Student’s Nightclub Concept Wins Sh7.6m Prize

A Kenyan studying in Brighton University in the UK has won a €50,000 (Sh7.6 million) grant to build a mobile music studio and nightclub in Nairobi using repurposed shipping containers.

Jesse Mugambi, who is studying for a Master’s in Sustainable Design, has been confirmed as one of the two winners of the Mast-Jagermeister Save The Night competition, which supports nightlife projects around the world.

Mast-Jagermeister is a German liquor firm owned by the Findel-Mast family.

Mugambi, whose ‘Studio Can-V’ project beat 300 contestants from 50 countries, will split the €100,000 (Sh15.2 million) prize fund with a fellow winner from Northern Ireland.

Studio Can-V is a mobile studio for DJs that turns into a nightclub by night, all made out of decommissioned shipping containers and renewable materials.

Mugambi, who is also a DJ himself, developed the project during his time as an undergraduate at the same university.

“I’ve received massive support from friends, mentors, lecturers and professors at the University of Brighton who’ve helped shape the project’s trajectory,” said Mugambi.

According to Mugambi, the containers will be procured from the port of Mombasa while other materials such as steel tubes for structural support, aluminium panels for the doors, and glass for roof panels will come from suppliers in Nairobi.

“We are collaborating with lecturers at the University of Brighton to ensure that our plans are developed sustainably, both socially and architecturally,” he said.

RELATED: How to Build With Bamboo

Kai Dechsling, director of global culture and experiential marketing at Mast-Jagermeister, said: “An inclusive, diverse and safe nightlife opens up unique pathways for self-expression worldwide.”

Born in Nairobi in July 1998, Mugambi attended Braeside School from 2006 to 2014 and completed his A Levels at Hillcrest School in 2016.

He graduated from Brighton with an architecture degree in 2020.

After graduation, Mugambi interned at architectural firms in Nairobi and Brighton before starting his Masters in Sustainable Design.

His final Master’s thesis, due in August, will incorporate the Studio Can-V project.

Join 15,000+ pros getting our weekly digest of news and insights.