Photo by Danny Stygion
This interview/pictorial was featured in issue 3 of subspace Magazine.
subspace Magazine: Can you talk about your Compound in Pittsburgh?
Domina Irene Boss: Yes I would love to. I bought the building that houses the Compound in the fall of September of 1997. It was a long and grueling search to acquire it. It was indeed much too large, but I soon filled it with objects and found even more – and then it was just like “home” within about a month. At the time the area was very alternative and I kept a discreet profile. This was pre Internet. I made the decision very early on to concentrate heavily on extended scenes. This way I could utilize the 6000 square foot building to its fullest potential. It had been a long awaited dream of mine to have such a place. Around the same time, the OWK in Czechoslovakia began contacting me about visiting their establishment, so the Compound and the OWK came up at around the same time. I was in fact the first American Pro Dom Lady visitor at the OWK and over the years I went there 10 times. The OWK had a huge influence on me and I on them. They were my first DVD distributor, and many of the films they carried were made at the Compound in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. People have visited the Pittsburgh Compound for various types of stays over the years with the frequent overriding factor of Female Supremacy as the atmosphere. Since the Pittsburgh Compound is Female owned and operated there is a special feel about the place. I designed the theme rooms to compliment the large 1902 Edwardian and synch with it, instead of ignoring the fact that is a large Edwardian (post Victorian home), I embraced that. There is a very nice vibe here and it has gotten stronger over the years.
subspace Magazine: Can you describe the rooms?
Domina Irene Boss: The Pittsburgh Compound contains a large foyer with many implements hanging over the fireplace having to do with an activity called “intake”. It is where I remove someone’s identity and give them a new one, their things are stored away, they are shackled (if negotiated) and then led up the stairs to their fate and the trials and tribulations that we have predetermined. I have often heard that the main nervousness ensues when someone has stepped onto the porch of the building. Once intake has occurred everything is a blur and the altered realm of consciousness often referred to as “sub space” culminates, causing a person to lose all sense of place and time where they enter another dimension, become another self, and explore BDSM catharsis. There are many different fantasy tableau it is possible to play with at the Compound, Female Supremacy being just a very popular one. There are also sensual scenes where the focus is more aligned to a bondage spa then a torture chamber, double domination fun – as in 2 lady scenes or overlap scenes, incarcerations, role plays and fetish explorations. The theme rooms provide the backdrop for all of this. It is not uncommon for a 2 hour scene (which is the minimum at the Compound) to take place in 2 or 3 of the rooms. It is also not unusual for me to involve the lobby and stairway. The 3 flights of stairs and hard wood floors in the theme rooms are perfect for high heel shoe and boot walking. Let?s take a look at the place room by room.
At the top of the stairs on the first floor you will find the Fetish Boudoir. It is a softer environment, with high ceilings, hardwood floors, atmospheric lighting and special purpose built bondage furniture which compliments the decor. A large tapestry warms up the view and the fireplace (there are 7 total in the 13 room building) is adorned with various shoe and boot collections, objects personally made by those who have served me which have spiritual energetic femdom significance – like fetishes themselves or BDSM talisman, photographs of special events and early femdom relationships, a large collection of transformation attire for men to explore the female self, and my own wardrobe which is extensive. In this room it is possible to get dressed in order to play and even play within the room itself, or to begin a scene and expand outwards into the other areas of the studio. The Berkeley Horse is a design of my own, built by Steel Toy Maker, a local BDSM scene person who has been manufacturing gear for over 30 years. He enjoys working in oak as well as metal. I have a number of his pieces scattered throughout the studio. The original Berkeley Horse is a device from the 1800s made out of an old bed frame and invented by a woman named Theresa Berkeley, a brothel Madame in England who was paid according to how much blood she could cause to run down the backs of a miscreant legs with her ministrations. My Berkeley Horse is very swank – almost like a piece of Ethan Allen furniture. It adjusts with many different degrees to get the right “lean”, has CBT capabilities and is used for many different types of play besides heavy CP. There are no blood sport CP scenes at the Compound (too unhygienic) though certainly rough play may be negotiated in advance. Limits and interests are always respected. There is also a New West Leda styled devise in the Fetish Boudoir called the “Punishment Box”. When leaning over it a subjects posterior is higher than the rest of the body and they can be bound to is as well, amplifying the effect of what is about to transpire. Large floor mirrors lean against the walls and add to the excitement of being forced to watch one’s own debauchment.
