Nightclub & Restaurant Design by Callin Fortis
Designer, nightlife impresario and Bigtime Design founder Callin Fortis , primarily known for designing and branding the international and award-winning brand of Crobar nightclubs - is combining fashion, music, branding and architecture into one package with Bigtime Design.
In addition to his nightclub design projects, Callin’s recent projects include working as the interior architects for Morgan’s Hotel Group’s Mondrian South Beach, a dirty disco re-imagining and build-out of the Cameo Theater (for which Fortis received a nightclub interior design award nomination and won the “Best Nightclub Design Renovation Award”.) and a full scale re-branding of UK dance music institution Gatecrasher. Bigtime has also completed numerous projects in Chicago, including Ristorante Angelina, Exit, Franks, Glow, Hi Tops, Kaboom, Neo, oo-la-la, Tequila Road House, Vinyl, America’s Backyard and Watusi.
The common thread in all of Bigtime’s work is that there is sociology to good design. “People might ask what kind of social or political dislocations my designs represent,” says Fortis. “If you look around any significant design you will find that successful space is interpreted as a social and political monologue, where each user reacts with whatever emotions they already possess”. Bigtime Design is a collaborative studio, consisting of a team drawn of creative artists, architects, designers, and nightlife marketing pros. Fortis and his crew utilize a design ethos where oversized objects create the experience, while the human-sized details evoke a personal connection and create a lasting memory. “I encourage design to react with you, not to you,” says Fortis.
Editor Note: Check out the musings about hospitality design and architecture with Mister P.
Nightclub Design Crobar from Callin Fortis on Vimeo.
