HEYDAYS Office / Atelier Vens Vanbelle

Curated by Paula Pintos

Architects: Atelier Vens Vanbelle
Area: 271 m²
Year: 2021
Lead Architects: Dries Vens & Maarten Vanbelle

Text description provided by the architects. Heydays is a company that specializes in coaching in the broadest sense of the word. The company bought a plot with an old building that used to be a brothel along a busy road where many commercial companies are located. The river Leie flows at the rear of the plot, with a nature reserve on the other side. An oasis of peace. The contrast between the front and the back of the plot could hardly be greater.

HEYDAYS Office / Atelier Vens Vanbelle - Exterior Photography, Brick, Windows, Facade — Courtesy of Atelier Vens Vanbelle

Stand out from the crowd is the company's credo, and it had to be translated into their building. An abstract volume of black and white rectangles appeared along the busy road. The building fits into the chaotic context where there is bidding for commercial properties. At the same time, it is abstract to such an extent that it attracts attention and evokes amazement.

The new building volume forms a buffer between the busy street side and the nature at the rear. A warp zone was designed between the two entities that connect and separate them. An elongated abstract reception area in yellow and white tiles establishes the link between the busy road and the rear. This space is the heart of the building. Here the users interact and meet, and there is the opportunity to soak up different atmospheres of the plot and the building.

HEYDAYS Office / Atelier Vens Vanbelle - Interior Photography, Lighting, Courtyard, Patio — Courtesy of Atelier Vens Vanbelle

Several rooms open onto this central space, including a number of meeting rooms and rooms for individual coaching. These were furnished with a warm and homely interior, with red carpet and birch wood trim on the walls and ceiling. In these spaces, great attention is paid to acoustics, homeliness, and quality of life, because after all, an office/workplace is a space where a lot of time is spent. Some spaces have a direct visual link with the central space, others are fully focused on the environment.

HEYDAYS Office / Atelier Vens Vanbelle - Interior Photography, Handrail — Courtesy of Atelier Vens Vanbelle

The stairwell also opens onto the central space. The stairwell is completely white so that the zenithal light falls down. The stairs lead to the private offices on the first floor, which has also been given a fresh and homely design, and the communal area on the upper floor. In the communal area and on the adjacent roof terrace you can relax and unwind with a beautiful view of nature.

In this project, there is a great deal of attention for domesticity and benchmarks in the fascinating environment. For many people, a workplace is a place where they spend more time than in their own home, so the pleasant and homely character is extremely important. The office responds to the dual context, creating a unique whole.