Arriving at Hush's huge logo-emblazoned porte-cochere, the scale of the project becomes immediately clear. Approximately $9 million have gone into converting an existing shell - already owned by Dan Deschamps, who along with Kevin Johnson makes up the driving force behind the club - into a 25,000 sq ft multi-level showcase for nightclub technology.

"I really built my own club because I got tired of waiting in line at clubs to get in," jokes Johnson. "Actually, I've always loved music. My dream was to open a huge nightclub, and light and sound are key elements of that. I wanted to have the best light and sound of any club in the world." In order to make that dream reality, Deschamps and Johnson traveled the US and even Europe to look at clubs because, in their words, "we didn't want to be upstaged by another club."

Initially, getting the concrete-industrial look of the venue just right proved something of a challenge. "We brought in a bunch of different design companies but they all wanted to add this 'foo foo' stuff - cone shaped, fuzzy elements and things like that," Deschamps explains. In frustration they decided to do it themselves, drawing on Johnson's expertise and experience as a former graphics artist. The resultant club is as close to their vision as possible.

The Hush experience starts immediately upon entering the club, in a 'meet and greet' hospitality area where six recessed Martin Architectural Alien 05 colour changing downlights provide colour wash onto the black-slated walls and floor. A pair of FiberSource CMY 150, built into a wrap-around sofa, each power ALSI, FL-19 stranded fiber illuminating the surrounding wall. Each FiberSource is fitted with a harness of 16 fibre cables concluding at NL-6 end elements. Meanwhile, a MiniMac Maestro image projector sweeps the Hush logo along the floor and walls. A pair of Plasma screens adorn the wall above the sofa, two of an amazing 35 located throughout the club.

Two, narrow, black-slated hallways, lead guests through an archway into a large bar area above which eight video screens are installed, forming a unique video ceiling. Alternatively, a stairway illuminated by three Martin Architectural Alien 02 colour changers move guests to an adjacent upper bar dominated by an impressive drinks display. Bottles in each of its 96 cubbyholes are silhouetted against an opaque backing behind which a MAC 300 wash provides a changing wave of colour. As the carousel gently rotates, a Martin Pro Atomic 3000 strobe gives an occasional attention grabbing flash.

Perhaps most arresting of all is the club's main dancefloor sunk by several feet to further accentuate the vast three-story roof space. Custom metal lattice and sheetrock adorns the walls and the dancefloor itself features custom-made stainless steel dancepods with plexiglass bottoms, each uplit by four cross-focused CX-4 colour changers and an Atomic strobe. Overhead, hangs a huge, moveable, spiderlike truss - the brainchild of Martin Professional's Dave Chesal and Hush's Technical Director Mike Guttman. Chesal and co-lighting designer Justin Jenkins used the Martin ShowDesigner, a lighting design software package, to create 3-D visualizations of the club and establish the best placement of the fixtures on the rig.

As the truss lowers all the way to the floor, double articulation in each truss arm allows them to rise above the body. On the small inner ring are four Atomic 3000 strobes with a Martin Wizard centrepiece cluster adorning each leg spoke. An outer ring is laden with 32 MX-10 scanners. Each spider arm has two MAC 2000 Profile, two MAC 600, one MAC 500, two RoboScan Pro 918, and two Atomics. Some 24 RoboColor Pro 400s are used as truss warmers with 24 Atomics on the rig all together. 240 sticks of LED lighting are also incorporated. From the body of the spider truss any oject desired - disco ball, cage, girl - can be lowered to the crowd below.

Besides providing an awesome abundance and variety of dancefloor lighting effects, the rig sprays pattern and colour onto the large white ceiling as well as a 3-story wall, which is actually the side of the elevator leading to the second and third floor V-VIP areas.

With a second floor DJ booth giving resident and visiting turntablists a ceaser-like view over the dance area and a canterlevered shadow dancing box by its side, this central space is an exciting place to be. V-VIP 'skyboxes' on the third floor overlook the main dance area, DJ booth and VIP area. Accessible only by an elevator or a "secret" back entrance for celebrity guests, they are private yet open glass cubicles added after an inspirational trip to Las Vegas.

In terms of audio, four powerful Mach speaker clusters hang from the 42 ft. ceiling in the main dance area providing focused sound around the dancefloor. Each cluster is made up of two Mach MS1262 Slingshot 3-way long throw units and two 15X2 Slingshot mid bass units. An imposing row of sixteen powerful Mach Ballister subs is located on the dancefloor, fronting the stage. Wherever there is a ceiling, recessed Alien 51S ceiling speakers have been installed, ensuring that as guests move around, the music will always be clear and clean.

Such is the popularity of Hush that Deschamps and Johnson already have plans to expand the brand. With the name trademarked for nightclubs, restaurants and bars, they hope to start with a Hush Jazz club next door, in the same building, this autumn.