edmond
ghent, belgium
2006
Huis van Waes is a listed 1930s Art Deco landmark in Ghent, designed by Belgian modernist architect Gaston Eysselinck. Its slim, yellow brick volumes and large windows, right by one of the city’s waterways, were inspired by ocean liners. Conceived as a pop-up restaurant and cocktail bar in 2006, Edmond occupied the apartment building’s ground and lower ground level, offering contemporary dining and expansive waterside views. The project was designed to provide a more casual, bistro-style experience on the ground level, and fine dining downstairs. Fixed, bespoke leather seating lines the walls, complemented by specially made freestanding chairs and tables. Reflective stainless- steel wall panels and black mirrored glass – such as the smoked glass used on the bar counter – enhance the sense of space. These features also created a sleek overall feel, which, enhanced by the sophisticated colour palette of soft greys, browns and whites, make for a chic environment, fit for a refined, cosmopolitan clientele. Many of the building’s original features were maintained and restored, including the large windows’ slim, black metal frames.