Alejandro Cateto's Cateto Club in Marbella Revives 1960s Mediterranean Leisure Through Architectural Design

Alejandro Cateto of Cateto Cateto has designed Cateto Club in Marbella, Spain, as an architectural project that reinterprets 1960s Mediterranean leisure culture through a contemporary lens. The space draws inspiration from the golden era of the Costa del Sol, when figures like Frank Sinatra and Brigitte Bardot frequented the region, but avoids literal recreation by creating a sensory homage to the Relax Style. The interior design centers on the geometric motif of the cylinder, which appears in seating alcoves, the central bar, and flooring patterns, creating a unified visual language. Lighting elements include the Panthella by Louis Poulsen and the Nesso by Artemide, alongside the Sentry Sculpture Light by Ewan Lamm, contributing to a retrofuturistic atmosphere influenced by Verner Panton's aesthetic. The entrance features a three-meter-diameter circular door that references Robert Venturi's "I am a monument" theory and nods to the flamboyant façades of historic nightclubs along the N-340 highway. The design incorporates rough textures and white-washed finishes that pay tribute to local vernacular architecture, such as the Marbella Club and Hotel Miami. A collaborative installation with interior landscaper Charo Benitez includes gerberas and sunflowers growing through cracks in the floor, symbolizing the reclamation of abandoned 1960s structures like the Ciudad Sindical de Vacaciones Tiempo Libre. The project contrasts with global trends toward listening bars and intimate venues, emphasizing the visceral energy of dance floors and offering a narrative-driven alternative that blends history with innovation.