Right next to the Fetish Boudoir is the dungeon on the 2nd floor, affectionately named The Interrogation Chamber. Outfitted with circular mirrors creating an almost nautical or submarine effect, there are one of a kind custom pieces featuring a padded leather table with wheels that can be moved making a Ladies access over a miscreant easier (or several Ladies). What makes the table unusual is the incorporated cage underneath, a winch for racking (stretching a person) and leg attachments. The complimenting CBT chair with a wide base is impossible to tip over (a lot of Houdini’s visit the Compound for various bondage scenarios) . It is exciting to have these 2 items in the room together as they were made about 20 years apart by the same builder, MetalBound. Suspension is possible, with one large frame designed by SteelToyMaker, another by DowntownWilly and a suspendable “dungeon buddy” (one of a kind) by Vassal. The dungeon buddy is an interesting piece. You lay on it and are suspended either lying face down or face up, bound to it, and then the treatments occur once it is hoisted off the ground. It is a marvelous floating feeling much like being in a sling. The advantage of being suspended this way is the absence of pain – without the pressure of rope causing stress on wrists or ankles. The large sling in the room is an older Mr. S acquired in Germany. I have never encountered heavier leather. It is heaven. A large wall mirror compliments the infinity effect created by the circular ones. A huge collection of toys and electrics for various types of play are feature prominently in this room, and gadgets for chastity and CBT adorn the mantle over the fireplace. Many bondage devices in leather reside here – binders, hoods, jackets, etc…Special insignia custom created for the Compound is a constant motif throughout the playrooms, adding a sense of style and design.
Arriving to the 3rd floor there are 4 more unique environments. One dedicated to CP and Corporeal fantasies (The Library), Two for the medically inclined (The Asylum), and another large BDSM playroom (Industrial Dungeon). The floors of these rooms play a special part in creating the atmosphere. I was influenced by the dungeons of Europe when I decided to install rubber floors. The Industrial Dungeon contains silver diamond plate rubber and the two medical rooms – diamond plate and red coin, making cleanliness a breeze to maintain. The Library has a softwood floor covered with a large tapestry. Rows of wood bookshelves line the walls. This room is the only one in the Compound not mirrored and the main feature is that almost everything in it is made of wood – from the large 4 frame poste bed (used for spanking, strapping, caning and tawsing scenes) to the large oriental decorative corner room dividers (one from China and one from Japan) and oriental implement holders. The grand days of the Victorians are honored at the Compound. It is possible for a guest Lady to stay onsite at the Compound during Her visit. The room locks from the inside and there are amenities, like a small refrigerator. A large trunk of frillies, cloth, rubber and plastic pants reside in a pink toy chest – tucked away for the AB fetishists. Collections of implements line the walls – tawses, hairbrushes, canes, straps, paddles and rulers in many different materials. It is frequent that a person be sent to this room to pick their poison which will determine their punishment fate. The American Governess is a favorite fantasy character who is often visited here. Reasons for improvements range from the quitting of an aberrant habit to the installing of proper values and respect for women. FemDom themes permeate throughout the Compound. The energy is kept pristine for these explorations. No pets, parties, smoking, or biohazarderdous activities take place. The occasional incense and scented candles permeate the air. A convertible CP bench is often found here along with a very heavy oak “library chair” (that also converts into a ladder for book shelf exploration) for proper OTK spanking scenes.
