This project for multi-brand shoe retailer Coccodrillo was designed to occupy the ground and first level of a handsome Antwerp townhouse. The original interior was badly damaged so had to be entirely redesigned; this was done with aplomb, thanks to swathes of richly textured concrete and a clever, flexible internal arrangement. Concrete envelopes everything – from the walls to the columns and ceilings – while all the furniture apart from the cashier’s desks is bespoke and freestanding in order to allow for different configurations. Strip lighting helps define surfaces and the ceiling’s thick concrete slabs hide all the technical equipment, ensuring an overall minimalist feel. This makes the space feel dramatic and monolithic, but also clean and functional. A wide travertine stone staircase with a bronze-coloured metal balustrade connects the two levels. Bronze finish partition screens help divide areas where necessary. A cleverly placed mirror opposite the entrance leads the eye up to the first floor, giving a sense of scale.
Team:
Architects: Glenn Sestig Architects
Photographer: Jean-Pierre Gabriel
