Open shop interior with block shelving and timber tables
Product shelves beside a broad timber-framed street window
Product shelves wrapping a tall central terrazzo-block pier
Tall terrazzo-block shelving lined with bottles and jars
Service counter built from terrazzo blocks and a pale stone top
Terrazzo-block island supporting plants, bottles and open shelving
Staff member working behind a terrazzo island and product shelves
Shared table and wall shelves beside the terrazzo service counter
Tall terrazzo shelving dividing the shop from the communal table
Close view of the terrazzo counter, menu boards and timber stool
Dark washroom with a green counter and wall-mounted basin
Shop interior seen through a mesh-covered street window
Shop interior and communal table seen through the open window
Corner storefront with broad windows opening to the pavement

Two distinct islands define the interior, orchestrating an interplay of culinary creativity and herbal wisdom. One island houses the open kitchen, and hosts visitors, the second island finds purpose as the herb counter.
At the culmination of each island, storage columns stand as sentinels, choreographing the ebb and flow within the space. These columns hold a dual purpose, not only drawing the gaze of visitors, but also shrouding glimpses of the bustling kitchen or framing the intricate interplay between the herbalist and the cook.
The design narrative hinges on the duality of its program — a serene haven that seamlessly blends gastronomic delights with herbal enlightenment. The overarching ambiance is one of tranquility, an inviting embrace woven into every nook. The selection of materials mirrors this ethos: raw, unadulterated, and organic. The choice of cold-pressed blocks fashioned from Brussels earth (BC materials), sanded concrete, and the tactile embrace of end-grain wooden flooring coalesce to cocoon patrons in a warm embrace.
The ceiling, adorned with flocked cellulose, adds a textured dimension that enriches the atmosphere. Even the choice of materials narrates a story of mindful sustainability; a majority of the wooden panels find new life through reuse.

Location
BE, Brussels, Rue van Aa
Works
Interior transformation and renovation
Role
Complete mission, design and realization
Typology
Open counter
Program
Restaurant and herbalism
Surface
105 m2
Client
Place Aux Plantes
Date
2022 - 2023
Status
Built
Photos
Stijn Bollaert

Drawings

Plan of an irregular shop organized around a central service core
Axonometric of a pale shelving system joined by green counters
Axonometric of shelving bridges linking two tall display volumes
Historic illustration of an apothecary interior and adjoining street
Historic illustration of a woman inside a richly stocked apothecary

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