Across mythologies, the otherworld symbolises a supernatural realm distinct from everyday human reality. A place of perpetual youth, abundance, and pleasure, where time flows differently.
I’ve always felt that the collective gatherings and physical spaces that come alive at night - from the bustling ‘third spaces’ of bars and pubs to dark, dingy clubs and illegal raves - offer something similarly ethereal. A uniquely intimate and liminal reality beyond the well-lit sensibility and structured productivity of daytime.
The nocturnal otherworld is an episodic trend report that offers a deeply human, imaginative, and cross-disciplinary look at how after-hours culture fosters a special sense of connection, identity, escape, and excitement.
The findings in this series of essays have been informed by on-the-ground ethnography, social listening, and various interviews with nightlife insiders, from industry advocates and DJs, to clubkids and urban planners, connecting hundreds of dots across the diverse facets and perspectives that represent the nightlife experience.
When former 24/7 cities are today frequently devoid of activity after midnight, and younger generations are championing a new relationship to partying and socialising, the questions we ultimately want to answer are: what do people lose when they lose their nightlife? And what do they stand to gain by keeping the nocturnal otherworld alive?
Expert collaborators:
Lutz Leichsenring; Berlin Club Commission, global nightlife advocate
Andy Crysell; author, Selling the Night
Mike Evans; ex head of marketing at Dekmantel, Vienna nightlife advocate
Harumi Arrascue; urban planner; nighttime culture; Sydney District Council
Research and editorial support by Jack Arnhold