The Industrial Dungeon next door the The Library is a treasure trove of custom built Bondage pieces, 2 of which were built by Master Dragon (a bench and a chair) that are unlike anything I have seen elsewhere, as the tie off points are amazing and the possibilities are endless. Once a subject is stationed on a bench or chair, the devise is strapped and built further around them – with them on it, in effect making them “one with the furniture” or installation bondage. Another great favorite is predicament, mummification, rubber and leather. A good deal of suspension gear is here as well, and all the exciting small additions like gags, blindfold, hoods, clips, clamps (full trappings) and sensory deprivation gear such as Nova Pro Mind machines and various electrics are also presant. A large rotating table from Honor in the UK, a one of a kind custom built tilting eletric stretching cross (Steel Toy Maker), and a leather fainting couch complete the furnishings. After the fire of 2009 and the 2 year rebuild, I made the decision not to go back to floor to ceiling black again and truly honor the roots of the house so the playrooms are now all white, with draperies, furnishings and mirrors creating the vibe and effects. A common BDSM game here is “stations of the cross”, or Mistress as workout instructor, or drill sergeant, Lady Guardess, etc… What the Lady wears of course also dictates the aura of a scene and I do dress the part. Gear in this room is prominently featured by Fetters and Mr S.
The two medical playrooms AKA “The Asylum” evolved over many years (20) and my personal fascination with certain films: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, A Clockwork Orange, and the entire televised Star Trek series and films were influences. There is motorized furniture in the room that is real was actually used in the past, like the birthing chair and circular rotating spinal surgery table. A real motorized hospital bed is also an accent. Bondage restraints from Segufix, Humane Restraints, Kinky Medical and actual correctional prison transport devices as well are used in these rooms during scenes. It is here that electro play is most popular as well as various types of invasive procedures. It is not unusual however for both of these rooms to also be used for the authentic bondage aspect minus any physical discomfort. All sensations to be explored are fully negotiated before a first visit. There are 2 in-room cells (built into the walls) in the Asylum. A person may be contained in one cell for a meal and or/a break and actually sleep in the other. Both the sleeping cell and the hospital bed are outfitted in temperpedic. We enjoy making people comfortably uncomfortable and happily miserable.
There is a large bathroom on the 3rd floor of the Compound. It is a place to prepare and also rest and refresh when needed. If lobby intake is not occurring, then this is the room where disrobing occurs. There is also a bathroom on the 2nd floor for Ladies and cross dressers. It has a large tub which is the original when the house was built.
subspace Magazine: Can you talk about your Complex in Orange County?
Domina Irene Boss: Certainly, it is large open plan space of 4 rooms. Two are for hospitality and the playrooms are filled with custom gear specifically built for the Complex, mostly by DownTownWilly. There are also a few pieces of furniture from SteelToyMaker, MetalBound and Master Draevyn. Motorized furniture, a shockspot robot, spanking machine, and many benches, tables, bondage chairs, and horses are stationed inside. There is suspension in each unit, as well as a Tetruss. The garage doors make kidnapping scenes possible. The Complex in Orange California is very different that the Compound in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Rather than a private home, the Complex is in an industrial area and has a warehouse/art gallery feel and vibe. The plentiful parking makes it an idea studio to rent for private BDSM functions where all persuasions are welcome, FemDom being just one. All scene orientations (besides FemDom) are welcome at the Complex, and it is possible to rent it for special occasions and professional sessions. Where the Pittsburgh Compound is FemDom and by invitation and application only, The Complex is available to all – as long as the basic rules of no smoking or biohazerdous play are observed. A caretaker oversees operations at The Complex and I visit for a week or so every few months. It is now in its second year and is starting to take off as a formidable studio addition to the BDSM landscape of Southern California. There is truly nothing else like it in that area. It’s addition has already influenced many other existing studios and we are honored by this. The Complex was created due to the enormous interest people had in the Pittsburgh Compound and the fact that I could not accommodate suggested wishes at that location, like studio rental and space for functions. Recently the Dragon’s Gate dungeon in Anaheim closed, and many of the people associated with the groups who visited there are now making their way over to the Complex, also referred to as “The Orange Complex”. My DVD production business was moved from Pittsburgh to Orange a few years ago (from the Compound to The Complex), and the Complex also houses a working photography studio which is also available to rent. The Complex is a “business to business” endeavor.
subspace Magazine: What do you think of the recent shut down of advertising platforms for Dommes, such as Backpage.com?
