Urban 18
Designed by Lime 388, discover a unique Downtown Golf Lounge & Restaurant.
Urban 18 is a 450 square meters club offering the first fully interactive virtual golf experience in the heart of Shanghai. Located in a perfect accessible downtown location by People's Square, Urban 18 integrates a state-of-art golf simulator technology with a high-end sports lounge and international food favorites conceptualized by the internationally renowned Chef David Laris. Featuring an urban minimalistic Design while bringing the sport to the city, Urban 18 is the first metropolitan fashionable golf venue in Mainland China.
Developing Urban18 presented a number of challenges for Lime 388: the need to spatially organize different activities – sport, retail and bar & dining – in a long space (50 meters), the challenge of creating a very functional venue dedicated to golf practice while promoting elegancy and comfort, the desire to appeal serious golf enthusiasts alongside lounge aficionados coming there to drink a cocktail.
Lime 388 used natural materials, a green living wall, large bay windows bringing in natural light and fluid shapes to convey the sense of freedom usually associated with the outdoor sport. At the same time, the very urban aspect of the space is proclaimed through uncluttered lines, the substantial use of bricks and concrete and the predominance of white and bold colors. In addition, the use of local colors such as pink and green, the Shikumen style brickwork and bamboo all refer to the unique Shanghai urban style. Finally, the Design focuses on golf, dedicating the main part of the space to its practice, codes and spirit. But all the design choices also create a welcoming environment for non-players.
Urban 18’s layout is divided into three functional areas: Entrance & Retail, Bar & Dining and Golf Simulators & VIP areas. Playing with the concept of American minimalist sculptor Richard Serra, the three areas are linked by a white leather wave running all along the space, bringing fluidity, movement and informality to the Design. The wave creates motion through the venue, giving space to the players in the golf area while drawing one along.
Bar & Dining: Overlooking People Square and benefiting from a stunning view on Shanghai Theatre, the Bar & Dining area features a huge brick wall reminiscent of traditional Chinese Shikumen buildings. Typical urban materials, concrete and bricks are mixed with comfortable Flint armchairs and Bridgeport bar stools, a perfect match to create a chic and contemporary spirit to enjoy fine dining.
Entrance & Retail: The entrance is conceived with all the symbols of golf. From the green wall to the flooring that goes up to the top of the ceiling, the entire space is inspired by golf. A lighting platform, shaped as a putting green, displays the light all around and invites one to choose between the bar and the golf area. Within this harmonious combination of lines, the entrance integrates a retail area featuring golf equipment. Though dedicated to Nike Golf products, the display also fully adopts Urban 18’s visual language.
Golf Simulator & VIP: Four state-of-the-art Full Swing Golf simulators are housed in a 30 meters long open plan space. Each one has removable partitions allowing it to be adapted to a different public, from individual players to large groups and teaching classes. In front of this practice area, windows and recess seats are tailored in flaming green and pink silk interrupted by the white vertical leather wave.
At the back of the space and benefiting from a complete privacy, the VIP area, featuring two large rooms each equipped with simulator, sofa, mini-bar and large HD screen, is offering the best of golf practice associated to a comfortable, intimate and elegant décor. Lime 388 though used a subtle swirling carpet design to subvert what could otherwise be an intimidatingly masculine space.
Finally, the entire space also matches the highest technology and sustainable considerations. Inspired by the usual golf environment, the design gives a large role to eco-friendly materials such as silk, concrete, clay plaster, bamboo, wool, etc.
Head down for a quick game and power breakfast before work; take golf coaching in the morning; a relaxing lunch while playing a ‘Longest Drive’ tournament with colleagues; attend a children’s golf workshops in the afternoon or a lazy ladies day sipping cocktails; host an event after work with your clients; beat a friends’ score in the weekly leader boards… Urban 18 is a venue fully adaptable.
As David Laris says, “there’s a little something for everyone… there is a real need for a concept like Urban 18 that brings the sport to the city, a perfect place to be part of a community.” Bringing the game closer to the people of Shanghai for the first time, Urban 18 is the very first location of its type on the Chinese mainland to offer this cutting edge experience.
Urban 18
2/F, Central Plaza, 227 Huangpi Bei Lu
People's Square
www.urban18golf.com