Photography
Wim Martens
Design team
Toon Martens Laura Derboven
Year
2024
Hospitality
Mechelen
STUDIO CLUSTER
The groundfloor commercial space, rich in historic detailing, was transformed into a multifunctional venue — currently operating as a coffee and wine bar with an integrated exhibition area. Looking ahead, the concept is designed to evolve — potentially becoming a curated bookshop or a guestchef restaurant. This fluid identity sparked an intriguing design challenge: could we craft a central piece of furniture that went beyond the functional needs of a bar? A piece that, even without the coffee machines or wine fridges, could still serve a meaningful role in future iterations?
TOPVIEW BAR
The groundfloor commercial space, rich in historic detailing, was transformed into a multifunctional venue — currently operating as a coffee and wine bar with an integrated exhibition area. Looking ahead, the concept is designed to evolve — potentially becoming a curated bookshop or a guestchef restaurant. This fluid identity sparked an intriguing design challenge: could we craft a central piece of furniture that went beyond the functional needs of a bar? A piece that, even without the coffee machines or wine fridges, could still serve a meaningful role in future iterations?
The groundfloor commercial space, rich in historic detailing, was transformed into a multifunctional venue — currently operating as a coffee and wine bar with an integrated exhibition area. Looking ahead, the concept is designed to evolve — potentially becoming a curated bookshop or a guestchef restaurant. This fluid identity sparked an intriguing design challenge: could we craft a central piece of furniture that went beyond the functional needs of a bar? A piece that, even without the coffee machines or wine fridges, could still serve a meaningful role in future iterations?
The result is a lightly curved tabletop, supported by a series of legs — some functional, some purely structural, some housing technical elements like a sink. Remove the service units, and what remains is a floating gesture in space: a sculptural element rather than a fixed counter. To enable this, wheel mounted drawer units and a fridge housing are fully removable.
The result is a lightly curved tabletop, supported by a series of legs — some functional, some purely structural, some housing technical elements like a sink. Remove the service units, and what remains is a floating gesture in space: a sculptural element rather than a fixed counter. To enable this, wheel mounted drawer units and a fridge housing are fully removable.
The result is a lightly curved tabletop, supported by a series of legs — some functional, some purely structural, some housing technical elements like a sink. Remove the service units, and what remains is a floating gesture in space: a sculptural element rather than a fixed counter. To enable this, wheel mounted drawer units and a fridge housing are fully removable.
We intentionally placed the inner curve on the visitor's side — a somewhat unconventional choice, but one that allowed us to erase the notion of "front" and "back." The furniture becomes an open experience, not a service barrier. A 3-meter-high pivoting steel door adds a final pop of playful contrast — injecting bold colour into the room. The handle is crafted in the same profile as the legs, bringing the whole story full circle.
We intentionally placed the inner curve on the visitor's side — a somewhat unconventional choice, but one that allowed us to erase the notion of "front" and "back." The furniture becomes an open experience, not a service barrier. A 3-meter-high pivoting steel door adds a final pop of playful contrast — injecting bold colour into the room. The handle is crafted in the same profile as the legs, bringing the whole story full circle.
We intentionally placed the inner curve on the visitor's side — a somewhat unconventional choice, but one that allowed us to erase the notion of "front" and "back." The furniture becomes an open experience, not a service barrier. A 3-meter-high pivoting steel door adds a final pop of playful contrast — injecting bold colour into the room. The handle is crafted in the same profile as the legs, bringing the whole story full circle.
