In Design Insider’s ‘Joyful Spaces’ series, Jasper explores the lasting impact of Space Disco, Ibiza.

In this interview, Jasper Sanders reflects on the idea of joyful space through a formative personal experience: Space Disco in Ibiza. Rather than focusing on conventional commercial environments such as cafés, offices or retail spaces, Jasper explores the disco as a rare typology where commerce and culture intersect to create an intensely human, sensory experience.

He describes discos as spaces designed not for utility, efficiency or status, but for emotion. Architecture, light, sound and movement are deliberately orchestrated to generate energy, connection and shared release. While entry, drinks and fashion may be transactional, the true value lies in the collective euphoria and sense of belonging that emerges when strangers move together in rhythm. For Jasper, this emotional intent places discos among the most sophisticated examples of experiential design.

Recounting Space Disco’s opening night in 1986, Jasper explains how the venue became an enduring reference point in his design thinking. Its open-plan architecture acted as a backdrop rather than a statement, allowing atmosphere to take precedence over ego or spectacle. Scent, sound, low light and ritual combined to create a space where people were encouraged to feel rather than perform.

Jasper identifies this experience as a benchmark for his work today. At Jasper Sanders + Partners, the studio designs with emotion, rhythm and sensory awareness at the forefront, aiming to create spaces where people don’t simply occupy space, but genuinely feel something. When design succeeds in this way, Jasper believes it can transcend function, becoming something memorable, joyful and enduring long after the moment has passed.

Read the full article in Design Insider