Title: Protagonist Clubhouse
Location of Proejct: Charlotte, NC
Project Completion Date: Fall 2019
Firm Name: Cluck

Short Description: The space is intimate. With just 30 seats, it’s worlds away from Charlotte’s huge, warehouse-style breweries. The area is more a comfortable tasting laboratory than a bar. The design feels modern and minimalist. 26 polished taps emerge from the back wall of the bar — no unsightly tree of mismatched tap handles would look right here. The focus of the room, the “flux capacitor” — a stainless steel panel of gauges and red knobs that would look right at home on a ‘60s sci-fi spaceship — contrasts perfectly with the white oak and neutral colors that dominate the room.

Architect's Statement: Located in Charlotte’s NoDa arts district, Protagonist Clubhouse provides a totally unique tasting experience for the enthusiast and the beer-curious. The staff curates unique beers from around the world and, utilizing their advanced storage and serving technology, present them exactly as the brewers intended. They blend CO2 and nitrogen into individual draft lines in the on-site “flux capacitor” to provide precise mouthfeel. Kegs are cooled in multiple temperature zones — a design that enables Protagonist to serve varying styles at their appropriate temperatures.

Protagonist Clubhouse isn’t really a bar. It’s more of a specialized beer tasting facility. The space is very intimate, with seating for about 30 patrons. The feel is very modern and minimal — a laboratory where customers conduct flavor experiments. The white oak and neutral colors that dominate the room are accentuated with shiny, polished techno-gadgets.