Domina Irene Boss: I predicted it. Things had become very brazen, and the pendulum does swing back and forth. I have been in the business long enough to see this. A good rule of thumb is to never put your eggs all in one basket when it comes to advertising. Interestingly, Internet regulations and throttling will probably serve to make adult print advertising popular again. I expect it will also have a positive impact on my DVD business. For over 15 years I have run a free online directory for ProDoms: AllStarFemDoms.Com Ladies are welcome to have a listing there by contacting me via email with their urls.
subspace Magazine: Who are some Dominatrices that have visited your Dungeons?
Domina Irene Boss: Yes, to mention a few (and they are alphabetized): The Compound: United States: Betka Schpitz (Portland), Coral Korrupt (Philadelphia – RIP), Domina Caitlin (New York), Goddess Cheyenne (Atlanta), Domina Danielle (New York), Domina Gael (New York – RIP), Domina Snow (Columbus), Goddess Claudia (Florida), Goddess Evilena (Miami), Kelly Paine (New York), Lady Cheyenne (ClubDom – Florida), Lady Jacqueline English (Detroit), Lady Sage (Columbus), Lady X (Pittsburgh), Liz Whitman (Pittsburgh), Louise D (Chicago), Madame Ginger Fyredanzer (New York), Madame Ingrid the Valkerye (Pittsburgh), Madame Katorga (San Francisco), Madame Nadine (AKA Cock Mommie – Pittsburgh), Maya Sinstress (Chicago, now Portland), Miss Grey (San Francisco), Mistress Anastasia (Pittsburgh now Texas), Mistress Alexis Kim (Atlanta), Mistress Antoniette (Tampa), Mistress Brianna (DC), Mistress Chase (San Diego), Mistress Gemini (New York State), Mistress Kat (Pittsburgh), Mistress Lynn (DC), Mistress Missy (Pittsburgh), Mistress Morgana (Pittsburgh), Mistress Persephone (San Francisco), Mistress Precious (Houston), Mistress Shane (New York), Mistress Simone (Chicago), Mistress Troy (New York), Mistress Tyler (DC), Mistress Wynter (New York), Mistress Renee (Philadelphia), Ms Thora Nang (Philadelphia), Porsche Lynn (Phoenix), Princess Kali (Boston), Rebecca Knox (LA and Pittsburgh), Vinyl Queen (San Francisco) Rebecca Knox and Madame Ingrid are both based in Pittsburgh and are currently available at the Pittsburgh Compound. Abroad: Carmen Rivera (Germany), Madame Charlotte (Germany), Mimi Divine (Australia), Mistress Amrita (Japan), Mistress Denetra (Scotland), Mistress Miranda Middleton (UK), Mistress Servalan (Australia), Sublime Lady Amazon (Holland) The Complex: (These Ladies reside in Los Angeles unless otherwise noted) Celeste DiNixi, Domina Helena, Elena Deluca (when visiting from NY), Miss Andrea Untamed, Miss Thora Nang (when visiting from Philadelphia), Mistress Scarlette, Mistress Selena, Ms Eva Cruz, Sheri Darling and from San Francisco: Miss Grey
subspace Magazine: Do you have any upcoming events you would like to mention?
Domina Irene Boss: Yes, my company BossDVD.Com exhibits annually at the Las Vegas AVN, and also at Dom Con LA. Please come by and say hello! New DVD releases will be featured. I visit various events and functions throughout the year abroad and in the States. In particular, I greatly enjoyed attending my first Sinical Ball recently (sponsored by SinicalMagazine.com) and was very impressed with the venue, burlesque performances and attending guests. It is a must add to a person’s kink social calendar and takes place in Houston Texas! |