El Departamento draws from Berlin nightlife for store interior
Architecture and interior design studio El Departamento has designed the Berlin flagship store for the streetwear brand Nude Project, located on Alte Schönhauser Straße. The project develops a retail environment shaped by references to Berlin’s nightlife culture of the 1970s, combining fashion display with a scenographic spatial narrative. Drawing on the legacy of entrepreneur and nightclub owner Rolf Eden, the design explores the visual language associated with the city’s historic club scene through a deliberately expressive and kitsch material palette.
Led by Marina Martín and Alberto Eltini, the studio conceived the store as a spatial interpretation of Nude Project’s brand identity within the cultural context of Berlin. Instead of adopting the minimal aesthetic frequently associated with contemporary retail spaces, the interior employs layered materials, dense textures, and theatrical lighting to construct a visually charged environment. The concept reframes the brand’s existing references through a local narrative, translating elements of Berlin nightlife culture into architectural form.
The design process began with research into Berlin’s social and cultural history, particularly the nightclub culture associated with the 1970s and 1980s. Rolf Eden’s persona and his role in shaping the city’s nightlife served as a conceptual reference for the project. The resulting spatial narrative, titled Nude Project Die Dynastie, draws from the atmosphere of controlled club environments in which lighting, sound, and interior design worked together to shape social experience. This approach is reflected in the interior architecture, where lighting systems, sound equipment, and furniture are treated as active components of the spatial composition. Materials such as burl wood, heavy velvet upholstery, patterned curtains, and richly textured carpets establish a visual environment informed by historical references to nightlife interiors.
El Departamento designs Nude Project’s Berlin flagship | all images by Miguel Fernández-Galiano
Layered materials and themed rooms shape Nude Project’s store
Creative studio El Departamento structured the store as a sequence of spaces, each defined by a distinct visual identity and material treatment. The experience begins in the Main Lounge, which functions as the primary reception and retail area. Burl wood surfaces appear across walls and furniture, referencing the decorative interiors of the 1970s. Technical lighting systems and an integrated speaker installation occupy a prominent position within the space. A large graffiti-style canvas positioned above a black counter introduces the brand’s graphic language. Additional elements, including an arcade machine and a rotating central display designed to resemble a vinyl record, contribute to the spatial composition.
From this area, visitors pass through red neon portals and mirrored ceilings to reach The Library, conceived as an intermediate space. Here, the flooring shifts to a green carpet featuring a botanical pattern. A custom fireplace inspired by vintage domestic interiors is framed by wooden shelving, introducing a residential reference within the retail setting. The fireplace also conceals a radiator, combining visual expression with functional heating. Mirrors placed across ceilings and walls multiply reflections of materials and textures throughout the room. At the rear of the store, the spatial sequence culminates in The Forbidden Room, where the design intensifies its material and chromatic language. The space is defined by deep red surfaces and vertical channel-tufted brown wall upholstery. At its center, a black grand piano functions as a display platform for garments. Above it, a red crystal chandelier is suspended from a mirrored ceiling.
The fitting room area, referred to as the ‘Ego Amplifier,’ continues this expressive approach. Leopard-print carpeting and velvet curtains frame the changing spaces, while mirrors incorporate graphic messages referencing punk culture. These elements connect the interior with the alternative cultural scenes historically associated with Berlin, while reinforcing the brand’s identity through spatial design. Through this sequence of rooms, the flagship store develops a retail environment in which material selection, lighting, and scenographic composition structure the visitor experience and frame the presentation of the brand’s clothing collections.
the retail interior draws references from Berlin’s 1970s nightlife culture
the concept translates club culture into a spatial retail narrative
a layered material palette replaces the minimalism typical of contemporary retail
red neon portals guide visitors from one space to the next
burl wood, velvet, and patterned textiles define the store’s interior language
a red crystal chandelier hangs beneath a mirrored ceiling
a black grand piano functions as a display table for garments
the fitting rooms feature leopard-print carpet and velvet curtains
mirrors amplify reflections of textures and materials throughout the space
a custom fireplace framed by wooden shelving adds a domestic reference
lighting and sound systems are integrated as spatial design elements
the store unfolds through a sequence of distinct rooms
project info:
name: Nude Project Berlin
architect: El Departamento | @eldepartamento.estudio
area: 135 sqm
location: Alte Schönhauser Str. 28 | 10119 Berlin, Germany
client: Nude Project | @nudeproject
lead architects: Alberto Eltini & Marina Martín
general contractor: Triangular
furniture design: El Departamento
furniture manufacturing / joinery: Triangular
textiles / soft furnishings: Deco & You
main hall flooring: Tarkett
patterned carpet flooring: Ege Carpets
maroon carpet flooring: Balsan
custom mirrors: Triangular
integrated speakers: Triangular
custom rug: Triangular
architectural lighting: Ilumisa
decorative lighting: Vintage
photographer: Miguel Fernández-Galiano | @mi.galiano
designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.
edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom
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