood once known for its gangs and buoyant crime has now gained a notable night haunt with a clandestine aura that matches its previous reputation. Well, seemingly so. We’re talking the arrival of Silencio, the overseas outpost of the eponymous Paris-based club which opened its doors in 2011, featuring an interior design by cult film director David Lynch. Following the opening of a club on sunny Ibiza, and a second Parisian branch in St.-Germain-des-Prés, both little over two years ago, Silencio owners Arnaud Frisch and Antoine Caton are shaking up the nightlife scene in the Big Apple. The hospitality entrepreneur tapped sought-after architect Harry Nuriev and his practice Crosby Studios to design the premises, and the inspiration was simply taken from the original club in the Marais district of the French capital. Upon entering the club, guests find themselves in an all-red, dimly lit environment with several rooms, all situated around a dance floor, around that effortlessly ooze mystery and excitement. The rooms, which can be closed with curtains for privacy – or should we say private debauchery? – are also dipped in gold and furnished with built-in seating and circular tables. Needless to say, the new Silencio club offers a programme for the culturally discerning, featuring live gigs, DJ sets by both local and international musicians, in addition to various screenings, exhibitions, lectures and other events. Hard to get in? You bet. © superfuture.com

Silencio
303 West 57th Street (Midtown)
New York, NY 10019
Thu-Sat 11pm-4am

© Silencio / Photography: Pauline Shapiro