In early 2012, Galaxy Macau added a new members-only salon geared to high rollers and other elite clients. A hybrid of showroom and bar/lounge spanning more than 17,200 square feet, China Rouge, designed by Alan Chan of Hong Kong, blends the artistic sensibilities of Old Shanghai, 19th century Paris and “the fabulous women of the decadent era,” according to Galaxy Entertainment. With his design partner Ryu Kosaka, creative director of Aoyama Nomura Design of Tokyo, Chan took a full year to create the space, from first drafts to completion. For his work on China Rouge, Chan won a bronze award at the 2013 International Design Awards in the Interior Design Concept category.
The space, influenced by motifs from Chinese literature, recalls Shanghai’s golden age, a time when dance halls, tango teahouses and underground cocktail bars flourished. As the cultural center of Asia, the city was known as the “Paris of the East.” China Rouge also is inspired by Le Chat Noir, which opened in Paris in 1881 and attracted artists such as Toulouse-Lautrec as well as the leading philosophers and aristocrats of La Belle Epoque.
Galaxy defines the hybrid space as a “forbidden chamber for the elite” including a warren of exotic and intimate spaces imbued with deep shades of red, gold, purple and black. The showroom’s main floor has both private tables and personal boxes on a mezzanine floor. Entertainment ranges from cabaret singers to saucy revues to unplugged performances and celebrity DJs. China Rouge also serves as a gallery of contemporary art with commissioned works from Buhua, Chen Men, Deng Xinli, Li Jian and Zheng Lu, all of whom pay homage to women, past and present.
Chan, who is as well-known for his product designs as for his interior design, conceptualized and created many artifacts for China Rouge, including a glass carving mural called “The Plum in the Golden Vase,” a mosaic mural known as “Chinese Beauties” and other works in jade, bronze and stained glass that celebrate Asian spirit and feminine power.
Chan is one of Asia’s most celebrated designers and brand consultants. Over the past 40 years, his studio has amassed more than 600 local and international awards and his portfolio includes influential brands such as Coca Cola China, Fendi, the Four Seasons hotel, Hugo Boss, Lacoste, Salvatore Ferragamo and Seiko. Working on China Rouge, he says, “I decided to take the Art Deco style of 1930s Shanghai as the main theme.
“Not only because of my personal preference, but also because the artistic style of that era is vivid—making strong visual statements, with beautiful details and colors. That period in China had a profound impact on designs that followed across Asia.”
On its opening, Francis Lui, vice chairman of Galaxy Entertainment Group, said China Rouge “combines elements of the Chinese, European and modern in a way that has never been done before” and said the club would offer “one of the finest nightlife experiences in the world.”
Image Director: Alan Chan of Alan Chan Design Company (ACDC), Hong Kong
Design Partner: Ryu Kosaka of Aoyama Nomura Design, Tokyo
Capacity: Seating capacity approximately 196, standing capacity approximately 400
Floor Area: 17,222 square feet
