Xihe Chen

I am Xihe Chen from Fujian, China. During my undergraduate degree at Xiamen University. I studied Chinese painting, calligraphy, oil painting, material experiments and other artistic techniques. During this period I found that I was more interested in the art and design of three-dimensional space, which became my preferred means of expression and led me to study architecture and interior design.

My background in art allowed me to explore and think about spatial design from multiple perspectives. During my time at the RCA, I have devoted myself to exploring the combination of space design, art, and culture. After joining the Urbanism platform in 2020, I studied the relationship between public and private space and the privacy of people in public places and people's privacy in public places. We began the year by looking at various spaces in Camden Town, and I eventually selected a fascinating site, which inspired me because of its usual history. In future, I hope to continue my investigations into architectural space, atmosphere and heritage.

Why is it that people are attracted to light and frightened by darkness? In cities, we are excited about building high, but we neglect underground spaces.

The focus for public space is our daytime experience, but we ignore the need for public spaces at night. Still, the demand for nightlife continues to be powerful. Some public spaces like music venues, bars, and clubs only back to life at night.

During the day, people are generally attracted to the sunlight. If you're sitting in a park you might want to go and sit in the sunshine. But at night, we're attracted to darkness, which can be like a cloak covering us and allowing us to behave differently. In places like clubs and music venues. Darkness represents freedom, mystery and private. People choose to gather in crowded dark places with friends and strangers. This experience has been missing from life during Covid, but through my project, I have imagined a world where we can once again experience the anonymity of the nighttime.

My project is an immersive music venue that is hidden from public view that draws people from Camden Town along the canal to the location in abandoned vaults beneath the railway. The 'stationary winding engine vaults' have been empty for more than 150 years, after changes in railway technology that made them redundant. This venue breaks down the divisions between people and gives opportunities for young musicians to have their first exposure to live audiences. Here people can still feel the roughness of original bricks and original curved ground, giving a destabilising, exciting feel to space.

— The Stationary Winding Engine Vaults are located in Camden near the canal and beneath the railway.

— The Stationary Winding Engine Vaults vaults consist of 5 vaults, It covers about 1300 square meters.

— The stationary winding engines started service on 14 October 1837, and for the following 7 years, drawing trains from Euston up Camden Bank along the incline by an endless rope.

— However, after just 7 years, the chambers were stripped of their winding machinery due to developments of the steam engine, effectively making the need for rope haulage redundant.

— Audiences enter the venue from a tunnel located in the lower left of the plan. They first experience the reception, then enter a threshold and seating area 1. People then turn left to the bar, the central passage and the seating area 2. Audiences leave through two exits in the upper left and right corners on the plan.

— The stage is positioned in the centre, crossing at a right angle to the five vaults so that the audience can see the performance from a variety of positions, Behind the stage are the green room and music studios. Seating areas are located on the two edge vaults. Toilets are on either side of this space.

— The entrance uses black steel and black tubes to preserve the roughness and industrial feel of the original site. The whisky bottles by the door was inspired by the whisky bottles placed on the wall in an abandoned steel case as I walked past Peckham. The venue is free and unrestricted.

— After opening the door, people pass through a tunnel of light towards the reception where they can buy tickets. The tunnel was originally is the coal supply for an engine that pulled trains out of Euston station using a rope. The linear lights on the walls are inspired by rails above the vaults.

— I have inserted many black steel structures into the existing building while retaining the rough walls and curved brick floors of the original vaults. People can touch the original, uneven, and even dirty vaults

— If people continue to move forward from the threshold, they can go to the seating area (-1). If They turn left here, they can go to the bar-1 through the rotating glass doors.

— In such an immersive, dimly-lit venue. Colour guides people as a navigation system: red signifies toilets, while people follow yellow to find the bar areas.

— The balcony is located behind Bar-1 because it is the only place that is not traversed by rails. Here is an opening in the ground above so that people can breathe fresh air and feel a connection with the outside, with trains speeding by every few minutes.

— This is the main bar area. The bar counter uses the same black steel as the door at the entrance, echoing the gate and bringing the rough, urban exterior to the interior.

— Behind the bar counter are revolving doors leading to seating area 2.

— Seating area 2 was originally a vault used to store coal. Three smaller chambers within the vault are for people who want to have more privacy.

— Lights in the seating area use sensors so that when more people gather together the light dims, to provide more darkness and make people feel more comfortable and private.

— This venue is intended for young musicians to have their first live music show. The experience is more intimate than larger venues. Audiences can feel closer to the performers, and there is the option to have acoustic performances.

— There are many music venues in Camden. But many of them for example Koko, the Roundhouse and the Electric Ballroom tend to host big-name bands. This venue is a return to the roots of Camden Town as a place for independent bands to launch and for young audiences to experience live music at more affordable ticket prices.

Education and entrepreneurship — This project is also intended to benefit the community. It is a place to teach young creatives music in the daytime and apply music lessons for young people in Camden.

— The music studio behind the stage is to help them produce music and release albums.

— This secret corner is located between backstage and Music Studio.

Xihe Chen

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Royal College of Art