SWINGERS DUPONT CIRCLE
Washington D.C., United States
Swingers Dupont Circle
Client: Institute of Competitive Socialising
Size: 1,824 sq m / 19,633 sq ft
Status: Complete
Executive Architects: HBC Architects
Photographer: Rey Lopez
Washington D.C., United States
Building on the success of Swingers’ two celebrated London locations, Zachary Pulman Design Studio was commissioned to bring Swingers’ first U.S. venue to life in Washington, D.C.’s Dupont Circle. The vision was to capture the essence of a 1920s English country golf club with two 9-hole crazy golf courses, a clubhouse, cocktail bars, a street-facing, library-inspired Clocktower Bar, and some of Washington’s finest street food offerings.
The aim was to create a high-end, whimsical, and immersive experience that balances the expansive venue with an intimate, theatrical atmosphere.
Concept Design Details
The Brief
The Design
Swingers Dupont Circle channels the charm of an English country golf club, enhanced by playful, larger-than-life details. A striking 30ft Clocktower serves as the central visual anchor, connecting the Clocktower Bar on the ground floor to the Clocktower Course below, where players putt past a swinging pendulum for a unique finish. This impressive feature, an imaginative take on a grandfather clock with intricate laser-cut metal and subtle LED lighting, not only unifies the space but reinforces the venue’s distinctive theme.
The library-themed Clocktower Bar, Swingers’ first street-facing bar, invites a broader audience with Oxford-inspired wood panelling and arches, complemented by colours and a monochrome display of painted books along the bar front. Throughout the venue, grand-scale design elements blend seamlessly with intimate touches, ensuring the space feels vibrant whether lightly populated during the week or filled with guests on weekends.
This immersive, premium environment has been recognised by Forbes and Thrillist, winning awards for Best Leisure Interior in Washington, D.C., and across The Americas, exemplifying a design that elevates Swingers’ unique brand for a U.S. audience.
